Pass the mic!
There are many things that make one finally speak up and express themselves. Sometimes it’s witnessing injustice. Sometimes it is simply the last little irksome event that pushes one over some invisible line. Sometimes it is anger at an utterly unrelated issue, and a voice finds expression just to be heard. Sometimes there is no reason and like the slow leak of air from a weak tire, a pip squeak issues to fill some void.
And sometimes it’s just time to express yourself. Over something you love, over something you are passionate about. Fan’s rarely need a mic, shouting praises and support with ease. The internet can act like a microphone amplifying and unifying the voices of those sharing passion about their favorite band, player, celebrity or cause.
Facebook’s new Community Pages hold promise to connect, to unify and voice the passions of millions of ‘fans.’ Hopefully, Facebook’s need to keep the database relationships “digestible,” and maintain integration ease they won’t drown out the texture of each voice.
Many Facebook users felt like their voices had been muted when they implemented the new Community Pages, only to see their own personalized profiles washed clean and replaced by a few links that didn’t express anything but acted like a kind of personal jewelry. What a shame. The beauty of social networks is not just bringing people together – but also letting those people express themselves with texture and depth. Not just by identifying the member by what they buy, link to or by how they can be marketed back to. It’s a mistake I think Facebook will regret. If I were Myspace, I’d be jumping up and down.