by Michaela Langstone

Created on: February 07, 2008

MySpace IS the future... IF people finally figure out their real motive on joining the site.

As an avid MySpace user, I would just have to say - it rocks! That is, if you have learned to use it correctly. Yes, I'm also on Facebook. However, I tend to find it a bit boring and a lot better if you're networking with the people you work, go to school with and other people you actually know in 'real' life in the first instance.

While you can spend your day 'poking' your friends and buying them virtual drinks or gifts on Facebook, MySpace has the advantage of showing yourself off to the world at large, in the light you want to portray yourself. MySpace is in effect YOUR space - you can change the background, add music to your profile which plays whenever someone opens your page, tweak the layout, and so on. With Facebook, all you get is a standard plain-background profile, some stats about yourself and the applications you've added... and it is the same for everyone. No fanfare when guests come in to view your page, no grand introduction, no uniqueness (besides yourself as a real person)... nothing fancy. I find that on MySpace, you can show off your personality as much as you are willing to. It is like having a free personal website.

Although I advocate the use of MySpace, I must stress that I use it mainly to network and find like-minded people. I'd never dare tick the "dating" or "serious relationships" motive boxes - how are you meant to do those over the Internet anyway? Also, it can be extremely dangerous to let total strangers walk into your real, physical life - as a lot of the recent news reports about MySpace tend to scream out.

When I set up my first MySpace profile with all the bells and whistles, it came nothing short of amazing. Suddenly, all these people with the same interests I had started adding me - and they turned out to be real! Some of them have indeed become my real friends, despite the distance. We call each other and actually talk, as well as working on projects together. And of course, I have met some old buddies from my school days. Thing is, as a writer and artist, I tend to have a bohemian personality and am not afraid to think outside of the box. I am also an extrovert. These two combinations are the best for successful users of MySpace. You only have to look at some of the best people's profiles on MySpace to discover that they are creative, artistic, have something to share and are willing to talk to you - if you fit their criteria.

Likewise,

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