People don’t join Facebook groups to talk, necessarily: they join them to belong, and because being a member means being able to display the title - the badge - on your page.
What can you tell about me from the fact that I belong to these facebook groups?
Transliteracy ▪ Virtual Worlds Forum Europe ▪ Ideas to change the world… ▪ Theory.org.uk and friends ▪ Open RSA London ▪ Frints ▪ Online News Association UK ▪ Got a job via the Guardian ▪ I judge you when you use poor grammar. ▪ 13th Floor Club ▪ Shadowglobe ▪ If You Can’t Differentiate Between “Your” and “You’re” You Deserve To Die ▪ People who walk up or down escalators and then stop at the top or bottom must be made to suffer some consequences. ▪ Barnes Massive ▪ Guardianista ▪ Nikon Digital Photography ▪ United World College ▪ Lester B. Pearson UWC ▪ AOL UK Alum and current workers
I don’t think I’ve visited many of these groups since joining, let alone posted in them, but they sit on my profile as a form of badge, identifying my affiliation, approval, allegiance with their sentiments, organisations or topic.
I went to those colleges. I worked in those places. I belong to those organisations and I believe that people who can’t use grammar correctly are subhuman.
It’s social shorthand: while the rest of my profile is “I am what I say I am”, the groups are more like “I am what I belong to” or “I am what I wear pinned to my chest”.
What are your badges?
