Proof, Elitism, Etc.
I came across this article today concerning the respective demographics of Facebook and MySpace. The piece summarizes a longer “blog essay” written by a Berkeley PhD student (what can I say except that we rock?), which discusses the userbases of both Facebook and MySpace as being largely distinguishable by class.
Socioeconomic elements play a part, but it’s much more complex than that, as just about everyone has access to the internet these days, be it from home or at their local library. In essence, the class structures of society are mimicked despite the relative unimportance of actual socioeconomic standing. Of course, the fact that Facebook “originally launched as a college-exclusive site” must be taken into consideration when evaluating its demographic. However, now that Facebook is open to the public, MySpace has been hemorrhaging users, which means their (previous?) clientele are an ever-growing aspect of Facebook’s own makeup.
Boyd (the author) also talks of Facebook’s “clean” look versus the gaudier, less structured look of MySpace as an important factor in an individual’s decision to use one or the other:
That “clean” or “modern” look of Facebook is akin to West Elm or Pottery Barn or any poshy Scandinavian design house (that I admit I’m drawn to) while the more flashy look of MySpace resembles the Las Vegas imagery that attracts millions every year. I suspect that lifestyles have aesthetic values and that these are being reproduced on MySpace and Facebook.
Point in case: would you rather be part of that gawdy “Las Vegas” culture, or of the chic and pretty? Yes, I’m probably an elitist asshole for despising MySpace, but it’s just so ugly! If I want to see ten million pictures of you and your friends, I would like to be given the option to do so rather than be inundated with images upon visiting your page. The same goes for music: I am already playing music, and it is likely better than yours. If I want to sample, let me make that decision.
As it’s a somewhat academic essay, Boyd avoids any absolute value judgments about either service, but I think we can guess which one she’d choose. Thus, score according to Berkeley PhD student is Facebook 1, MySpace 0.
How sweet the sound.
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