So finally afters years of stubbornness and refusal to join Weibo, I finally gave in. Previously skeptical that it is just another platform for self-expression, self-loathe, and self-promotion, my refusal came strongly due to the numerous SNS platforms already out there. I mean...how many "online-socialization" does one really need? Whatever happened to a simple phone call, a hand-written note, or catching up over a coffee?
The Wenzhou train accident was a wake-up call. A wake-up call that when living in China, where news is censored, where freedom of speech does not exist, where truth has become a luxury, that instant news updates and communication is required to be aware of what is happening out there. And because of China's "environment", Weibo's success is due to the exterior limitations of freedom of speech.
One can share news, gossip, photos; one can stalk others, become each other's fans, learn of what does exist in the outside world, and reach out. Weibo builds a sense of community, of positivity and awareness, of caring for each other online. And it is, by far, one of the most successful social networks available in China.
