Can Myspace become Your Reality?

Social networking sites have been the biggest buzz on the internet for over a year now. Gophers, Usenet (which should date my internet existance), instant messaging, and (recently) blogs can't even sniff the popularity that these sites have generated. The leader in this wave of communication is MySpace. This website has finally accomplished what so many other sites (AOL, Yahoo, Google, MSN, etc) have tried to do since their inception- it's an internet portal. Interestingly though, MySpace hasn't implemented a legitimate email system, which is how most of those aforementioned sites gained popularity. Anyone remember the OldDays when you'd be amazed that someone had a guestbook on their personal webpage? Well, MySpace has a guestbook too.

The website has about 56 million unique users and gets more hits than both Google and AOL, ranking second only to Yahoo in the US. MySpace was acquired by the media conglomerate News Corp (which also owns Fox Broadcasting) for the measely price of $580 million. Rupert Murdoch got a steal on this one. The site is a incubator of people itching to spend their money. It's not just kiddy change either since over 42% of the site's users are between the ages of 35-54. And with the introduction of Myspace Records, Myspace Films, and Myspace TV there will be plenty of opportunities for capitalism. That's enough of my Datelinesque intro.. now for some personal thoughts.

The Good:
The best feature MySpace has is the obvious one- catching up with old friends. There's that kid who moved away in the 6th grade. Woah, that fraternity brother has a kid now? etc. 6 degrees of separation? It's more like 2, at the most. The music, videos, and occasional MyspaceMiracle are just gravy. I'll even admit that the SoD staff frequently uses its messaging as a way to keep things moving.

The Bad:
Like anything social and relatively-anonymous, MySpace has attracted a fair share of the dregs of society ranging from pedophiles to politicians. I'm gonna place social networking in this category too. Don't get me wrong- I fully believe that the best way to maximize life is to share it with as many people as possible but a site like this should always be someone's accessory and not their crutch. When kids go home to check their comments instead of riding bikes or when a Friendster poke means more than a smile and a handshake, well, then I think that will create a culture that's a little more superficial. Maybe that's the (older?) generation in me talking, but I feel that a happy birthday call will always be more sincere than an email or comment.


...and the SoD hits 10,000.