Why Facebook?

As it is Fat Tuesday, thus marking tomorrow as the beginning of Lent,
I've noticed quite a few people have decided to give Facebook up for
Lent.

Now, I am not a practicing Catholic, but I understand the undertone of
Lent. What I don't understand is, why Facebook?

The reason I pose this question is because I am a firm believer that
FB has managed to weasel its way in to everyday American livelihood. I
know; some may say I am a bit biased because they believe I am
addicted to FB. (This is not so, I'm just big on social networking.)

Let us dissect this. FB has allowed many a persons to keep in touch
with friends, both old and new. You can keep relationships going
regardless of the miles between two people. There are really some
people who are just on-the-go too much to try to stay in touch with
everybody. (Case in point, I am blogging this on my Blackberry while
getting a haircut.)

This is not to say such persons don't make the time, but this is life.
And "mobile friendships" are becoming the norm with everyday that
passes. So, there, that's why I think FB is such a great thing. So,
why am I so against giving up FB for Lent?

Well, with complete disregard to applications such as that damn
Farmville, Mobsters, Mafia Wars and the plethora of other applications
that FB offers to "pass the time", FB has become, and will continue to
be, a regular mean in which people stay in touch.

So why Facebook?

When the postal service was introduced to Americans, did Catholics
give up writing letters to each other for Lent?

When the telephone was invented, did Catholics give up calling their
friends for Lent?

When pagers, cellular phones, email, and instant messaging were in
their primes, did anybody give these up for Lent?

Maybe there were, but the likelihood? I highly doubt it.

So, WHY Facebook?