Lost in Facebook

Few days ago I joined a new Facebook group with an intriguing title "The ones having never visited whores." Few hours later the number of group fans topped 100, including journalists, politicians, scientists... I am not aware of everyone's occupation and I can't be sure whether they have ever visited whores. It should not be of much interest to the blog readers either. The main thing is that you can easily talk to anyone any time over some serious or less serious issues.

The topics or groups for discussion are numerous on Facebook, for instance: The Society Applauding at Profile (TV programme), Nafta as President,  Grandioza as Tbilisi Mayor, Fan club for Tits, as well the Vano Merabishvili's, Patriarch's, Guram Dochanashvili's and others' fan clubs.

Some might have thought that the membership to Vano Merabishvili's fan club would mean at least employment at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Some might still think that way, I am not sure.

For a few years now Facebook is booming in Georgia, statistics is a proof too. According to alexa.com Facebook is ranked as the fourth. Different companies or means of media have seemingly understood that this social network is an efficient instrument for promotion. Georgian magazines and newspapers such as The Rezonansi, The Liberal, The Tskheli Shokoladi, The Batumelebi, Banks and Finances, The 24 Hours, Radio Hereti, launched their Facebook web pages in row. They were followed (or just the opposite) by numerous editions including Media.ge.

Finally Facebook obsessed TV companies to, in particular Rustavi 2, Imedi, First Channel as well as particular programmes such as Good Morning Georgia, Our Morning, Business Courier, Nanuka's Show and so forth. Some out of the aforementioned means of media use the social network for a purpose: they contact users, provide their production, disseminate articles and so on. But some of them haven't visited their accounts since registration or are simply unaware how to use it or is not of importance or they simply lack resources, but as you know the wish is essential, the rest will be somehow managable.

And some of the organizations are truly bothering. Having found out that advertising through Facebook is a child's play they started disseminated hundreds of pieces of boring pointless information on a daily basis. In this regard they forget the main thing such as moderation. In addition they keep forgetting it's as easy to be removed from fans as well as becoming a fan. Being unaware of the social network's charm and taking its pleasures might be the reason.

Only few book shops, theatres and entertainment centers manage to independently find their way through social networks. I don't think any of them is discontent. Their clients are pleased too. I am, for instance, sent a weekly playbill by Tumanishvili Theatre. Isn't it cool? For sure!

When talking about Facebook I cannot refrain from mentioning Levan Ramishvili and Tea Tutberidze. I would like to disclose to you that these people enjoy same influence on Facebook as me, you or any Facebook user. A tiny entry by you might incite a far more important discussion than the post by Tea Tutberidze. The only difference is that while discussing with Tea Tutberidze the bodies of some people get filled with adrenalin.

Facebook is a real heaven, that's true. Fundamentalist orthodox and atheist as well as Bolshevik and Menshevik, nationalist and its enemy, journalist and non-journalist, student and professor, Kakha Kukava and Kakha Bendukidze eat grass together here... In a short while you find out that they have got much more in common than political, religious or other outlooks. Some have similar taste in music, either films or women. In short it's a real life!

Few weeks ago the idea to support the Batumelebi newspaper through Facebook was born. I remember a crowd of people including editors, journalists, arts critics, politicians having gathered at Amirani movie theatre. I saw most of them for the first time even though all of them are among my Facebook friends, the friend you would share good music with every evening ahead of going to bed, or be offered a good book or an article to read.

I am now sure some provocateur will pop up and start counting thousands of disadvantages of Facebook, and some will accuse me of overstatement... to cut a long story short I look forward to hearing from you :)