Why Do I Still Use MySpace

Why do I still have a MySpace account? I’ve been asking myself that question time and time again for the last few months. Perhaps this mindset is further proof to my transformation out of the young generation. Whatever the case may be the very MySpace question has come out of my mouth at least a few times a week. Celia and I both have our computer time in the evenings and my times is absorbed by ESPN, checking emails, Facebook, and msn.com to see any worthy news headlines and to see if any new sports information is being reported. Every so often I will check MySpace as I simultaneously yell to Celia, who is in the kitchen like a good wife (wink, wink), “Seriously? I hate MySpace and don’t know why I use it.”

I don’t know when it all started; I think it was when I was still in Iraq. It was while I was in Iraq that I started this new blog site and stopped using MySpace for my blogs. For the longest time, the only thing I used MySpace for was a place to view what was on my mind by way of blog. I soon realized that the friends I did have on MySpace didn’t care what was on my mind. I also have my profile security set to private which means that Stewart in Paris and Penelope in Berlin are unable to view what is on my mind. I figured that if I started up a different blog site that was the only place to read what I have written I would allow for a greater number of people the opportunity to view. Once I made my decision I subconsciously began checking MySpace less and less to the point that multiple days would pass without me even thinking about signing on.

It is also my personal belief, so if I offend anybody I’m sorry, that MySpace is for (1) teenagers, (2) kids in college, and (3) pedophiles. Since I am neither of the three I feel that I have more than overstayed my welcome with MySpace. I guess for teenagers MySpace is cool because it’s something new and makes them feel older. I really don’t have a more profound explanation than that. My kids are 2 years and almost 6 months, therefore they still think Daddy is cool and are not much help. College kids use it for nothing more than an extension of their being cool and a place to post drunken weekend pictures. The craziest drunk picture that can be imagined will usually suffice. When I was in college I even heard people claim that their mission for the evening was to get a new profile picture. That’s how it was then and how it is now; with college kids some things will never change. Finally, pedophiles need no explanation.

The other thing I hate about MySpace, and Facebook too for that matter, is when people update their status or what they are doing regularly. I don’t care if you’re at the gym, if work sucked, or if you are going to relax for the evening. I don’t care, seriously, I don’t. If you want to relax then relax, don’t sign on to the computer to talk about it. I think that constantly updating your status is just a pathetic way of letting everybody know how awesome your life is. That is part of the reason why I could never get into Twitter and still don’t understand it. If you are unfamiliar with Twitter then it is simply nothing more than signing onto the computer to let people know what you are doing. That is it. However, with MySpace I would see certain people whose status would change 5 or 6 times a day. Have you nothing better to do with your day then let your MySpace world know what every minute of your day is like? Maybe I’m alone in this ever advancing technological world but I enjoy a little privacy from time to time.

Speaking of the status on MySpace, for a little under 2 months my status has read, “Deciding if I should delete my MySpace account or not.” The response I got gave the answer if I should or not; I received no response from anybody. This is also after I conducted a massive clearing operation of the friends I had on MySpace. I went from just under 400 friends to about 90 friends with my logic being, “These are the people who I would most like to keep in contact with.” I had my list down to about 90 of my closest friends and family and still nobody responded to me. I never thought of it until just this moment but maybe the reason that nobody responded to me could be that I have no (1) teenage friends because I’m not a (3) pedophile nor do I have any colleagues studying pedophilia. I’m also 3 ½ years removed from (2) college which means I don’t have many friends in college anymore. With those being the 3 groups on MySpace it is no wonder I didn’t receive any feedback to my dilemma.

About a month ago when I told Celia that I was going to delete MySpace she replied, “You can’t because you’re my number one friend.” Then a funny twist of fate occurred about a week ago. Celia was sitting at the computer conducting her daily internet checks when she said, “Why do I still have MySpace?” The last comment I received on MySpace was 2-3 months ago and I believe that Celia is in the same position as I there. If I can be honest though, I haven’t been on MySpace enough to care if Celia has received any new comments.

Some things come and go throughout life, they’re called fads, and MySpace is close to becoming the latest fad to no longer be a part of my life.