In some ways, someone starting afresh has a greater ability to decide exactly how they are going to build their new life, than someone who is already entrenched in their existing one.
For that matter, the vast majority of people don't have much "social capital". That's the very effect that Facebook so ruthlessly capitalises on - individually we don't have much power, and formerly we would have to expend considerable effort to maintain our social position and our local community. Personally, I see it as my moral responsibility to do my very best to be an engaging and interesting person in real life, and not to contribute any of that to the social quagmire of Facebook.
Also - moving to a new area, especially if you don't know anyone, is *hard*. Back in the bad old days before Facebook, leaving your community and anyone you knew was a huge decision that was not undertaken lightly. Is it essential that we have digital tools to make that easier?
> In some ways, someone starting afresh has a greater ability to decide exactly how they are going to build their new life, than someone who is already entrenched in their existing one.
They can rebuild their life alone. They can not rebuild social network alone.
> Also - moving to a new area, especially if you don't know anyone, is hard. Back in the bad old days before Facebook, leaving your community and anyone you knew was a huge decision that was not undertaken lightly. Is it essential that we have digital tools to make that easier?
Back in the day, if you wanted to build social network, you would went to places where existing people go to. You would introduce yourself in way customary for times and place.
It used to be knocking to neighborhoods door uninvited to introduce yourself. Nowadays it would be super odd unwelcome behavior.
For that matter, the vast majority of people don't have much "social capital". That's the very effect that Facebook so ruthlessly capitalises on - individually we don't have much power, and formerly we would have to expend considerable effort to maintain our social position and our local community. Personally, I see it as my moral responsibility to do my very best to be an engaging and interesting person in real life, and not to contribute any of that to the social quagmire of Facebook.
Also - moving to a new area, especially if you don't know anyone, is *hard*. Back in the bad old days before Facebook, leaving your community and anyone you knew was a huge decision that was not undertaken lightly. Is it essential that we have digital tools to make that easier?