So last week I breathed life back into my Facebook account. And can I just say, that after being off the site for over 3 months, my reintroduction has been grand.
After a discussion with a good friend of mine, I realised that the problems I had with Facebook weren't with the site, but with the way I was using it.
I came to understand that it's alot like the way people discuss firearm deaths. The gun doesn't kill people, the person controlling it kills them. Facebook is a bit like this for me, I was blaming the site for all of the problems I thought it had, but at the end of the day - I'm in charge of the way I use it.
It's silly and almost ignorant to think that I can dig my heels in while the rest of the world continues to change and develop - In the time I was away from facebook I found that the people I still see and talked to regularly were the ones I expected I would, and in some cases there was more effort from some people once I was gone. Just because we survived without it before I don't think was excuse enough to remove myself from it. We survived without electricity and running water too...
I've gone back to Facebook with clear expectations of why I'm there. Purely to keep in touch with friends and family. I'm not wasting time on quizes, I'm not spending hours browsing through random people's pictures, I'm not adding random people, or people I never talk to - it's not a show of all the people I've ever met, but just for the people that are in my life right now.
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You're right. It is oddly coincidental that you should post this insightful declaration on the same day that I was considering my non-use of Facebook since I left it.
ReplyDeleteIt remains a tool that I don't want to use. And I cbf'd thinking about why right now. What I would say is that disconnecting completely is something that anyone thinking about doing it should do. Very rewarding experience. Nice writing Christoph :)
Love Na.
I admire your self discipline, i believe that you will be able to control yourself - i however, will not and i am therefore sticking to my guns and remaining removed from it.
ReplyDeleteMy life has been much brighter and less cluttered without it!
I'm going to see how I faire with it. I managed fine without it, so I'm looking at it as an add-on rather than a necessity.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have to send you more details about houseboat weekend!
Wooo, i'm really looking forward to it even though i HATED the last time i was on a houseboat lol.
ReplyDeleteHey chris,
ReplyDeleteWe all use facebook for different reason, the way that you want to use it, is completely up to you and no one else. So what have you been up to lately?
It would be great to meet up again, when are you free next?