Just a few non-books though, and people has been sharing book lists for years. If Paul really wants to test the privacy implications of this trend and see what it feels like, he should post a history of his bank accounts, yeah by all means edit it but still.
I think real geeks can't understand the benefits of social networking because we are not really that social. We should accept it already: technology's main use in the next decade will be for ego inflation and vanity with Twitter, Blippy and the rest being on the leading edge. Triumph of empty form over substance.
The world has always functioned on ego inflation and vanity, though. From 500-1500, it was "You can be more righteous than your neighbors if you just believe our priests." From 1500-1900, it was "You can be more wealthy than your neighbors if you just invest in our venture." From 1900-1995, it was "You can be more attractive than your neighbors if you buy our product." From 1995-present, it was "You can be smarter than your neighbors if you visit our website."
It's interesting how this corresponds with the most idolized caste in society at the time. From 500-1500, it was the clergy. From 1500-1900, it was the financier/plantation-owner/prospector/industrialist. From 1900-1995, it was the starlet. From 1995-present, it's the geek.
Substance is nothing more than empty form that nobody likes. (Or, as the musician sometimes says it, "What does it say about classical music that its antonym is 'popular' music?")
I think real geeks can't understand the benefits of social networking because we are not really that social. We should accept it already: technology's main use in the next decade will be for ego inflation and vanity with Twitter, Blippy and the rest being on the leading edge. Triumph of empty form over substance.