What do you use Fluther for? Do you consider it a social networking site?

Conversation, discussion, debate, information, answers. I don’t think of it as a social networking site, but a perk has been getting to know some new people socially so to speak. But, some of us have become facebook friends or have met in real life, and I certainly care about my jelly friends, especially those I see on Q’s on a regular basis.

I actually just had a very similar conversation with two separate people in the last 12 hours or so.
I do consider Fluther to be a social networking site, as well as Q&A. That is part of Fluther’s charm. Other Q&A sites (although my experience is limited) seem to be more along the lines of: get on, ask your question, hopefully get your answer. Fluther has a sense of community. I have made some truly wonderful friends here, which I don’t think would be possible if it didn’t have at least a bit of social networking woven in with the Q&A.
The guidelines and the way that the site is set up not only allow for, but also encourage discussion (and often debate). That in itself seems to tend to draw people together. It isn’t like a human Google, because it has personality as well as intelligence. In my opinion, that sets it apart.
I thought that I knew what I got out of Fluther, but it wasn’t until recently that I came to see how much I really do get out of it. I am relatively isolated lately, and I do a lot of my socializing online. Fluther gives me the opportunity to engage in stimulating conversation on an endless variety of topics, with people that are really worth talking to. I know that there are a lot of mixed opinions on Fluther, but personally I think this site as a whole is good stuff.

I use it as a mere distraction from everyday life. Have a laugh & a crack on with my “stay at homies,” as a gangsta rapper might say XD Oh & a few….a very select/exclusive few….I consider worthy of my friendship ;¬} Well not exactly a friendship, more a casual online chum type thingy really :¬)

I use Fluther as a social site by way of the Q and A aspect. This winter, between the snow and being sick so much I’ve found it to be an invaluable way to interact with other people, even when I had laryngitis and couldn’t talk in RL. It saved my sanity to be able to have a virtual social life here when I couldn’t get out of my house. I’ve learned some stuff, too…

I don’t think of it as a social networking site, but that is what I get out of it.

It’s a distraction, to relieve boredom, to connect with people, and because of interesting questions/conversations.

I’m a people person and enjoy the intellectual stimulation, the discussion, so yes, it serves as a social aspect for me, but it does not replace real interaction with my real friends and family.

I’m not a big Facebook fan, and fluther doesn’t give me what I imagine Facebook gives to a lot of people. Facebook seems to allow for a lot of light conversation. Polite cocktail party talk for the most part. Nothing really personal, but a lot of things that are somewhat personal. Safe most of all (although not always—depends on how careful people are).

Fluther doesn’t really do that. If it does, it does so on questions I don’t answer. For the most part, we are dealing with meaty issues and we are saying what we really think. No holds barred. Even when we are having fun—making jokes or being silly—it is done with more intensity than one would normally do it. People take risks here, I think.

As a result, the social networking, at least in my experience, is different. The relationships are more serious. They have more depth to them. If people don’t have anything to talk about, they don’t talk. I’ve started up connections with hundreds of jellies, I’m sure. The vast majority of them are nice for a few back and forths, and they they are gone. No oomph. No one seems to want to waste time on polite chit-chat. Not with me, anyway.

Every once in a while, I’ll make a friend who lasts over a longer period of time. That’s very nice. But sometimes I come here, and none of my friends are available… and that’s when this place seems kind of empty. I can answer questions, but I can’t really talk to anyone. Answering questions is not talking to a person. So in that sense, it is not a social networking place.

I’m here for knowledge, plain & simple. Other peoples views, people I would never come face to face with in a million years ( slight exaggeration but probably true ) you’re all so fascinating :-/
I mean that most sincerely.

I think of it as a Q&A site. I didn’t join to make friends over the internet…..I’m just not interested in that. Although I have made a few and there are tons of wonderful people here, it’s just not my primary interest. I use Fluther to get answers to questions that require personal experience or opinions that Google can’t provide.

I use it to improve my OS, which is the ability to write clear, terse and interesting sentences and then paragraphs.

Yes, it’s a social site, we interact.

Help! I’m trapped here!

I like seeing the questions people come up with and the responses they generate. I don’t really message privately much and nobody loves me enough to private message me much :-((... (joking! not really upset!). So, not really a social networking site in the traditional sense for me.

You are all my therapists!!

Very, very selectively.

It is now over a year since I wrote the post two or three up and I have to say I know many of you much better now and with very few exceptions, I am very pleased I found Fluther. I use it to pass time, to canvass people’s thoughts, to be silly and have fun, to learn how people in different parts of the world view certain topics. To learn about US politics!