WHY DO WE LOVE FACEBOOK? Intermediate (B1)

Why is facebook such a hit? Is it because it’s free? Because it has fun applications? Or because it satisfies the voyeuristic urge in all of us?

Some people call it the best time-waster on the planet. Others praise its ability to allow friends and family to keep in touch all over the planet, with just a click. I love the fact that I can see what my friends are up to, scroll through their photos or read what one buddy has written to another by checking their wall, but then I’m a nosy person. Are you?
I love that I am able to catch up with people whose e-mail address and phone number I lost long ago… but then the flip side of that is that all kinds of people from my past send me friend requests. I don’t answer all of them, do you?
Some are under the impression that more is better, but I believe in quality not quantity. By keeping my contacts to friends only, I don’t have to limit the privacy on my profile.

Favourites: my favourite applications are the simple ones. The wall, music, photos and the occasional hug, kiss or spank. That’s it for me. There’s nothing worse than being sent a million requests for good karma, plants in the garden, causes I don’t care much for or getting involved in mafia wars. It’s almost as bad as real life!

So what do you think? Facebook – friend or foe? Let me know. Ciao!

New Expressions:

-    a hit: something popular, that everyone loves, like “a hit song”.
-    voyeuristic urges: an urge is a desire and to be a voyeur is to enjoy watching other. So: the desire to watch others while they do something that is usually private.
-    time-waster: something that takes up time without producing anything useful.
-    to praise: to honour or speak highly of.
-    to keep in touch: to stay in contact, by mail, phone or any other form of communication.
-    what people are up to: what people are doing, eg. What are you up to? (What are you doing?)
-    scroll through: read through, “scrolling” is moving the arrow down the page.
-    buddy: friend (slang, informal English)
-    nosy: curious, sticking my nose in other people’s business.
-    the flip side: the opposite side of an issue. The pro of the con and vice versa.
-    that’s it for me: I have finished.
-    friend or foe: friend or enemy.