The power of Facebook.

There has been much discussion--loud and ill-informed--about the power of "friending" a brand or a cause on Facebook.

I'll admit I don't understand Facebook as an advertising medium. I have nearly 500 "friends" but have yet to have a conversation about brands with any of them. I do not turn my facebook profile picture pink to show my support for breast cancer. I do not stripe my face for gay rights, I do not obliterate my profile picture for the satisfaction of my mother.

I find it weird when people write that they love today's weather and append onto that message something like "on another note, can china plz release liu, and while they're at it, also the nation of tibet?!!"

I do not understand that and never will. It seems to me so much posturing or poseurism. "I am not a stupid slug who cares only about Snookie. See how politically aware I am; I support Tibet."

Well today I ran across this fact by way of "The New Yorker" and Malcolm Gladwell. "Save Darfur" had 1.3 million people as friends or fans. From that base they collected less than $120,000." Nine cents a supporter. Not even a dime. OMG LOL!

I think that's about right.