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unsure of the benefit for using facebook

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2011.06.18

I found something interesting on the use of Facebook in Japan.

In Japan, Facebook hasn't spread as fast as it did in other countries. The reasons why people sign up for a facebook account is to get in touch with / keep in touch with distanced friends and relatives. From the survey, it seems that people were unsure of the benefit for using facebook.

"Unsure of the benefit for using facebook"? Say it ain't so!

I've found the site particularly useless. It lacks the clearly defined purpose of LinkedIn, for instance–there are simply times when you turn to LinkedIn for answers. This doesn't happen with Facebook. I've also found myself returning less and less frequently for the purpose of staying in touch with friends. Once you've gone through a few weeks of updates from people you worked with a decade ago, you pretty much wind up staying in touch with people you were already staying in touch with via email.

The Japanese are right.

rand()m quote

Satire is tragedy plus time. You give it enough time, the public, the reviewers will allow you to satirize it. Which is rather ridiculous, when you think about it.

—Lenny Bruce