2008 Woodie Awards
Let me enjoy my facebook, please
Amy Cohen
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: Op/Ed
- Page 1 of 1
I love capitalism. It is one of our country's core values, right up there with liberty and freedom. The competition and freedom of the market- based economy goes beyond the inherent financial system of our country and helps define us as Americans. However, I do not like capitalism when it interferes with my Facebook.
This past week Microsoft bought shares of Facebook, giving it commercial access to the site and the freedom to sell advertising space to companies. Most of the boring and politically correct business market sees Facebook as a giant opportunity to reach a customer base that is intent on announcing to the world the intracacies of individual personality. Basically, Facebook is like a giant focus group minus the two- way mirrors, the discussion facilator and most importantly, the necessary funding.
So I'm left wondering, is there anything sacred left? Facebook was originally created as a giant social network that gave college-aged kids a way to meet each other with similar interests, keep in touch with friends at other universities, and interact with their peers. Personally, it has provided endless hours of entertainment as well as increased my procrastination abilities. Does any of this sound like it would fit in with consumerism?
I recently was in Disneyland over fall break. I walked ten full minutes through a maze of stores, most of which had nothing to do with Disneyland or Mickey Mouse, before I even got to the ticket booth. I was bombared by makeup, clothes and perfume. With each step the magic and fantasy of Disneyland dwindled to the point of frustration. I was supposed to be fulfilling a necessary experience of my childhood and instead I was being steamrolled by capitalism. Was this a disappointing realization? Definitely.
Clearly, the appeal of a website that has an abundance of personal information for college-aged kids has an undeniable appeal to advertisers. Microsoft now has access to who we are, our interests, and what we like to buy, as well as the freedom to sell that information to the highest bidder. The advertising possiblities are endless.
The business elite do not care about the orignal principles of Facebook. Instead they have turned Facebook into an information feeding frenzy for corporations. Individuality is no longer celebrated as the characteristcs that set us appart from our friends. Individuality is being used as a tool for capitalism. With every profile update we are unknowlingly defining ourselves further as consumers and secondly as individuals.
If it was up to me, I would keep advertisers off of Facebook. Nevertheless, I am an American. Capitalism, with its intrinsic freedom and competition, is celebrated by the culture that I belong to. With this freedom comes the freedom to ignore. So I will ignore the advertisers of the future in my small but individual attempt to make my point known. If I want to know about a product I will look it up, but please don't shove it in my face and ruin a good thing.
This past week Microsoft bought shares of Facebook, giving it commercial access to the site and the freedom to sell advertising space to companies. Most of the boring and politically correct business market sees Facebook as a giant opportunity to reach a customer base that is intent on announcing to the world the intracacies of individual personality. Basically, Facebook is like a giant focus group minus the two- way mirrors, the discussion facilator and most importantly, the necessary funding.
So I'm left wondering, is there anything sacred left? Facebook was originally created as a giant social network that gave college-aged kids a way to meet each other with similar interests, keep in touch with friends at other universities, and interact with their peers. Personally, it has provided endless hours of entertainment as well as increased my procrastination abilities. Does any of this sound like it would fit in with consumerism?
I recently was in Disneyland over fall break. I walked ten full minutes through a maze of stores, most of which had nothing to do with Disneyland or Mickey Mouse, before I even got to the ticket booth. I was bombared by makeup, clothes and perfume. With each step the magic and fantasy of Disneyland dwindled to the point of frustration. I was supposed to be fulfilling a necessary experience of my childhood and instead I was being steamrolled by capitalism. Was this a disappointing realization? Definitely.
Clearly, the appeal of a website that has an abundance of personal information for college-aged kids has an undeniable appeal to advertisers. Microsoft now has access to who we are, our interests, and what we like to buy, as well as the freedom to sell that information to the highest bidder. The advertising possiblities are endless.
The business elite do not care about the orignal principles of Facebook. Instead they have turned Facebook into an information feeding frenzy for corporations. Individuality is no longer celebrated as the characteristcs that set us appart from our friends. Individuality is being used as a tool for capitalism. With every profile update we are unknowlingly defining ourselves further as consumers and secondly as individuals.
If it was up to me, I would keep advertisers off of Facebook. Nevertheless, I am an American. Capitalism, with its intrinsic freedom and competition, is celebrated by the culture that I belong to. With this freedom comes the freedom to ignore. So I will ignore the advertisers of the future in my small but individual attempt to make my point known. If I want to know about a product I will look it up, but please don't shove it in my face and ruin a good thing.