Did you know some people using Facebook have reconnected with folks they knew in high school to requite those animal passions which were once blocked by austerity, parking lot cliques (back row facing the soccer field, trunk in), friendship circles, the socio-economic climate or designer jeans?
In a research study that was by no means exhaustive, local Providence alt-weekly (okay, it’s really a Boston rag with a Providence division) The Phoenix dives into the culture of “retrosexuals,”-namely, those who engage in intimate encounters with high school classmates via Facebook reconnection.
From the article:
Retrosexuals are people who rewind their own lives, digging into their past to emerge with a current romantic partner. So, too, is the cultural context: like chicken-noodle soup or Beverly Hills 90210 DVD compilations, retrosexing lures its participants with promises of familiarity — a comforting concept that’s hard to come by in these complicated times.
Slate recently lamented that Everyone else was on Facebook. Why aren’t you? With membership now topping 150 million worldwide users (about 36 million U.S), that’s a lot of potential retrosexualling going on.
Did anyone predict this phenomenon?
Last summer, via Viral Blog Saladr on how to use Facebook for businesses, I wrote the following:
Facebook, just like MySpace (and a hundred other social networking sites) is a colossal time suck for bored web surfers, most of whom are goofing off at work, and most of whom are simply trying to find, and hookup with old flames from high school.
Bingo! Finger on the pulse, FRIENDS!!!!
To be fair, not all of Facebook’s recent colossal growth has happened overseas. I too, recently, have a few friends who’ve caved in and joined, mostly lamenting that they had done so. Though according to Slate, “there is no longer any good reason to avoid Facebook.”
Despite how non-plussed I was while writing in Saladr about the value of social media for many business goals, my anti-Facebook stance has softened a bit as it relates (and only relates) to INDIVIDUALS using the site for business networking purposes (as a vehicle for gaining “brand traction” or “inspiring conversation” or “engaging the masses through selective advertising” I still think it’s a waste for most businesses).
Am I on Facebook yet? Nope. And do I thumb my nose at those who might be using Facebook for hooking up with old flames, or for individual business networking needs? No (just the pathetic ones).
After all, going to bars every night, just looking for that warm body, kinda sucks, and also shares a direct parallel with hunting for a job connection on LinkedIn. Even in times of glut, or recession, it’s still rough “out there.”
Thankfully, my love, lust, and commerce baskets are doing just fine. But even then, unlike Slate, I still can think of a number of GOOD reasons NOT join Facebook.
I’ll let The Onion explain a few:
