What gets me is how it's all so empty and unfulfilling, you've got these kids who proclaim themselves to be 'MySpace Whores' who go around adding as many friends as possible in a vane attempt to seem cooler than they really are.
The young'uns these days are being brought up in a culture where it's almost expected of them to have this social conscience that says that if they're anything less than what they see on tv then they're unnatural and this pressures them into conformity. The worst bit is, it's dressed up so they think they're 'being themselves' while they're doing this. My sister for example is a great kid, she's just turned 17 and uses her own voice but she's still as brainwashed as the rest of them, I sometimes wonder how this generation will grow up when we think about their upbringing. I sometimes think that our parents are taking a backseat role now and we're just being raised by the television and the adverts and all this crap.

Its the age old problem

Love and approval from others, the social game the "In" crowd Digital Cheerleaders.

But the amount of people to compare with now of such a high Fashion, Image and Intellect social standard means that the Normal person feels subnormal as such.


The truth is simple really but who does it very well?

Forget what others think, it truly is unimportant, no matter what you achieve... look at the recent Billionaire German Banker who committed suicide because of his financial Loss.... though he still had more money than most people could even dream of if they won the lottery a few times in a row.

His "Self" "ego" and "Identity" was wrapped up in his success and status and power as a leading Banker....

So even though he had what would make many here think would make us happy, it was false and fake, a shallow happiness. Inside he must have been very sad.

So if on mySpace you have more In Friends than Anyone Else, You are the person with the most Winks or whatever it is on Facebook, more fans than the Beatles on another, are good looking and "In" what happens if the Net is ever turned off?

We need to love ourselves deeply that is the answer, not self conceited ego based love, but true love of our own souls and Humanity.

That is true happiness that nothing can take away, and worth more than all the "Cred" in the world and money too.

I am sorry for your loss OP...

I had a NDE some years ago I PROMISE YOU he appreciates trying to guide others who felt as he did on the earth to be cared for by themselves and others.

He has lived on, in spirit, say a little prayer for him until you feel the weight lift, it will just click, you will know, every day speak to him as if he was with you now, tell him about his good qualities and not to be guilty now, to relax and go to the light, or warmth, to let go.

That is if you want to.... Just my 2c.

Kind Regards,

Elf

To the OP, I'm sorry for your loss. I myself have an account on myspace and facebook. However, I never really use either one of my acounts.

I think myspace and facebook should only let people join there sites if a person is a least 16 or better yet 18 years old. It would solve some of the problems but not all of them.

Cyber bullying is a huge problem. I'll look for the article but I recall some news source saying that the correlation was because of name-calling, account hacking, and rumor spreading... all made easier by advent of websites like Myspace and Facebook.

It's terrible what happened, but...

Originally posted by the_black_project
And online graph showed that since the beginning of social networking sites being active. Teen suicide had risen 40% percent then what it was before all these networking sites were created. 76% percent of the victims of suicide in 2008 had an account on at least one of the three major Networking Sites.

Saying that 76% of the suicide victims had an account on at least one of the major networks is irrelevant, considering most (ie. more than 76%) of teens registered on at least one of these sites.

I truly am sorry for your loss. It is always sad when a person is so desperate for relief that they succumb to suicide for that relief. But, most people that consider suicide or have committed suicide have deeper issues. It’s really not fair to blame any type of media. Even though he was your friend he may have had a mental disorder that know one knew about . He may not of even realized it.

Again I am sorry for your loss, and I mean no disrespect to you his memory or his family. But to put the blame on media is a cop out to me.

Myspace doesn't make anything: you do.
And suicides have been around since forever. Myspace is just an escape as alcohol, drugs, sex addiction, videogames, TV, whatever.

Myspace is just there to make money, as many other things that get the "this has a secret agenda behind" label.

Most of the times, their agenda is plain and simple: they make money, and don't give a damn about anything else. Morally questionable? Maybe, just as every bank, government, etc.

It is just a coincidence.
Twenty years ago it would of been found that 70% of people who committed suicide engaged in letter writing. And when they committed suicide, they wrote a letter before doing so.

I would like to see the information supporting that suicide rates are up.

While I do think these networking sites do have their cons, most people are aware that: what you see is fake and fabricated.

What may need be to be done which I don't think is done anymore, considering the content of some postings here: Is that classes need to be conducted on what is valid information online and what isn't. We had to take these classes in college and basically, 90% of what is out there is bunk.

And if your bibliography contained any information from a non-legitimate site, then you got deducted for it.

But I don't think education is up to those standards anymore.

My point being that the younger generation could be taking everything on the internet far too seriously.

[edit on 14-1-2009 by nixie_nox]

I have had a myspace account for about 4 years now. I only add people I know and my page is private. I do not add people to be popular. I use it to keep in contact with old friends, family and new friends. I have seen many people get overly emotional about these types of sites. It's like HS only on the internet I swear. People start fights over silly things.
I remember when they started the buy your friends app, I knew a girl who got so mad that I was "buying" her bf. I was like it's myspace chill out! I havent really been on much because it is getting ridiculous. I personally would rather them charge to weed out all the immature and useless nonsense on there. I also think you should have to be 18 to join these sites. I am so tired of seeing 14 and 15 year olds in the news for meeting people they met on myspace and then getting hurt by them. IDK this is just my opinion and view since I have been on it for years.
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