September 26, 2011

Facebook :(


I will no longer be checking my facebook. I have hated facebook since its inception and was hoping it would fizzle out before I had to make one. Unfortunately, I did end up having to make one so people without blogger could follow my blog. It was fun for a while and I made a lot of new friends, mostly reenactors from units I would never have met in person and for that I am happy I signed up. 


However, it’s just getting annoying now. This site enables superficial relationships. You are in everyone’s lives without being in anyone’s life. It provides human interaction on your terms, friendships without any real investment. It lets you feel connected while not really being connected at all. The experience is more important than documenting it in detail so your friends will think you have such an interesting life. (I’m betting you know people who do this.)   

I want to keep my relationships meaningful and my activities meaningful and there is nothing meaningful about scrolling through 1,000 photos of someone’s vacation, especially if you are not involved enough in their life for them to even tell you they are going away.

I will check out people’s photos but only if they mention them to me personally. You know my phone number, you know my e-mail, you know my blog; you know how to get in contact with me other than through facebook. 
 
I’d really appreciate it if you would.  I know everyone is busy. I am busy, which is why I want to make my relationships as meaningful as possible. I’d rather spend an hour with friends than 1,000 hours on facebook. I know this means that I won’t know what you are doing every hour of the day. I’m looking forward to not knowing, so we’ll have lots to talk about when we see each other!   

I’m not deleting my facebook account, but I will only be checking it once or twice a month. I much prefer blogs because they give an overview of your activities, not a micro detailed timeline of your life. I get to see your photos and hear your thoughts and feelings. I love reading my friend's opinions, beliefs and ideas. It's much more stimulating than "[Insert vague status update here that will prompt people to ask about something you're dying to tell everyone.]"      

4 comments:

  1. I agree. Facebook is a place where people can have the most friends but then not really have any. I wouldn't delete my Facebook since I have family members and close friends on there that actually post things I want to see and is another means to communicate, even if it's just to remind them I miss them since we all live far apart from each other. Not that this could not be achieved without Facebook, but anyway. I agree with you. Real life and meaningful relationships are more important. People lose sight of that on there.

    Anyway, great post :)

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  2. I've been on facebook since '08 and I use it mainly as a photo source, as you probably can tell. I keep my profile info light and airy, rarely serious and hardly ever political.
    Even still, I have found myself in pretty deep.
    I keep it mainly for sharing pictures for those interested and, mainly (as Rachel's comment above says), keeping up with family and distant - but close - friends.
    I agree, however, that I do prefer my blog over facebook.
    I'm glad we're friends either way.

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  3. Honestly, i don't blame you. I feel like I spend hours on facebook waiting for life to "happen" and nothing ever does. I agree about meaningful relationships and experiences. I have 1,000 friends on facebook but feel so lonely. It seems like everyone else has an interesting life and I'm the one left out.

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  4. I was thinking the same thing lately. When did my friends stop wanting to hang out in person?

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