Facebook Suicide

I have been a member of the Facebook “community” for over three years and I feel that it has progressively become less of a communicational device and more of a self-promotional tool. In Carmen Joy King’s essay, “Facebook Suicide,” the author expresses her reasoning on why she decided to cancel her Facebook account. She argues that Facebook drives constant self-enhancement for the current “look at me” generation as well as narcissistic behavior through social-networking websites. I have recently been feeling conflicted regarding the nature of Facebook and pulling myself out of its world. Positive effects of “Facebook suicide” would be knowing that I am no longer willingly advertising myself to the Facebook world just for the sake of attention and self promotion. I would almost argue that the Facebook world is favoring individual promotion rather community promotion, which ironically goes against the initial fashion of the website, which was created to foster the development of social networks and, ultimately, communities. However, committing “Facebook suicide” would have negative effects as well. Although communication does not seem like a priority of Facebook anymore, if I were to remove myself from it I feel like I would lose a sense of communication. Facebook facilitates an easy, casual way of contact between people as well as allowing an environment that drives the exchange of ideas between its members. If I were to cancel my account I would lose this sense of casual interaction that I cannot find using E-mail or the telephone.