A testimonial for Orkut
As a journalist, you’re asked to steer clear of the cliché “end of an era” as much as you can. On social networking websites, though, it’s used by anyone and everyone to describe anything and everything, regardless of whether they really feel the words. I’m going to stick my neck out and say today really is the end of an era. For me, at least.
Orkut’s dead.
Well, almost dead. Google’s sounded the death knell for what was pretty much its first social networking website, started as a 20 percent project by the company. As Orkut shuts down, my teenage years are officially coming to an end. I’ve grown up.
For the past few years, Orkut was just a website I’d visit maybe once a month on a boring weekday afternoon at work, to read old posts and smile to myself. Somehow everything was okay on Orkut, all my friends were on Orkut, I was still a scrawny teen on Orkut.
The truth is, I wouldn’t be half of what I’m today if it wasn’t for the website. I went from being a rather quiet, slightly weird loner in real life to being an outspoken, confident person thanks to it. As I started to spend longer on Orkut, I realised I wasn’t the only rather quiet, slightly weird loner who had similar tastes.
My love for metal thrived on Orkut, people recommending some really kickass music to me over time. Most of these people who lived for making sure everyone gave an honest hear to their favourite bands are still around in my life. These happen to be some of the most genuine, like-minded, happy bunch of people I’ve ever met.
Communities of Orkut, something that Facebook has tried to ape and failed spectacularly at, is where these brilliant people were sitting, waiting to be found. Metallica India, my love, how can I forget you. I think I spent most of my waking hours reading threads and threads on the community, making lifelong friends, getting into flame wars, trolling “n00bs”, defending the band. Oh, the countless hours we spent making plans to defend the place overrun by Megadeth fanbois and the Brazilian trolls. Excuse me while I wipe a tear trickling down my face.
Only Twitter in recent times has managed to come close to what Orkut was for most of us – coming in contact with more like-minded folk. Even so, people on Twitter are far snarkier than Orkut guys ever were. There’s a shit ton of more abusing, personal attacks (rape threats, good God!) and all round holier-than-thou behaviour.
Or maybe, just maybe, I’ve grown up. I’m not the weird looking “dude” struggling with acne problem, who rushed back home from college in order to stick it to Megadeth fans anymore. I don’t sneak up on cute guys’ profiles in order to add them as crushes anonymously, I don’t discuss music for long hours, I don’t trade scraps, I don’t overthink testimonials.
Orkut, I owe you my friends, my relationships, the ability to deal with idiots, the ability to appreciate music; my adolescence. This is my final testimonial for you, the most heartfelt one I’ve ever written. I will miss you.
