The internet phenomenon that is known as MySpace isn't something I fully understand, however it is something that I must fully respect, because any website that drums up over 65 million users is doing something extremely right.
So why has MySpace become so bloody successful, why is it that every angst filled teenager doesn't consider themselves complete without one?
Whenever my curiosity gets the better of me and I venture onto the site - looking at the profile pages, my eyes get raped by the custom designs I see.
They very often look like the ******* child of a 6 year old's imagination and badly written poetry.
Also, the majority of these profiles are littered with pictures of the owner, pulling various self indulgent poses. Often over exposed and in black and white.
But despite this train-wreck of a profile design that each page seems to share, MySpace's popularity has sky rocketed.
The key to it is simple, extremely simple. "MySpace" the name is the whole concept rolled into one convenient word. People want an identity, people want to be able to reinvent themselves, become exactly who they want to be with the power of customisation. They can show the world their favourite side of themselves. After all having your own corner of the web is a nice thing to have. I'm guilty of it myself with my own site.
But why choose the internet to do this?
Thinking back to my own childhood, I had many places to hang out with my friends. But as the world became a more dangerous place and also more intolerant adults taking action against teens hanging out in public places, some have been forced to seek out their refuges online. The founder of MySpace has been very clever in offering exactly what these kids want in their refuge. MySpace isn't a typical community, web standards, design guidelines, even literacy don't have a place here, it’s a place where adults and adult conformity are considered the outsiders - even if it's the adults who provide the tools they use.
So why has MySpace become so bloody successful, why is it that every angst filled teenager doesn't consider themselves complete without one?
Whenever my curiosity gets the better of me and I venture onto the site - looking at the profile pages, my eyes get raped by the custom designs I see.
They very often look like the ******* child of a 6 year old's imagination and badly written poetry.
Also, the majority of these profiles are littered with pictures of the owner, pulling various self indulgent poses. Often over exposed and in black and white.
But despite this train-wreck of a profile design that each page seems to share, MySpace's popularity has sky rocketed.
The key to it is simple, extremely simple. "MySpace" the name is the whole concept rolled into one convenient word. People want an identity, people want to be able to reinvent themselves, become exactly who they want to be with the power of customisation. They can show the world their favourite side of themselves. After all having your own corner of the web is a nice thing to have. I'm guilty of it myself with my own site.
But why choose the internet to do this?
Thinking back to my own childhood, I had many places to hang out with my friends. But as the world became a more dangerous place and also more intolerant adults taking action against teens hanging out in public places, some have been forced to seek out their refuges online. The founder of MySpace has been very clever in offering exactly what these kids want in their refuge. MySpace isn't a typical community, web standards, design guidelines, even literacy don't have a place here, it’s a place where adults and adult conformity are considered the outsiders - even if it's the adults who provide the tools they use.
