Facebook doesn't make me feel like I'm socializing, it's too introverted for that.
Does this make you feel like you are socializing?
Partly, meaningful socialization is reciprocal.
This site isn't about "me", however innocuously egotistical I am, if I contribute nothing of worth I get nothing out of being here. I can't disguise my lack of personality with memes, prattle, or "friends" who know me. Forums are the definition of a meritocracy. The "real" here is the esteem (or lack thereof) you can garner from members through your comments, ideas, arguments, suggestions, and humour. What you look like, who your parents are, what car you drive, whether you were popular back in high school, or can beat the crap out of me -- all these qualifiers of human interaction are ignored. It comes down to how well you can write and whether or not you're an asshole. If people don't like me here I can honestly say it's not because of superficial reasons. It's not much different than the archaic practice of exchanging letters. I don't want people to friend me here, I want to talk about subjects I rarely get the opportunity to in real life with people who care about the same things.
Facebook on the other hand, is the definition of narcissism. Unapologetically, one's hyperbolic self supersedes all else on Facebook. it's mostly phatic drivel, empty of consequence, and divorced from reality. The glaring falsehoods of so many of my genuine friend's Facebook site's are not a result of their various personality disorders -- for the most part. It's simply what the site drives you into being, superficial hyperreality is pedestrian there, almost expected. It's like a dating site where you can comfortably assert that you aren't actually going to have your bubble burst on that first date.
Facebook doesn't make me feel like I'm socializing, it's too introverted for that.
Intro, or extroverted, socializing has it's benefits.
I'm not referring to psychology of self-contained people, rather the nature of the medium.
