Much Ado About Nothing – “Facebook Evils”
What did we do before Facebook? Okay, forget MySpace. That doesn’t really count. Although, you might be surprised to know that MySpace isn’t dead. So, your MySpace profile that lists the Pussycat Dolls and Rascal Flatts as your favorite bands, has a picture of you trying to copy Hillary Duff’s haircut or wearing a bandana, it’s still in existence. Too bad you can’t remember that password.
But now we have Facebook and we’re all addicted to it. We spend hours of our lives every day scrolling through other people’s lives until we develop tendonitis in our flipping thumb. Suddenly someone else’s taco basket, concert tickets, grandchild smile is far more important – and interesting – than anything happening in our own lives right that moment.
While you’re feeling jealous that you don’t have tacos, tickets or smiling grandchildren, let me remind you that it’s all a façade. We should call it FacadeBook for the sake of accuracy. The truth is that no one posts selfies on the days they can’t bother to shower, 38 snaps of their children in full meltdown mode, or video of that screaming-door-slamming fight with their spouse. (Yes, the very same spouse that just yesterday was a joyous gift from God in their lives, according to their most recent post.)
Since none of my e-friends have ever influenced my decisions as a registered voter; since I’ve never made one of the beautifully delicious recipes that get posted and reposted; because I don’t care how many states a boy I sat next to in third grade has been to; and mostly because I’m not going to buy a mattress, shoes, bathing suit, insulin, mail-order dinners, or solar panels from a sponsored ad, I’ve started staying away from Facebook.
Here’s what I’ve discovered: I make eye-contact and have actual positive interactions with real people who are standing in front of me. We talk. With our mouths and not our keyboards. I do fun things. I mean, not officially fun things because if I don’t post pictures then it’s not Facebook official, but I’m learning to live with that. Heck, I’m keeping up with my laundry! I should make my Kenmore front-loader my new profile picture!
If at the end of your days, you could get back all the time you spent on social media, what would you do with it? Do that now.
