Assignment 1-4-3

The social network Facebook has numerous rituals and stereotypes. People don't understand that not all the stereotypes are not true, but people will have their own experience and opinion of it. The biggest stereotype I hear of is the description of a persons needs. For example, there is this one friend on Facebook that posts something every hour whether it be a status update or picture. Most people would think of this friend as needy and an attention seeker. Then there are those friends who are lecturers that voice their opinions strongly, especially during election time. There are many other titles, but those are most common. Another stereotype is that Facebook ruins relationships. Whether they be friendships or relationships with a significant other, Facebook could possibly be a factor of destroying the relationship. I don't believe this to be true, because if it were the case then it is a sign of jealousy and/or lack of trust. No relationship should carry those characteristics, and, if so, then the relationship was leading to the path of failure anyway.

Some rituals that Facebook portrays are the notifications, birthdays, status updates, posting pictures, and playing games against one another. These are the common rituals, but I think the "like" and "comment" buttons are the biggest. The simplicity of just liking another person's status, picture, post, or whatever is a symbol of gratitude, happiness, or agreement of the topic. Notifications can be as little as displaying a friend liked your status, tagged you in a photo, reminder to send birthday wishes, etc. Facebook notifies of any comments or suggestions that seem to fit your interest.

Facebook may cause problems in personal lives, but it is what you take out of it like everything else. Let go of the things you can't control and help those you can prevent. Popular culture is able to be shared all over the world and Facebook is able to bring those different cultures together. There is no limitations of Facebook or restrictions that it can be accessed from across the world. Each culture is able to bring its own personality to Facebook, thus creating updates and changes quite frequently with Facebook.