Social Media Experiment

freshnesschronic · 08-03-2010, 12:08 AM

Hey cellar,

I did a little social media experiment today. I changed my birthday on Facebook to August 2nd (yesterday) and had it public view for everyone....Even though my birthday is Februrary 2nd...51 of my friends wrote on my wall and were fooled into thinking it was my birthday.

I don't know what to say about my generation, but I proved that many many young adults are so reliant, so tuned into to social mediums and social networking like Twitter, Tumblr, MySpace, Facebook, etc...that they don't really get to know the real people behind the webpage!

Social media is a good way to stay in touch with friends afar, but I won't forget to still get to know the people around me.

HungLikeJesus · 08-03-2010, 07:00 AM

Happy birthday, freshnesschronic!

Griff · 08-03-2010, 07:14 AM

I'm not sure you're being totally fair here Fresh. As a rule, dudes don't remember birthdays, your Facebook gave them a way to remember...

Spexxvet · 08-03-2010, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshnesschronic

Hey cellar,

I did a little social media experiment today. I changed my birthday on Facebook to August 2nd (yesterday) and had it public view for everyone....Even though my birthday is Februrary 2nd...51 of my friends wrote on my wall and were fooled into thinking it was my birthday.

If it's on the innerwebz it must be true, so....

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Happy birthday, freshnesschronic!

LOL and haggis!

Clodfobble · 08-03-2010, 10:50 AM

I think it says more about what you define as a "friend." The real question is, of those 51, were any of them relatives, or one of your top 3 best friends?

Razzmatazz13 · 08-03-2010, 11:43 AM

I have an awful time remembering things like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. (even though I clearly lack my own penis) so, I admit to being one of "this generation" who is "completely dependent upon electronic media" and whatnot.

Cause I'm totally sure that before the internet, people just completely memorized every detail about their friends lives. No one wrote that stuff in a calendar or date book to remind them, ever.

PS, fresh... while you're angry at our generation...how many of the numbers that are saved in your cell phone do you KNOW without looking?

PPS, I don't know why I got so rant-y in this post... don't mind me

xoxoxoBruce · 08-03-2010, 11:48 AM

Important life lesson learned early, through your "social media experiment". Nobody really gives a fuck about your birthday, unless there's something in it for them, like an excuse to get drunk.

bbro · 08-03-2010, 12:06 PM

A lot of times, that is the only way that I know someones birthday. The important ones are stored in my phone.

Sundae · 08-03-2010, 12:51 PM

Since before I was born, my super-organised mother has had a calendar up in the kitchen with everyone's birthday on it. And when I say everyone... okay, not Dwellars, but pretty much anyone else she has ever met. And their children, as well as anniversaries of both marriage and death.

Mum still has a better memory for these things than I do, but if I wanted to mess with her head I could change a couple of dates in her 2011 calendar when she gets it. As long as it's not immediate family she really wouldn't know any better.

I remember important birthdays with no reminder. I just get mixed up on the dates sometimes. My parents, siblings, Grandad - I got. My bro's DOB used to be my "memorable date" when I had a telebanking account. The 'rents and siblings anniversaries - less so - I know the month and the approx date. I lie - it's only my sister's I'm really unsure of. My niece, yes - she's at the end of a month, so as long as I know the month (I do) I'm okay. My nephew's no - it's an odd number with two digits. I know the month but need reminding of the date. My BIL and SIL - not a hope. Both in a warm month I think. BIL, June? SIL, August? I need reminding.

And THAT is family!

The weird thing is a remember precisely the DOB for the man who broke my heart.
But not one of my oldest friends.
I guess the painful things stick in your head more...?

Happy Monkey · 08-03-2010, 01:51 PM

It seems to me that it is somewhat unreasonable to expect over 50 people to know your birthday, let alone be so certain of it that they'll say you got your own birthday wrong on your Facebook page.

Shawnee123 · 08-03-2010, 01:56 PM

It's just the egocentrism of youth. When you get to be my age, you don't care if anyone remembers your birthday or not.

HungLikeJesus · 08-03-2010, 08:04 PM

That wasn't the experiment, just the set-up. The experiment is when you do it again in three months.

wanderer · 08-04-2010, 06:55 AM

Hey freshnesschronic, did they send along any b'day gifts?

ZenGum · 08-04-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

That wasn't the experiment, just the set-up. The experiment is when you do it again in three months.

DO IT!

Over three weeks, post that you've become Baptist, then socialist, then gay. See who notices.

thud85 · 08-05-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshnesschronic

I don't know what to say about my generation, but I proved that many many young adults are so reliant, so tuned into to social mediums and social networking like Twitter, Tumblr, MySpace, Facebook, etc...that they don't really get to know the real people behind the webpage!

If it weren't for Facebook, I wouldn't know when anyone's (except my immediate family and maybe 3 other people) birthday is... If it weren't for my cell phone, I wouldn't know what anyone's phone number is (except my parents and friends from high school's parents' houses)... But if I didn't HAVE these tools, I would keep an address book and birthday calendar. It's not a matter of me not actually "knowing" my Facebook contacts (although I don't actually know all of them), it's just that tools of technology have updated the way people keep track of things.

A friend changing his/her birthday on Facebook is the same to me as that person coming over to my house and changing it in a handwritten contact book or calendar. I wouldn't expect my friends to remember my birthday... I know hundreds of people and there are hundreds of days in the year, so I don't take it personally that people might need help remembering. If Facebook is that tool, that's OK with me...

08-03-2010, 12:08 AM	#1
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Social Media Experiment Hey cellar, I did a little social media experiment today. I changed my birthday on Facebook to August 2nd (yesterday) and had it public view for everyone....Even though my birthday is Februrary 2nd...51 of my friends wrote on my wall and were fooled into thinking it was my birthday. I don't know what to say about my generation, but I proved that many many young adults are so reliant, so tuned into to social mediums and social networking like Twitter, Tumblr, MySpace, Facebook, etc...that they don't really get to know the real people behind the webpage! Social media is a good way to stay in touch with friends afar, but I won't forget to still get to know the people around me.

08-03-2010, 07:00 AM	#2
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Happy birthday, freshnesschronic! __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

08-03-2010, 07:14 AM	#3
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I'm not sure you're being totally fair here Fresh. As a rule, dudes don't remember birthdays, your Facebook gave them a way to remember... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

08-03-2010, 10:50 AM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I think it says more about what you define as a "friend." The real question is, of those 51, were any of them relatives, or one of your top 3 best friends? __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

08-03-2010, 11:43 AM	#6
Razzmatazz13 Vicariously, I live... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,221	I have an awful time remembering things like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. (even though I clearly lack my own penis) so, I admit to being one of "this generation" who is "completely dependent upon electronic media" and whatnot. Cause I'm totally sure that before the internet, people just completely memorized every detail about their friends lives. No one wrote that stuff in a calendar or date book to remind them, ever. PS, fresh... while you're angry at our generation...how many of the numbers that are saved in your cell phone do you KNOW without looking? PPS, I don't know why I got so rant-y in this post... don't mind me __________________ I have some people I need to have smoted. ~ SteveDallas Last edited by Razzmatazz13; 08-03-2010 at 11:58 AM. Reason: I totally said totally waaaay too many times in total

08-03-2010, 11:48 AM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Important life lesson learned early, through your "social media experiment". Nobody really gives a fuck about your birthday, unless there's something in it for them, like an excuse to get drunk. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-03-2010, 12:06 PM	#8
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	A lot of times, that is the only way that I know someones birthday. The important ones are stored in my phone.

08-03-2010, 12:51 PM	#9
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Since before I was born, my super-organised mother has had a calendar up in the kitchen with everyone's birthday on it. And when I say everyone... okay, not Dwellars, but pretty much anyone else she has ever met. And their children, as well as anniversaries of both marriage and death. Mum still has a better memory for these things than I do, but if I wanted to mess with her head I could change a couple of dates in her 2011 calendar when she gets it. As long as it's not immediate family she really wouldn't know any better. I remember important birthdays with no reminder. I just get mixed up on the dates sometimes. My parents, siblings, Grandad - I got. My bro's DOB used to be my "memorable date" when I had a telebanking account. The 'rents and siblings anniversaries - less so - I know the month and the approx date. I lie - it's only my sister's I'm really unsure of. My niece, yes - she's at the end of a month, so as long as I know the month (I do) I'm okay. My nephew's no - it's an odd number with two digits. I know the month but need reminding of the date. My BIL and SIL - not a hope. Both in a warm month I think. BIL, June? SIL, August? I need reminding. And THAT is family! The weird thing is a remember precisely the DOB for the man who broke my heart. But not one of my oldest friends. I guess the painful things stick in your head more...?

08-03-2010, 01:51 PM	#10
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	It seems to me that it is somewhat unreasonable to expect over 50 people to know your birthday, let alone be so certain of it that they'll say you got your own birthday wrong on your Facebook page. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

08-03-2010, 01:56 PM	#11
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	It's just the egocentrism of youth. When you get to be my age, you don't care if anyone remembers your birthday or not. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

08-03-2010, 08:04 PM	#12
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	That wasn't the experiment, just the set-up. The experiment is when you do it again in three months. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

08-04-2010, 06:55 AM	#13
wanderer Master of the Domain Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 225	Hey freshnesschronic, did they send along any b'day gifts? __________________ smoke on the water

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