High school is an excellent example of basic social networking in action. There are various cliques like the geeks, the socials, the athletes, the band, etc. These cliques are social groups, and a person can be a member of one of them, a member of several, or a member of none.
Joining a social network can be much like moving to a new high school. On your first day, you don’t have any friends. But, as you get to know your new classmates, you start finding people of similar interests. Some like to join groups to kickstart their social integration, while others are so shy they barely get to know anyone.
And, even if we didn’t much know or care for a particular classmate, they become a fellow group member as we move out into the world. Society as a whole is a social network, and the groups consist of high schools, colleges, fraternities, work place, work industry, etc.
Have you ever met someone at a party or social gathering and found that you didn’t have much to talk about until you found out they went to the same college? Suddenly, you have plenty to talk about.
Social networking on the web is not much different. At first, you will find yourself without friends, but as you participate, your friends list will grow. And, like life, the more you participate, the more you will get out of it.
