On: Facebooking
Colleen Rogers
Having been a recent activator of a Facebook
account (barely two years in), I have noted the following novice social media experiences--
The Over-shared:
I have had to acknowledge an embarrassingly
personal realization—I have an obnoxious tendency to “put all of my business
out there” in online posts.
Unfortunately, most of my "life shares" are of little or no interest or
consequence to those I have “friended”.
No one, not even “friends”, actually wishes to see my perfectly flipped
cake, the Valentine’s Day dinner I prepared for my husband, or my latest
professional braggadocio certificate. I
look back, and all I can do is extend my heartfelt apologies, which I probably would also
post online so that everyone could upgrade my sincerity quota. (Eye roll)
The Over-friended:
I really wanted everyone on Facebook
to be my “friend” from the onset. Who
wouldn’t want as many friends as an online party bus could hold? Unfortunately,
I now wade through posts of minutia similar to my own to decipher what I really
hold as valuable notices from my actual true friends. I spend a daunting amount of time reviewing
peoples’ motivational mantras, VonVon games, and second cousin twice removed
photos of grand babies. How did I get so
sucked in to all these peoples’ inner circle?
The Over-invited:
I do not know how many invites I
have had to play Candy Crush. I cannot
play this game, nor do I do any other forms of online diversions. I suspect that these invites to game are
merely a ruse to accrue a gaggle of points at the expense of a novice
player. Momma didn’t raise no fool—I happily
avoid taking the bait so as not to look like the amateur I clearly would be. ‘Nuff said.
An additional issue in being over invited
is that I have become a “plus one” in a series of “electronic chain letters” requiring
me to “copy and paste” or “forward” expressions of love and support to “ten
others”, etc. When I was a teen, I carefully
boarded the Karma train and diligently advanced such letters, not wishing to
break the spell of goodwill for myself or others. In my advanced age, though, it all seems like
such a ridiculous effort. I am certain
that other shiftier misfortunes will befall me besides failing to add something to someone’s wall or timeline. Mea culpa,
everyone, but if YOU really can’t sleep without the forward, you do you.
The Over-opinionated:
An integral part of Facebooking is
the recorded spar. In the safety of your
own home, it is so much easier to call Jenny McCarthy an idiot, or argue over
the physical stance of Colin K., hence triggering an online Roman Coliseum challenge.
Fast-fingered flame wars are both entertaining and exhausting on Facebook, but
these leave an electronic trail, which is off-times forgotten as traceable. Such editorial gymnastics may impact what was previously a
more positive view of your “friend”.
The Overview:
The significant benefit of
participating in Facebooking has been the chance to review the cherished lives
of those you do not see regularly.
Exchanging photos of events, learning about life experiences that would have fallen
by the wayside in the frenzy of your own, and seeing the vantage point of
others’ perspectives has changed the world in ways we cannot even begin to
conceive. The chance to follow those you
would have “lost” has expanded the ripples of your life, and has given each of our personal
histories a richer dimension.
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