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.

piercehawkeye45 · 08-08-2010, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

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.

I agree completely.

Fresh, one of my old roommates used to do this for fun three or four times a year for a couple years. When it comes to birthdays, people are going to remember if someone emphasize them (excluding people that are very good at remembering dates). If you throw a very large, and fun, birthday party every year and constantly talk about it, people will remember your birthday. If the only mention of your birthday to someone is a facebook reminder once a year, no one will remember it.

Also I slightly disagree with the point of your experiment. I don't see how remembering someone's birthday is a sign that you really "know" a person. Birthdays are nothing more than an symbolic day where people can feel special for one day a year. Not saying that it isn't important to people or that you can't make someone feel good about themselves if you remember it, but birthdays are very low on the list of information I need to know before I really feel I "know" a person.

To me, really "knowing" a person means that you know a topic that people feel emotionally attached too. That topic that makes someone's eyes light up when they are explaining it. Whether it is someone's job, school, girl/boyfriend, parents, kids, pet, etc, try to find this topic and remember to bring it up whenever you see this person (unless you see this person a lot, then every once in a while will suffice). This is the real person behind the web page.

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.

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.

wanderer · 08-04-2010, 06:55 AM

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

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	#9
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	#10
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	#11
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	#12
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	#13
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	#15
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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