One of the most popular sites globally, Facebook ranks 4th among the top 100 sites in India (source: Alexa.com). What accounts for its rapid success? We are not looking at how the forum works; we are trying to see why it strikes a chord with Indians, culturally.
Oh yes, it’s a youth thing. You won’t find too many of your parents’ generation posting pics here or changing a status message to talk about how the rose blooming in their garden has made them happy. Nope. They’ll still call you on the good old phone to tell you all that.
What perhaps makes the younger Indians take to this forum is the way in which it appeals to our strong sense of ‘staying connected’. We have been, since the days of yore, a gregarious community. Catching up with the neighbour for a cuppa, dropping in to say hi to an aunt, and so on, come naturally to us. These are aspects we’ve never questioned, but always found comforting.
Over the years, we had other things fight for our time and mental space. Commuting three hours between home and workplace, squeezing in an appointment at the parlour, planning the next holiday… and calling your friend was pushed to the next day.
Enter Facebook. And it appeals to this ‘keeping in touch’ streak in you. It’s easy, effortless. And it gives you a format to stay in touch. Though these reasons are not specific to Indians, they certainly seem stronger here, thanks to our socio-cultural factors.
In a country where even chatting with a stranger on a train happens spontaneously, it just takes a forum such as Facebook to tap into the need for staying connected online.
Any other thoughts anyone?