The inevitable downfall of Facebook

Facebook can be undeniably described as a juggernaut. USA Today reported that as of the end of June 2011, there are more than 750 million users. That's a lot of a people. Comparing apples to apples, MySpace has only 20 million. Everyone has a Facebook account. I mean, my freaking dog has one. You can do just about anything via Facebook. From the simple status updates and pictures uploads to extensive gaming and other application usage. For a new user to first log on to Facebook, it is quite impossible to fathom every tool, every gadget, and every app available to use. Actually, it's just as impossible for a veteran Facebook user.

I happen to be one of those veterans. Facebook was originally just open to college students. Plus, not every college was even part of it, but my alma mater, UB, was. Facebook came out in 2004, which is when I started using it, in my freshman year. It was awesome. It was a great way, as I was a new student not knowing many people, for me to connect with my classmates, as well as to stay in touch with my high school friends.

I'd say that the first milestone that caused FB to become huge, but also to lose some of its uniqueness and charm, was when FB administrators allowed everyone to use it, not just college students. The floodgates were open. The next thing you know, FB adds millions of features, allows people to build apps and publish them, introduces games (curse you, Zynga!), and now here we are today. And I hear rumors that they are far from over in the whole, "let's do more!" business model. Fantastic.

It's just that it's all way too much. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, of all the people you know, how many are actually using FB for more than the standard status updates, commenting, and picture sharing? Oh sure, there's that one really annoying friend that posts on your wall that they "answered a question about you" and if you "allow" their app, you can "read it." Oh joy! I totally want some 30-something lady I met randomly at a social function of some sort five years to tell me if she thinks I'm cute! I'm dying to know!

Or the whole "poke" function. Really???? I mean, come on. It is a lot more creepy than anything else.

The bottom line, Facebook went too far. They didn't know when to stop. They didn't quit while they were ahead. Shall I continue? I have a lot more of those sayings to use.

I feel like those old people that complain about cell phones and computers and how life was better when there were only 10 channels on TV and the operator knew everyone's phone number. Oh, how I long for the simpler life of a Facebook from another era....an era that was merely five or so years ago. 

If you had to be really honest with yourself, how many of you would complain if FB just axed everything but the basics of the site? How many of you would experience a great loss and pain for not being able to plant crops, kill mafia, instant message like it's 2001, and play family feud? I feel like all of our lives would be infinitely better...

But that won't happen. Facebook is just too greedy. They'll crash and burn before they ever dial things back, a la MySpace.

Want my solution? It's one word. Twitter.