Creepy? or Creative?

I had a discussion tonight with my Mom.  She doesn't understand why anyone would want to put personal information about themselves out on the internet where just anyone could read.  When told about privacy settings and the like, she doesn't understand why anyone would put personal information about themselves out on the internet for acquaintances or new friends to read.  Her philosophy seems to be, if you wouldn't say it to someone's face when you first meet them, why put it out there?

So I've been thinking about it. 

I told her that part of the appeal, I suspect, for young people is that it helps you define yourself: "Ok, so what DO I like to do? I need to fill in this box, what is important to me?"

(or, at the very least, it helps you to define the part of yourself that you want others to see. I know that I have tried to think of the most indie of my favorite musical artists to throw into my 'favorite music' section. I wouldn't dare mention that I think Justin Timberlake is rather catchy sometimes...) And as the diversity in this world comes closer and closer to everyone's fingertips through modern technology, all the choice can be debilitating, overwhelming. Adolescent development fascinates me, and I think that my psychology colleague is onto something when he says that personality is expressed through popular culture preferences.  So, About Me sections and profiles pages are really an exercise in exploration and commitment of different personalities. Developmental psychologists think these are good things. 

Also, I made the argument that just because something CAN be misused, or used for bad purposes, doesn't mean that you shouldn't ever use it. If that were the case, then don't eat chocolate, ride in airplanes, or talk to boys. You cannot live your life in a cave. You cannot protect yourself from every evil and still develop completely.

But still, these points do not answer the question, why do it?

Why not take personality tests privately, make lists of your favorite movies in a notebook and share it only with your best of friends? Why not use the internet purely for direct communication with people you actually know?

I think that we were made to live in community and in relation with other people.  God made Adam, and then said "it is not good for man to be alone."  I think that we are made with a longing to reach out and connect with those around us. And if I have no one in the same room with me, I know that thousands of you out there are still up and relatable, even when my family is asleep or on the other side of the country.  When my friends all go out of town on the same weekend, I can connect with you through facebook. or blogging. or twitter. or livejournal. or flickr. I can form some kind of relationship, however fragile, with another actual human being because I am willing to put a bit of myself out there on the internet for just anyone to read. 

What do you think?