Being away from Facebook and Linkedin, even my blogs has been good for me to a certain extent. Which is why I'm writing on this one, my "personal" blog. so to speak. I think we all know that Facebook (I never opened a Twitter account) is one huge waste of time for someone like me. All it has done is make me feel even more removed from society — humanity — more than ever. Ironically, I'm normally a pretty gregarious guy. When my wife are out and about, I'm almost invariably the one who will strike up a conversation with strangers if I happen to see something about them or what they are doing that's interesting. People like to talk, even shy people, when they see that you are interested in them and what they are doing. But, that's face-to-face, person-to-person. What makes it special is that the exchange is limited to just the people at that moment. You're not jumping from page to page making comments or "liking" some posting and then moving on to the posting from some one, who in many cases, is some one you've never physically met.
The other depressing aspect of Facebook is this "post or die" mentality associated with it. A lot of that has to do with this compulsion to acquire as many "friends" as possible. I mean, honestly, can a person have 4,000 friends... 1,000, 500, 350? How many friends can a person have and actually be friends? With how many of these "friends" can you actually maintain some type of meaningful relationship?
Now, I've reconnected with a substantial number of people from my college years. Many of whom I like very much and could even consider as friends. But, trying to keep up with everything they say or do with all of their posts and comments is, for me, quite literally impossible. Moreover, I'm not big on people asking me for my "concern" or sympathy or (worse yet) my prayers because somebody's aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, sister, or some other relative or the relative of some one's friend is ill or passed away. These are people with whom I have or had no acquaintance, or even previous knowledge. I find such eliciting as gratuitous and self-indulgent; and the responses, at best disingenuous, not withstanding best intentions. It's simply not the same as a friend, or even close acquaintance, calling (NOT texting) you or contacting you directly to tell you the news. At least at that point there's at least some chance of true empathy. But this Facebook thing? "I just found out I have pancreatic cancer" or, "Fred had a nervous breakdown and has had to go on disability" or, "my Aunt Mary just passed away. Please pray for her...." is the kind of news I would normally go around spreading to the world on social media; yet, I see it all the time. And I for one, find it distasteful.
But I digress. I would love to promote my work on Facebook and Linkedin. And Lord knows I've tried. Unfortunately, sites like Facebook give one the comfortable ability to lie. "Oh sure, send me your work and guarantee a performance." "I love this piece!" and then you never hear from that person again. Now I'm one of those people that after I send somebody something the work should speak for itself. So, if I don't hear from them again, at least after one or two inquiries as to how "it's" coming along and I never get a response... well you can only imagine how I feel.
And that's the problem of places like FB; they give you the ability to be, at best, disingenuous and more likely just simple outright liars.
And that's the problem of places like FB; they give you the ability to be, at best, disingenuous and more likely just simple outright liars.
