A thought always races through my mind as I see the advertisements flash across my television screen… Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and …. everywhere else… that thought is "Where has the excitement gone?"

What many people may not know is Facebook originally started as a strictly college social network, and I was around during it's original conception, and was one of the first to become part of this major social change in the college dynamic.

In those times individuals shared themselves on Facebook, their lives, personalities, hopes and dreams – some shared more information than was necessary – but the theme was consistent, you could connect with people. Not people in the now shallow "friend request" sense, but in the deeper, more personal sense.

When people open themselves on a social platform, they open themselves to a more personal connection with others who share the same hopes, dreams and interests.

This was best described in the book "The Four Loves" by C.S. Lewis, where he said

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

So what marked the end of the excitement? To put it simply, it was Fear. When Facebook branched out to anyone and everyone, including employers, parents, relatives, authorities and more – people slowly stopped taking that extra risk of sharing their deeper selves, and returned to the more superficial self.

What we see now, more than ever, is the empty shell of an idea that once made us felt we could actually be ourselves. Those who miss it, search eagerly for alternatives to get the same experience, whether it be through Twitter or Google Plus.

Deep down, what we are really searching for, is a place where we can be ourselves and share it with the world, without fear of reprecussions. Sadly, I don't think Facebook is that place anymore.

Keep searching, dear friends, and never stop being yourselves.