Facebook addiction anyone?

 I’ll be the first to admit, I scarcely go twenty-four hours without logging in to Facebook, whether it’s checking friends’ statuses, updating my own profile, or just to surfing the site to see where my fingers take me.

 Judging from my visits to the libraries on campus, I am not alone in this endeavor.

   Facebook has become such a facet in our student lives that people take photos for the purpose of having a new profile pic to add to their site.
 

  It causes me to wonder, is being addicted to Facebook really a bad thing? Sure in the wrong hands, the addiction may lead one to a tragic Greek-esque downfall, but for your everyday col-lege student, is being addicted to Facebook really a cause for alarm?

   I will take the position that it is not in fact a bad thing. Facebook has some very noble purposes.

   There are causes you can join, it lets you know of events that people you know are planning, and is the medium by which you can join in the ever-growing war between vampires and werewolves.

   Also on those nights when you break your phone, making a quick Facebook group dedicated to recovering those numbers can be a step in a positive direction. When you take into account the mass amounts of poke wars, managing friend requests, and playing Farmville, it becomes difficult to see where the opponents of Facebook are basing their arguments.

    But for the naysayers, Facebook also has its share of pitfalls. Some would say it is a giant black hole of epic proportions into which someone falls and doesn’t escape until hours later when they realize “oh shit, I’m late for class.”

   There is also the idea that someone isn’t really your friend unless your friends via Facebook or in a relationship unless it’s Facebook verified.

   Having so much vested in a social networking site could be problematic for some when trying to avoid drama when said relationship breaks up and all your friends find out instantaneously via a thread update.

   Though when used properly, Facebook can be an important tool. It allows people to plan for events and also to advertise for them. It also serves as a virtual mailbox and a keepsake of fun times had. With the added bonus of being able to share with your friends your favorite links and videos and chat with each other without having an AIM window up, Facebook definitely proves its worth.

   It’s not even just a tool for college students anymore. Its reach is far with everyone and their mother having a page and as such allows people to connect with old friends who perhaps they have lost contact with. It also provides a way to communicate with people from other   countries through ATTACK, an online version of RISK.

   Yes an addiction to Facebook can be a bad thing, but to take a line from a recent opinion article, so would having Palin as our current Vice President. So on the scale of things, Facebook addiction really isn’t that bad.

What do you think about Facebook addiction? E-mail us at asp_opinions@hotmail.com.