WebLog 10

Is Facebook a superorganism?

First, what is a superorganism? "A superorganism is a group of individual organisms or cells that functions as an integral social or biological unit" (http://www.bugsinthenews.com/Definition%20of%20Superorganism.htm). In a superorganism, each individual unit involved does not have to work with the other to contrive the superorganism. In this sense, yes, Facebook is very much a superorganism. Millions of people, each day, make Facebook what it is today. Each user individually contributes its own to Facebook, but it doesn't necessarily effect every other user on Facebook. Each user has their own individual goals, and through that, make Facebook a superorganism. It is not entirely like a superorganism in the sense that, the components of a superorganism are unable survive without their superorganism for very long. It is evident that people are able to live without Facebook, therefore, it is not a true superorganism.