I had an epiphany a few hours ago!
I had the feeling of solving a HUGE mystery, one of facebook. I thought I had figured out the theory behind facebook's success, but alas! Ironies of ironies, once I switched on my laptop in anticipation of recording it down on my memory-keeper blog, all thoughts were lost as facebook distracted me from recording down the theory of facebook!
So as I bathed, without the distractions of facebook in the shower, I attempted to recollect my memories of my epiphanic moment. But no, my short-term memory is so efficient at erasing temporary thoughts from my brain that I couldn't recall it at all.
The theory was likely introduced to me in one of my Sociology classes in school, where there is a sense of needing to know what other people think of you, each time you log onto facebook. It is similar to social reinforcement, where one seeks approval of his or her actions through feedback and comments garnered through their profile and activities online. It's so addictive precisely because we have this constant need to know if we still belong to an exclusive network of friends, and the steps needed to be taken to remain within that group. That is the feeling that keeps you wanting to come back for more information. To be exact, more social information.
Perhaps it was social referencing. It's the closest concept I can put my finger on at the moment, but saying it doesn't give me the same awe-inspiring, earth-shattering revelation of feeling that I experienced earlier. If the word does pop back into my brain, I'll let me know again.
I had the feeling of solving a HUGE mystery, one of facebook. I thought I had figured out the theory behind facebook's success, but alas! Ironies of ironies, once I switched on my laptop in anticipation of recording it down on my memory-keeper blog, all thoughts were lost as facebook distracted me from recording down the theory of facebook!
So as I bathed, without the distractions of facebook in the shower, I attempted to recollect my memories of my epiphanic moment. But no, my short-term memory is so efficient at erasing temporary thoughts from my brain that I couldn't recall it at all.
The theory was likely introduced to me in one of my Sociology classes in school, where there is a sense of needing to know what other people think of you, each time you log onto facebook. It is similar to social reinforcement, where one seeks approval of his or her actions through feedback and comments garnered through their profile and activities online. It's so addictive precisely because we have this constant need to know if we still belong to an exclusive network of friends, and the steps needed to be taken to remain within that group. That is the feeling that keeps you wanting to come back for more information. To be exact, more social information.
Perhaps it was social referencing. It's the closest concept I can put my finger on at the moment, but saying it doesn't give me the same awe-inspiring, earth-shattering revelation of feeling that I experienced earlier. If the word does pop back into my brain, I'll let me know again.
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