UnSocial Networks

Why do people congregate? And what happens after when they do?  There's got to be a simpler way of connecting, staying connected, and still be in real life.

How many social networking sites are out there?

I'm on: DoostangLinkedInFriendsterFacebook, and MySpace.  There are about a dozen others, for more specific interests.

I have problems with it. Mainly because my associates/friends are in multiple communities. And often, what use are these communities besides being overhyped and (kind of confusing) address books?  Ok ok.. so you have your resume/profiles on there.. but what are you really using it for?

I think social networking has jumped the shark.  When? Maybe it's when Murdoch paid billions for MySpace without a good sense of how this entire thing would work.. other than the fact that people seem to be using these services and he would get a good population to bombard with ads.

Why do people congregate? And what happens after when they do?  There's got to be a simpler way of connecting, staying connected, and still be in real life.