I'm far from a luddite, however for ages I've been insisting (publicly, even) that there is one Internet trend which I would simply never, ever join in on: MySpace. And I meant it. With the conviction of seven Arabian princesses, even.
It wasn't that I was against it or the people who are on it so much as it was that I didn't understand what it was for (other than stalking, obviously), and I figured it would be a bit weird, possibly even inappropriate, for a high school teacher such as myself to be up there with myriad students both past, present and future. But, as so often happens on a Saturday night after a girl's had one too many martinis, I found myself doing the very thing which I had so stubbornly sworn I'd never do. I created my own MySpace page.
I'd like to blame it on peer pressure or the booze or that I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but to do so would be a lie. I did it. It was fun. I think it may have even been my idea.
After its creation I went back and forth for a few hours, deliberating whether or not I should delete it, but the bottom line is I was raised Catholic. Consequently, I feel I must take responsibility for my actions and for the things that are created as a result of those actions. Thus, I'm keeping my MySpace page.
(cue "Papa Don't Preach" and the violins and the dancing and the whatnot)
So, I've been on this MySpace thingy for four days or so, and during that time I've formally asked a few people who I thought were my friends if they would agree to still be my friends, I found a few people who I used to be friends with and asked them if they'd agree to be my friend again, I posted a picture of myself looking deeply reflective - the whole nine yards. But here's the thing: I'm still not exactly sure what MySpace is for.
Well, that's not entirely true. One clear purpose it serves is for dating. I only had my page for a few hours before receiving multiple invitations from strangers wanting to be my, um, *friend*. One prospective out-of-town suitor even went so far as to suggest that I let him stay at my house this weekend while he's here visiting. Somehow, the mere act of creating an account had made me insanely popular. (Of course, when I first signed up - thanks to the martinis - my profile indicated that I was a 8 foot tall, bi/swinger, Pacific Islander with some extra baggage who was born in Mumbai and enjoyed Scientology, long walks on the beach and high-heeled sneakers. Clearly, that person would be quite popular.)
But, alas, I am not that person, and since I vowed to keep my MySpace baby I figured I should do right by it, and so have since changed my profile to be a more accurate reflection of the real me. (And as it turns out, the real me is a sight less popular.)
So, to sum up, from what I can tell after such a short period of time, it appears that MySpace is for:
(Unless "Tom's" creating a public registry for purposes of world domination. Oh, I bet that's it! And how deliciously evil of him.)
It wasn't that I was against it or the people who are on it so much as it was that I didn't understand what it was for (other than stalking, obviously), and I figured it would be a bit weird, possibly even inappropriate, for a high school teacher such as myself to be up there with myriad students both past, present and future. But, as so often happens on a Saturday night after a girl's had one too many martinis, I found myself doing the very thing which I had so stubbornly sworn I'd never do. I created my own MySpace page.
I'd like to blame it on peer pressure or the booze or that I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but to do so would be a lie. I did it. It was fun. I think it may have even been my idea.
After its creation I went back and forth for a few hours, deliberating whether or not I should delete it, but the bottom line is I was raised Catholic. Consequently, I feel I must take responsibility for my actions and for the things that are created as a result of those actions. Thus, I'm keeping my MySpace page.
(cue "Papa Don't Preach" and the violins and the dancing and the whatnot)
So, I've been on this MySpace thingy for four days or so, and during that time I've formally asked a few people who I thought were my friends if they would agree to still be my friends, I found a few people who I used to be friends with and asked them if they'd agree to be my friend again, I posted a picture of myself looking deeply reflective - the whole nine yards. But here's the thing: I'm still not exactly sure what MySpace is for.
Well, that's not entirely true. One clear purpose it serves is for dating. I only had my page for a few hours before receiving multiple invitations from strangers wanting to be my, um, *friend*. One prospective out-of-town suitor even went so far as to suggest that I let him stay at my house this weekend while he's here visiting. Somehow, the mere act of creating an account had made me insanely popular. (Of course, when I first signed up - thanks to the martinis - my profile indicated that I was a 8 foot tall, bi/swinger, Pacific Islander with some extra baggage who was born in Mumbai and enjoyed Scientology, long walks on the beach and high-heeled sneakers. Clearly, that person would be quite popular.)
But, alas, I am not that person, and since I vowed to keep my MySpace baby I figured I should do right by it, and so have since changed my profile to be a more accurate reflection of the real me. (And as it turns out, the real me is a sight less popular.)
So, to sum up, from what I can tell after such a short period of time, it appears that MySpace is for:
1. Soliciting strangersIs that it? I mean, I'm going to keep it and all, but I have this nagging feeling that I'm missing something.
2. Making me feel old
3. A unnecessary fourth e-mail account
4. Publicly announcing my favorite music/movies/books/education/body type/etc.
5. Asking people who I thought were my friends if they will publicly admit to being friends with me
6. Ranking those friends, and being ranked in return
7. Stalking
(Unless "Tom's" creating a public registry for purposes of world domination. Oh, I bet that's it! And how deliciously evil of him.)
2 Comments:
hilarious--you have fallen to the dark side, dear. I vowed i will never ever ever ever join myspace or facebook. NEVER! you can remind me of my sneering when/if i do.
ps. what is your address??
pps. at least please tell me you didnt invite any of your students to be a "friend"...;)
I know. Sigh...
And sneer I will. :)
PS. Should you wish to, you can see part of my page
here. (You need to join up and ask to be friends with me to see the whole thing. Which you swear you won't do. As I myself once swore. He He.)
PPS. Oh hell no! I'll never invite or accept invites from students. We actually have one young teacher who had some students listed as friends on her page...that is until one of them posted a "fake," death threat comment on her page. Administration got involved and it was a bit of a mess. It's not her fault, clearly, but there are lines that we should not cross, and MySpace should be one of those, methinks.
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