Facebook: Fan versus Like

Recently Facebook has changed the phrase “become a fan” to the single word, “like”. While this is not their only change, a comment must be made on their choice of words. Welcome to the world of semantics, or is said in the world of marketing, “hot buttons”.

If you spend some time on contemplating this seemingly innocent switcheroo, this change is a clue to the evolving world around us. Believe me, Facebook put a lot of time and thought into this before making this bold, simplistic move. Something so simple as a change of words is actually a comment on how we view things and how we interact.

A fan looks up to something, “like” is equal to, on the same level. It also means I am not obsessed, like some fans are. I enjoy your company and I am probably not fixated or blinded by a zealousness.

When you look up the word “like”, it has many meanings, all of which mean different things to different people, all suggesting various emotions and thoughts. Moreover, I am sure that in the day to day jargon of how we live, we use the word “like” much more often than “fan.”