Five years or so after its invention, I see Friendster as one of the greatest social cyber tools created in this millennium.
Before, and even now, it has been text messaging. Texting allows us to communicate every hour, every minute even to friends and family members who are far away from us. That may not be interesting now—simply because we are used to it. But those who were born before the SMS technology really finds the contrast striking. When I was in first year college in 1996, there was no SMS yet. Neither were there the basic phone cards. Separated from my family who’s in Mindanao, I have to communicate with them by going to PLDT or PT&T booths which were stationed outside of UP, which means going through the hassle of commuting, lining up and all—just to communicate with them. And if it doesn’t work, then there was snail mail. But with the advent of SMS phones, our lives were drastically changed in terms of social interaction.
Fast forward 2002, Friendster was invented. It was an attractive idea—you can post pictures, write about yourself and check on others’ updates regularly. Its most important feature is checking on long-lost friends and acquaintances, or someone you’d like to know, by the expedient of typing their names. If you are a new user, I think there is this initial dilemma whether to broadcast to the whole world who you are and what you look like. But that hesitation is immediately swept by the Friendster bandwagon. More and more people have joined it especially with its constantly advancing features.
With these, Friendster has become an authority in terms of news and updates of friends. No need to talk or chat, which may be cumbersome if you could not ask the proper questions. All you have to do is click or search on a friend’s profile and there you have him or her—including his or her new acquisitions, civil status, boyfriend or girlfriend, state of mind (shoutout), hairstyle, places visited, etc. Hence, nowadays if someone asks how another is doing, there is an easy answer. And the source: Friendster.
The downside I see however is that social interaction has become passive. The tendency is that people do not communicate as often as before because personal updates are already available online. The personal touch of talking and conversing is lost because Friendster gives a blanket security with its daily friends update.
That is not a problem, however, if only people maintain how they used to interact. There is still no substitute to talking and chatting in person with friends up to the wee hours over some bottles of beer or drink. There is still no substitute to sending a handwritten letter, seeing the slants, emphasis and expressions the handwriting brings, with a fragrance and personalized sticker on it.
Technology is important but humanity shouldn’t be lost in the process. Lest we forget, we are still humans who constantly deal with feelings and emotions. Getting into Friendster is a good idea but having a friend is bliss.
