Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Pictures – Okay, so I am a realist. I KNOW that I am far from photogenic. I hide from cameras. I've often pondered that if I were ever to be kidnapped or murdered in a sensational way the news stations would have to use my driver's license photo. You know what, I am totally okay with that.
However, I have to admit that I really enjoy looking at other people's photos on Facebook. I like seeing the kids and families of my friends. I really enjoy looking at pictures from when I was young. Picture sharing on Facebook is definitely one of the best benefits of 'social networking', in my opinion.
2. Reconnecting – Within a day of opening my account I was 'found' by lots of old friends. It is fun, and probably would never occur without Facebook, to be able to see what people from your past are up to.
Finding old crushes, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, and friends is definitely a huge kick. It is great to find out about people who were once really important to your life. It is also great to see whether the puzzle pieces still fit together or not. I have two examples:
Sally and I were as close as two pop music loving teens could be in the late 1980s/early 1990s. She and I had the same sensibilities. We laughed at all of the same stuff, spent inordinate amounts of time together and talked almost daily. In 2009 though, the pieces just don't fit. Turns out she's morphed into a Glenn Beck loving 'birther' who has apparently swallowed the Kool Aid I've spent my life trying to flee. Sad.
On the other hand there is Dane. We were great childhood friends in grade school. We never had a fight, but lost touch when we were about twelve or so. Well, through the magic that is Facebook we've again connected. Turns out we have much more in common now than we did as kids. We talk or email almost daily and I am honored to count him among my friends.
Facebook truly is a social network and one of the aspects I love most about the site is its ability to reconnect people who've lost touch.
3. Status Updates – Sometimes these are really clever and spark thought. I like when people update their status with quotes or offer interesting information about what they're doing or where they've been. Often the comments attached to someone's status are just as interesting and thought-provoking as the original post. Lately I've seen debates about swine flu, healthcare, and even Glee that have offered insight and made me think. I like to think and I love ideas that spark intelligent discussion.
4. Universality – Facebook is everywhere. That is absolutely appealing. A friend from Italy convinced me to begin 'Facebooking' (I still hate the verb form of the site) and through the site I've been able to network with 'friends' from all over. Maybe everyone doesn't Facebook (there's that verb again!) but it sure does seem like it!
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