The Unimaginable Awesomeness of Facebook’s Timeline

And I say that in a HP Lovecraft sense of the word.  Awesome can be good news.  Awesome can also be the powerful destruction of a landslide.  Or in the case of Facebook, its the awesome and semi horrifying realization of what I have been doing all along.  I have been chronicling my life.  One status update and new friend addition at a time, since 2004.

The internet has been watching.  Deep down I knew it… but until Timeline it wasn’t quite as tangible the sheer amount of data I have been supplying to the Sheila Chronicles.  In other words, I have looked into the abyss and it has blown my mind.

Google+ vs. Facebook vs. MySomething or Another: Pre-Timeline

 

Since the release of Google+, there have been murmurs of Facebook going the way of Myspace or My _________ or whatever you call that dinosaur built entirely of blinking gifs.

Honestly, despite being one that has been sucked into the ease and inventiveness of Google+, I had no real fears for Facebook.  At least not for a while.  Myself, I have found I mostly post articles I want to share (like on Twitter) on Google+ but add any real personal data to Facebook.

My Reasons Two:

  1. People (gentiles) are on Facebook.  Google+ gained momementum quickly but only my most avid technophile friends have stuck to Google+.  Let’s be fair Facebook has the CONTENT to keep people for the time being. One big complaint I have heard over and over is, “Google+ is boring”. And it really must be for anyone who does not have rabid googlephiles adding to their stream.  In addition, with the Google+ API only just released, I have no easy way to post to all my Social Media bases, sticking just to Facebook/Twitter where I can get bang for my metaphorical buck.  Takes time to tend your Social Media ant farm!
  2. Like candy to a search engine baby – I consider myself a rational person but I can’t help but feeling I am handing over very personal data to a search engine. And while I trust Google with my personal/business mail, documents, calendar… I just can’t shake the feeling that I should not give them all the milk.  On the other hand when I post blog links and other professional data publicly on Google+, I feel like I am “optimizing my SEOs”.  Its a mix of paranoia and reality.  Facebook is just as bad if not worse but somehow it just didn’t feel as blatant… until now.

Into the Abyss

 

Today I activated Facebook’s Timeline via the developer preview.  I wasn’t a hundred percent certain what to expect since first reading about it in Mashable’s doomsday/coming-to-god like article “Prepare Yourself for the new Facebook“.  And since the beta release the overall consensus has been one of admiration that you don’t see usually attributed to a website.

My first Cover

Initial Reactions

  • OOo let me see here… Cover photo!
  • ASCII penis art and a chainmail status posted by my friends in 2004? Good lord I can go through each month and see what was posted on my wall…
  • This is semi terrifying, wonder what my security settings are?
  • Oh wait, this information is not correct let me add my actual highschool.. birth.. etc… information

The Genius of Facebook

 

Facebook has done which few can… and honestly it is a bold step.  A revealing of cards which few can boast.

You can’t leave me… because I AM you.

 The emotional tie, their coupe de grâce, is revealing what we have been building all along. Our internet legacies or our own graves, depends on how dramatic you want to be.

And at first you react with surprise and try to cover up your nakedness but then you say “Hey!  They assumed my anniversary was my marriage anniversary and not when we started dating!  I better correct that.

And “Oooooo there’s a big button that says add a photo next to my birthdate.  Better add a baby picture!  I already uploaded those a year ago to some album…”

FEED ME SEYMOUR!

SOYLENT FACEBOOK IS PEOPLE!

 

For the first time, and I am not a paranoid person (just ask my husband, it irks him), I have to ask myself what Facebook’s TRUE intention is.  And as an internet professional, I wonder: What is the harm?  Is this what our users want? A way to mine and then reflect on their personal data?

In the end, is Facebook providing us the ultimate service?  A legacy, in which our grandchildren, barring we keep our security settings open, can come to understand?  A reflection base in which to look back on our accomplishments and week moments? Or just TMI?

But is this hubris?

 

It’s pretty ballsy of Facebook to give us a glimpse of what they have been collecting, though its been available for download for years now.  They really have laid down their cards in a connect the dots kind of way.

When released into the wild I can see this going as follows:

  • There is a max exodus of the already paranoid Facebook base (mostly to Google+ or to a bomb shelter).
  • In the end, the majority are winned over by sheer self consumption.  It is pretty flattering and interesting to go through your life story of the past however many years… 
  • The Facebook ball gets bigger. And after a short lag Facebook continues on detailing the human existence in the modern age.  Only now with more granular clarity, as the Facebook antfarm, now more than ever, has swallowed the sugar water and understands the bigger part of the “mission”.

Repercussions for Sheila Suarez de Flores

 

How do I hide the ASCII penis art from my grandma?  I need to probably figure out these circles.. lists… security thingy majig.

 

“The most merciful thing in the world… is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents.”
― H.P. Lovecraft

 

– S

107 thoughts on “The Unimaginable Awesomeness of Facebook’s Timeline”

  1. I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog.
    Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
    Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is
    rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.

  2. Thank you for another great post. Where else may anyone
    get that type of info in such an ideal method of writing?
    I have a presentation next week, and I am on the look for
    such information.

  3. I absolutely love your blog and find nearly all of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for.
    can you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs?
    I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you write concerning here.

    Again, awesome site!

  4. Hi there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?
    I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding
    one? Thanks a lot!

  5. Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Finding the time and actual effort to produce a great article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and never seem to get anything done.|

  6. Greetings! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!

  7. An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment.
    I do think that you should write more about this topic, it may not
    be a taboo matter but usually people do not talk about such subjects.
    To the next! Cheers!!

  8. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think
    I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me.

    I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get
    the hang of it!

  9. Attractive component of content. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to
    say that I acquire in fact loved account your weblog posts.

    Any way I’ll be subscribing in your augment and even I fulfillment you get
    admission to persistently fast.

  10. Hi there I am so delighted I found your web site, I really found you by accident, while I was searching on Digg for something else,
    Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say
    kudos for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read through it all at the moment but I have saved it and also added your RSS feeds,
    so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep
    up the great work.

  11. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but
    I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand.
    It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the
    hang of it!

  12. Hola! I’ve been reading your weblog for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you
    a shout out from New Caney Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the great work!

  13. Hey! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to give it a look.

    I’m definitely loving the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to
    my followers! Exceptional blog and terrific design.

  14. You are so cool! I don’t suppose I’ve truly read through anything like this before.
    So wonderful to find someone with a few genuine thoughts
    on this topic. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up.
    This web site is one thing that is needed on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!

  15. An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who has been doing a little homework on this.
    And he actually bought me lunch due to the fact that I discovered it for him…

    lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
    But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your site.

  16. Very good blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring
    writers? I’m hoping to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
    Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option?
    There are so many choices out there that I’m totally
    overwhelmed .. Any tips? Thank you!

  17. I am really inspired along with your writing skills as smartly
    as with the format for your weblog. Is that this a paid theme
    or did you customize it yourself? Either way stay up the excellent high quality writing,
    it is uncommon to peer a nice blog like this one today..

  18. Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
    In any case I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write
    again soon!

  19. Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group?
    There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content.
    Please let me know. Cheers

  20. I got this website from my buddy who informed me regarding this web
    site and now this time I am visiting this website and reading very informative articles
    or reviews at this time.

  21. Excellent items from you, man. I have be aware your stuff previous to and you are simply too fantastic.
    I really like what you have obtained here, certainly like what you are stating and the way
    in which in which you are saying it. You are making it enjoyable and you
    continue to care for to keep it wise. I cant wait to learn much more from you.
    That is really a wonderful site.

  22. Wonderful website. Lots of useful information here.
    I am sending it to several buddies ans also sharing in delicious.
    And of course, thank you for your sweat!

  23. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!|

  24. I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.|

Leave a Reply