Social Networking (Crossposted to every site I blog on) LOL

I'm on a few different "social networking" sites. I know why I am on some and I have no clue why I am on others. Perhaps that's a sign I should delete myself from those sites? Anywhoooo:

MySpace: I was on it and then I was off it. Then the fates brought Shawanna and me back into each other's lives and I rejoined so we could stay in touch.  THis was before we worked together again. So yeah, this one is Shawanna's fault.

LiveJournal: I have been on this one the longest. I am totally anonymous there.  I have grown comfortable there.  I have a few real time friends that are there as well. Very few. 

Zaadz: Been there for almost a year.  Social networking with a spiritual slant. Conscious capitalism. It's a pretty cool place where you won't be friended by bands and 16 year old boys.  I participate there almost the least of all sites yet I do like it best. None of my real time friends are there...yet. I have made a few friends on the site that live out of state.

Linkd In: Why the hell am I on this? This site appears to be made for the wannabe corporate clones climbing the almighty corporate ladder trading happiness for the almighty dollar.  There are, like, 4 people on it in my chosen field and I have the most impressive resume for said field? Sad, just sad. Oh wait, my field is not all that corporate. That should have been my first clue.  Perhaps whenI feel like eating lunch in an outfit that demands sensible shoes and flesh toned hose I will look up an old coworker. Operative word there is "OLD".

Facebook: What the shit is this? I try, I really really try.  Shawanna and I send each other a drink back and forth. Philip and I poke each other. I somehow ended up on the friends list of my bosses son (WTF?). The married man with the "arrangement" with his wife that I "had fun" with before meeting Brian friended me. Thank Goddess this site doesn't have a blog function (or I just am not smart enough to find it?) because this one has the most potential for worlds colliding that shouldn't go near each other! Still with me?

Hermit's Lantern: This one is on ning.com. I REALLY REALLY like this site.  Some of the best people from zaadz are there and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. I just keep forgetting to poke my head in there! 

I am amused by the behavior exhibited by people online. And I include myself in this statement.  On MySpace you have the girls that have their profile locked private but blast their life activities through the headline and extended network message box. Talk about having your cake and eating it too! On LiveJournal there is the girl who is blogging publicly and calling out the person who is reading her journal.  Who has time to collect the IP address of everyone who reads their journal and research the origin of said address and then demand an answer as to why people are looking at their past entries? Is this not why one can mark their journal friends only or private? And then on zaadz you have the person who feels the need to vent and rant in their own blog only to get slammed by some readers who didn't understand her original intent. Not to mention the girl that posted a poem only to have someone demand an explanation for the poetry because it did not make sense to him. 

Some people behave badly online because they can. It is anonymous.  Or at least it can be.  Not that this is anything new. This is just a glimpse of what our society is all about. A microcosm of the macrocosm. And it is widespread regardless of the intention of the site involved.  Whether or not its about whose home page has the hottest girls, the coolest bands, the most friends, or the best religious dogma with quotes to match it all stems from the same place...

Now I have no idea if this makes any sense.  Just some thoughts that ocurred to me after travelling around online a bit today.  Perhaps it is time to go close my Linkd In and Facebook accouts since they make no sense to me.  As for the other sites I will work to participate from a place of truth and grace.