In 2007 I was exposed to Facebook. It was the greatest technology to come along since email. Finally I had a way to find long lost friends as we crept further away from our original nesting grounds. Pictures of kids, family vacations, houses and oddities made me feel like I had reconnected with these comrades from a different time.
In one swoop, Facebook had fixed one of my problems. I hadn't gone to any of my high school reunions. I could catch up online. And I did! It was fun learning about other people's lives and all the exotic travelling. But then the inevitable happened. Once caught up, we stopped talking. We were Facebook friends but we weren't really friends anymore. Distance and time had broken the bond.
I read the more time one spends on Facebook, the more depressed a person becomes. In observing my own emotions, there's some truth there. Seeing all of the wonderful pictures, family vacations, parties, and houses made me wonder why my life wasn't as exciting. I envied others when my life was equally exciting. I didn't see that. I wasn't posting as frequently. I wasn't looking for affirmation. Nor was I asking for attention.
I started using Facebook for a means of communicating with staff. Creating a private group, we would have online staff meetings. Everyone had different schedules. So getting them all together was next to impossible. And it worked great. No need for email addresses or phone numbers, we would easily communicate via Facebook. If we needed an extra hand at work, I would post a mayday and someone would always respond to our SOS.
With more time these days, I find myself trolling through the news stories to see what others are posting. I don't feel a part of the Facebook crowd anymore. Some posts are informative, enlightening, educational and entertaining. But most feel contrived, forced and a few feel even fake.
I'm a big believer that if it makes you feel good, fill your boots. But if it doesn't make you feel good, you should stop it immediately. I have to quit Facebook for the same reason I stopped watching the news. None of it changes my life in a positive way.
So why bother?
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