Social Software that's new to me part 2...

I hate to admit it, but Facebook is a "new to me" social software site. So new in fact, that I'm not a part of it yet. I'm one of the only people - if not the only person I know -who is not a registered user. I was even chided by a member of this class for not being on it, for the simple reason that everyone else is, so I should be too. I never got into Friendster or MySpace, so this whole online social networking thing is pretty new to me. I'm torn about whether or not I want to join, so may I present a list of points-counterpoints (as I see them) of Facebook:

point: I can keep in touch with college friends who are now spread out all over the country.
counterpoint: That's what the phone and email are for.

point: I can join interest groups.
counterpoint: I've never really been interested in making online friends. I find it all a little Dateline: To Catch a Predator. You never know who's out there. (Maybe I'm grasping at straws here.)

point: Most of my friends are on it.
counterpoint: So are many of the 40something-year-old teachers I work with, as well as the teenagers I worked with in summer camp a few years ago.

point: I can put reconnect with my old high school friends.
counterpoint: Let's face it, I wasn't all that popular in high school, and I've stayed in touch with the people (ok, person) I really care about.

point: But all the cool kids are doing it.
counterpoint: .... (whatever I say here will make me sound like an overbearing mother - which I am not - so I'm just going to stop)

I feel pretty safe in saying that unless it's absolutely necessary for whatever reason, I'm probably not going to join. I'm not one to really worry about identity theft or privacy issues, but I'm happy in my anonymity.