HYPOCRISY FLASH! Since the publish of this post, I've created an account on twitter (@SCGryphon) so yes, I'm a hypocrite, since that is considered social networking. HOWEVER, I've found that many of the elements I hated about facebook are absent from Twitter due to it's format. It's more like a bunch of miniature blogs than the big tangled spaghetti-plate of drama that is facebook. Anyways.
The following is a conversation I've had with probably a dozen people over the past three years:
"Do you have a facebook?"
"No."
"Why not? You should get one!!"
"I had one. I deleted it."
"Yeah, I did that once...you'll be back in a couple days."
"No, actually I deleted it years ago. I have no desire to go back."
"Well that's dumb, you need to get one..."
1 out of every 13 people in the world is on facebook. Not 1 out of every 13 in America, not 1 out of 13 teenagers. Even when you factor in the millions of starving people in third-world countries, babies who are too young to read, old-folks who still haven't figured out email, and the countries which have outlawed it entirely such as China, you're still left with that absolutely ridiculous ratio. Facebook as a company is worth more than Nokia, Starbucks, and even Disney (which includes my beloved Marvel, since Disney owns the rights to Marvel now.)
Okay, enough about how big and impressive facebook is...let's talk about how I believe it is a leech to society that sucks on the brains of the people like those nasty worm-things in "Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan."
"Omg wuts ur deal??? Y rnt u talking 2 so-and-so!?!??"
Okay, I understand that it's much easier to bring up difficult topics in writing than it is to do it person. However, I've had people start fights with me on facebook, than act like there's nothing wrong when I see them in person. If it's not important enough to acknowledge face-to-face, do you even need to acknowledge it ever? Then, there's people who confront you on an issue who you don't even KNOW. If you don't know me well enough to know my favorite color, favorite type of movie, or any scrap of basic personal information you would've gathered from spending time with me in person, don't try and lecture me on some area of my life. I once had a friend-of-a-friend who never once posted anything on my wall, liked any of my pictures, and certainly never messaged me before (I barely knew this guy in person!) pop out of nowhere and send me a huge message describing how I was making the wrong choices and was essentially "giving in to Satan." WOW. Thanks so much, guy-who-knows-nothing-about-me.
"Look at all the fun we're having at this function that YOU weren't invited to!!"
Facebook shows you WAY too much of other people's lives. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. When people know everything about everybody, feelings are bound to get hurt. If you were throwing a party and certain people weren't invited, you wouldn't go broadcasting it in everyone's face. Yet, people do this all the time on facebook. Unless you were purposely trying to get back at your ex, you wouldn't flirt with your new boyfriend right in front of him. Flirting on a public page on facebook is essentially that. Of course, people don't always think of the thousands of different friends that are going to see that conversation, but they should! Some things weren't meant to be shared with the world. All this extra personal information just opens the door to unneeded drama.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. (That's from the Bible, by the way. Matt 7:1)
Perhaps the worst thing about facebook isn't what is typed or posted, but rather the thoughts it leads you to think. Often, I would find myself scrolling down the profile of someone I disliked and have a negative mental comment for everything I saw.
"An updated relationship status, eh? Did that troll finally get tired of your crap?"
"Milkshakes at Denny's again? Wow, no wonder you've been gaining weight, Chubby..."
"Yes, we all know that it's snowing. Thanks for the update though, Captain Meteorologist."
I hate to admit it, but that's a pretty accurate representation of my brain when looking at the profile of someone I'm not fond of. It's horrible, but I'm sure we all do it. What's scary though, is the fact that there are plenty of other people who look at your profile and do the exact same thing. One of the big reasons I left facebook is because I hate to think what other people's opinion of me is. I don't want people I barely know browsing through all my photos and thoughts. Sure, there are good friends who want to see your pictures because they actually care about your trip to Oregon or really do want to read 25 fun facts about you. That's only a tiny handfull of people if you think about it, though. The rest, as dark as this sounds, are either curious about you or want to watch you crash and burn. Those people don't need to see your personal information; they should be kept at a distance, just like they are in person. Also, we should stay away from the profiles of people we don't like, because God commands us not to be judgmental or we will be judged the same way. I believe the best way to get rid of this temptation is to flee from it entirely.
I know this is pretty hypocritical, since I've spend the last two paragraphs judging stupid people on facebook, but that's because I know I used to be one of them and I'm embarrassed when I look back. Not to say that people on facebook are idiots (that would probably be insulting every single one of my readers...) but that facebook is one of the many stove-top burners contributing to the gradual meltdown of society. People shouldn't be like pages on Wikipedia with every known fact about them available to public with the click of a mouse. People were designed to get to know each other slowly as information is exchanged with the increase of trust. That is the way relationships are supposed to form, not by clicking "Add Friend."
So rather than posting nasty comments on your friends' stupid photos, delete your facebook and complain about those people on a blog where you can do all the talking. Fewer people will read your complaints, and you can pick out a cool purple and black background instead of just some dumb blue and white one.
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