Patrick Lannigan on: Facebook

What's that old saying? Someone who is brilliant can hold two opposing thoughts in their own mind? I must be a genius, then because I'm both overjoyed and saddened by Facebook.

I'm overjoyed at the wonderful sharing that's going on. Old friends. Fun photos. Funny stories. Love. Warmth. And spontaneity!

But I'm saddened by the turn towards narcissism. Today (January 9, 2011) is a fantastic example. A few of my American friends have posted some light political statements, yet nobody—not a single person is mentioning Gabrielle Giffords, a congresswoman from Arizona who was shot yesterday. I don't get it. It pisses me off that it's "just another day" in Facebookland.

Oh well. We're human. And I have to say that I'd rather have this knowledge about human behaviour than not. I like knowing just how self-centered people can really be. That's interesting.

Facebook Marketing. Good News. Bad News.

Good News: Many companies (especially consumer focused companies) are salivating at the opportunity to exploit the advertising and promotion opportunities with the 800 million or so people who belong to Facebook.

Bad News: Just this past month (December 2010) Facebook surpassed Google as the site people spent the most time on. But think about it: When it comes to advertising, sheer numbers don't cut it. Ever look at a crossword or a puzzle book? People spend hours in those magazines. But the advertising rates are very low for puzzle magazines.