Farewell Facebook

Farewell Facebook

A few days ago on a spur of the moment decision I killed my Facebook Account (actually they apparently freeze it in Liquid Nitrogen and are able to revive it anytime I accidentally click on the wrong bookmark of FB, after which I had to go back through the stupid process of explaining my reasons and then being shown pictures of people who will "miss you.") I didn't want to make a big commotion about it because my reasoning (no matter what it may be) will often be taken as a blanket condemnation of FB and all FB'ers. It surely is not! I know many people use FB responsibly and get a lot of good stuff out of it...I just wasn't one of them (at least not enough good to justify staying) and that's certainly a condemnation of ME, but not FB or the good people who use it.

I mentioned when I promised to get back into blogging that I felt like Facebook was getting too noisy for me and that I missed the more simplistic communication we used to have in the blogging world. I compared it to sitting on a front porch and have a leisurely chat whereas Facebook is like Drive By Screaming or sometimes shooting at one another...again that's my feeling...not a fact, every one's mileage varies. I'll also be honest...I got out because as the election season approaches I expect the partisan passions to flare and it just bugs me. Not because I think I stand loftily above the fray, but rather I'm much too tempted to enter the fray. Politics aren't good for the soul...I really believe that and repent of the passion with which I hold and especially have held my political beliefs (this will mesh with a future post about being opinionated). I know some may hold passionate political opinions and not sin, but I know in my heart it was not a force for good. (You'll note I'm not saying I believe I am wrong in those opinions, I'm just gonna hold less dearly to them and I'm gonna be a lot less active in their promotion.)

Also, as I've blogged before, facebook I think is more aptly named "facadebook." I thinks it's very good at simulating community, but I think it might actually deteriorate real community or usurp it. Maybe...that post was really just thinking out loud. Blogging could be similar...but to a lessor degree maybe. If nothing else it gives us a bigger glimpse into people's lives as opposed to the equivalent of 100's of 30 second television commercials.

Anyway, I needed to step away and I'm already finding that it is giving me more time. Will I be productive with that time? Not likely...however much I should. I may write some more (here and also on that darned eternal story I need to finish). I certainly have a ton of summer projects around the farm. And as a supervisor now I can spare no time for FB at work (yeah yeah...we should never spare any time for FB at work! I know!).

So, anyway, I'll visit more blogs and blog myself more. So, grab a fine ale, wine, sweet iced tea, or single malt and sit a spell...that if if you don't mind my ramblings. As before I will promise there won't be too much controversy. And remember I'm not trying to be critical or others who make great use of FB. I'm being critical of myself mostly.

Christ is Risen!
(oops...controversial already!)

Comments

Anonymous said…
And blogging is *not* drive by screaming?? Maybe drive by mooning or air-horning. I think not much more edifying, just a lot less INFORMATION about what my imaginary farm (you have a real one, no wonder this didn't appeal to you) or mafia (we're already in a church that sometimes resembles one, don't need to make it up) is doing. I like your blog better, and I don't have one. So I use yours with your permission. --Bob K.
fdj said…
Oh yeah I suppose blogging can be like that...and really these are just feeling/opinions of mine that I can't really hold up for objective analysis very well. I feel like if both blogging and FBing are like driveby shooting, FB is armed with a fully automatic while bloggers are toting single action revolvers. It's true that both are what we make of it, but I think there's more control in blogging. I dunno, I'm not going to nail my colors to the mast on this point, but:

With FB I felt overwhelmed with information and issues that I'd like very much to discuss (too much I'm sure)...but there was just SO MUCH and so many things being said that I felt like there was never an opportunity to really discuss things more seriously or in depth. Some I know probably could...but for me by the time I was really started to engage there'd bee 100 new statuses, articles, opinions to consider and people would usually scatter onto new topics with lightening speed. I recall one great exchange I had about nature and the Fall on FB that really reminded me of some great blog discussions I'd had. I can honestly say I made REAL friends (even though we'd never met) through blogging...and I talked more to them in the blogging world than when we became "friends" on FB.

Blogging allows me more time to write more seriously about stuff whereas FB had so much trivial things...it's funny how sometimes we feel like we HAVE to update our status with the most mundane things. And believe me I'm the chief of sinners there. Now, I don't think I'm a great writer by any stretch of the imagination...but one of the reasons I started a blog was to share my experience with Orthodoxy for interested friends and family...and also I wanted it to be (in electronic form) something my kids could read in the future and see a bit more into their Dad's thoughts etc. It certainly evolved since then both for good and for bad, but FB brought my blogging to a screeching halt. In fact, FB monopolized FAR more of my time than blogging ever did. Again this isn't FB's fault, it's mine. But, I don't have the willpower to resist it :) Just the other day it was like I was on autopilot...like a zombie I clicked on the FB shortcut and instantly reactivated my account. Man...it was a totally mindless act. Odd.

Anyway...it became apparent that it was going to be either FB or blogging.

One thing that WAS great about FB was the ability to stay in touch with distant friends and family. But having conversations there with my daughter upstairs? Creepy. I may go back to stay in touch with my distant family...but I certainly don't want 400 "friends" again.

My blog is your blog. So long as we play nice and share whatever you're drinking.
Anonymous said…
Bravo.

It's strange that in a world that claims to be community-starved, we seem to think that Facebook is a replacement for quality interaction with others. It's like we say we want "community," EXCEPT actually making time to live close to people physically and share their lives, or spend any time on it.

Always strange to be at an even like a ballgame, or Church, or a birthday party, and see significant numbers of people "interacting" with the ether.

At least with blogging, I don't have others' latest opinions/observations thrust onto my "home page." I can decide whether I want to log in and see what you're writing about.

- Steve K
Anonymous said…
You rebel. I imagine if Orwell were still alive he might write a story about a subversive element in society who actually have the audacity to remain anonymous and "not" share every waking thought via the social media device/App of the moment. The only reason any sane person might choose to live so privately is if they have something to hide. So, feel a little isolated now that you have unplugged from the Borg collective? I'm worried that I didn't hear about your wood cutting "while" you were cutting wood...what were you really doing, eh?

Peace,
Mike W.
fdj said…
Yes, fret not that I might "tweet" on this blog that I am presently disposing this morning of last night's dinner.

The oddest one for me was when my iphone FB app wanted to notate my every location so that I could instantly update on FB where I was at any given moment. Who wants to know such info????

It's a crazy world we live in.
Wow, I guess I suck as a friend, because I only just realized last night that you weren't on FB any more! You are right. There is a lot of noise. And I hadn't heard any noise from you for a while, so I went out searching for you and couldn't find you. I felt dejected. ;)

Just kidding... but I will miss on keeping up with what is going on in your life, through the short-comment playful banter of FB. I don't have time to read long blog posts of my friends regularly, but I do when one is interesting enough.

Anyway, I disagree with but respect your decision. (And even more controversial - after Assumption) "He is Risen Indeed!"
Cheers!
Basil
fdj said…
Well it's easy to not miss someone on FB...with all of it's noise. It occurred to me that some people might think I unfriended them...and that initially bothered me, but then I considered that it bothers me more that the rich kid who invented FB has hijacked the term friend and turned it into a mouse click. How odd if you think about it.

Anyway...my opinions of FB are are totally subjective. I can say what I disliked about it and don't miss outweighs what I miss.
No, I totally get what you are saying, James. There are a lot of things that I don't like about FB, but there are things I do. The good (for me) outweighs the bad. FB has brought me light-years ahead in renewing contacts with obscure relatives, old college friends, and so on.

Also, apparently I need more sleep and shouldn't be blogging so early in the morning. That should be Ascension and not Assumption. Lol.

Cheers!
Basil
Anonymous said…
You actually can completely delete your FB account. See this site:

https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16929680703

This is the direct link for when you're logged into your account:

http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

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