The Facebook Effect

I know that this title is exactly the same as the book you see in Popular bookstores, but it is purely coincidental and i will not be discussing anything about the contents of that book, but just my self observed effects of Facebook that I have witnessed after two years of near daily usage of Facebook.

Recently, upon reading an intriguing news on the internet, It seems that scientists have discovered that people who use Facebook the most are narcissists who have low self esteem. It may sound extremely offending but i have to agree to what they have found because all i have observed in Facebook is when i check the 'top news' and 'most recent' news would be weird updates that attract many users attention to write about positive praises so the one who posted the update won't feel so much like a loser.

For example,

"1st person to like this - I'll add you as a sibling. 2nd person - I'll write I love you on your wall.3th person - I'll give my number (: 4th person - I'll give you a loving hug next time I see you, 6th person - I'll rate our...friendship. 7th person - I'll inbox you what I truthfully think about you."

Isn't this update solely for people to comment and like so that he can tell you his own opinion of you? Even if you aren't even the closest of friends? I have to admit, I do that sometimes too, so i'm also guilty of practicing some sort of narcissism. Till now, i'm still looking for reasons why everyone is so addicted to Facebook for the wrong reasons. Facebook, i believe, was created with an intention to act as a socializing website where everyone could update what they were up to or have been doing recently. But what do we see now? We see an infinite amount of youngsters who want to know what other people think of them so that they will be showered with praises and then they will find that they are so much better than that of losers they see in school or any other place for that matter. In short, people use Facebook primarily with the intention to get some ego boost. It is due to the ego boost that we constantly get that we become comfortable with Facebook and thus become addicted to it. Who doesn't prefer to do something more comfortable?

While many people still use Facebook with the intention to socialize rather than to gain attention, I believe that it is wise to refrain from too much of Facebook, because we may be so used to all the attention that one can get online that we forget what we actually are out of the virtual world. I do agree that Facebook gives multiple benefits such as communication with friends as well as competing with friends in various games available on Facebook, but please be wary of the consequences that may surface with too much usage of this deadly yet helpful website.