Monday, November 28, 2011

Oh, facebook.

Two months ago I decided to switch off facebook. In all honesty, I thought it'd been longer than that. It feels longer. But it's been an interesting experiment, and one I've really enjoyed. I haven't noticed productivity levels increase in incredible proportions. I haven't evolved into an internet hippie (tumblr, twitter, blogging, livejournal... it's all still there). But I do feel simultaneously more connected and less connected to my friends.

If that confuses you, don't worry. I'm confused, too.

What I'm possibly learning from all this is that being away from facebook cuts me out of the little everyday odds and ends of my friends' lives. I miss lurking my friends' pictures. I miss knowing who is dating who (whom?). I miss getting invitations to events like barbecues and parties and church things and whatnot (because everybody is totally on facebook right and so why would we email or text or GASP send a paper invitation?). I miss watching hilarious comment conversations swing back and forth. Basically, I miss eavesdropping on my friends' lives.

On the other hand, even though I've been pathetic at emailing (and visiting and calling and letter-writing and texting), what little communication there is has been of a higher quality. It's like my friend-scope has narrowed. I see less, but I get to see it in more detail. I know who my closest friends are because they're the ones I contact outside of facebook. And to tell you the truth, I'm realising I don't need four hundred friends. My immediate and extended family, my little handful of best girlfriends, my buddies, and my long-distance friends whom I treasure: these are enough-and-more for me.

It doesn't mean I don't sometimes wish I was back on facebook. It's fun being in the loop! And I will probably be back looping it up again someday. But not just yet. Last week I felt my resolve slipping. I'd made contact with some friends from uni and they suggested keeping in touch via facebook. I took a great photography class and the instructor said there was a closed facebook group only open to workshop participants. I got scared that people would forget I exist if I'm not right up in their face(book)s. But then my friend Carla posted this and it reminded me all over again why sometimes it's good to do without, even if only for a season.

The end (for now).

Oh, and I didn't have any pictures of facebook laying around my computer, so I took this. That's my face, with a book. Har har you see what I did there? I'm obviously so funny.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Un -- I've had a hard enough time keeping up with my own socialness! I think I did so much last week, though, that this week is going to be very quiet by comparison.

Lauren -- hahaha! You little lurker. I promise there will be more pictures soon.

7 comments:

  1. Wow, two months? I actually forgot you had stopped Facebooking. :) And you are funny. :D

    So..just curious...why do you think you'll go back? I mean, what would be different if you did?

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  2. Hi new face here I found your blog from a link on hayley's and I love reading your opinions.
    I keep to-ing and fro-ing on the idea of shutting down my facebook, but then I think of all my overseas friends and family that I keep in contact with and how much facebook makes that easier.
    But then I think of all the time I spend stalking peoples facebook, i.e. my ex's, and i feel that it might be time wasted, I don't know maybe a break will do me good, I still don't know.

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  3. You are so funny! I can't decide what to think about Facebook. Sigh. It's starting to seem like deactivating is a trendy thing to do, but I can see points from both sides.

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  4. Facebook makes things a little too easy sometimes, doesn't it? Instead of making contact and finding out what's going on, it's all there on your news feed. I hadn't really thought of it that way. I'm not sure I could give it up at the moment, because I love sharing the occasional silly photo and links to my blog and facebook just seems to be the easiest way to do that right now.

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  5. I tried to find you on facebook and then I couldn't. This is the reason why! I had a sabbatical from FB and whilst it was good, I definitely found out that I missed out on a lot of little everyday things. I'm not ready to take a stand against missing out on those things just yet.

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  6. HAHAHA FACE-BOOK!! I laughed as soon as I saw the picture!

    I miss you on facebook. But I could NEVER forget that you exist... and I'm glad we have other ways to keep in touch :)

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  7. I was wondering what the picture meant. LOL =D

    I think it's good to take breaks, evaluate and go from there...

    After all, if we try to keep up with everyone, everywhere, we're bound to get burned out eventually! (I know that I do!)
    I'm glad that I don't have my own FB. I might eventually when I'm more serious about photography and selling it... but for now, the family account to keep in touch with far away family members is good enough for me. (It's managable and not overwhelming at all)

    It's good to know who your close friends are... they're the ones who don't care if you have an FB or not! Like me ;-)

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