Facebook: Friend or Foe?
How are my weekend lovers today?
I am basking in the weekend already! I've already worked out and gotten a jump start on some of my weekend to do list.
During my workout I got to thinking about Facebook. I was wondering if it was just me that has a love/hate relationship with the famous social media site? I often times contemplate getting off Facebook as I would have a lot more free time :)
These past few weeks with all the Chick-fil-a controversy I have really wanted to remove myself from "the book" as I call it. Here's my two cents on the whole thing: Truett Cathey and everyone in America is entitled to their opinion that's what makes this Country great. The man shouldn't be ridiculed for expressing his opinion nor should the supporters of gay marriage. Sometimes I feel that we as Americans forget how extremely lucky we are (I also feel this way about voting)! The fact that we can even have this debate openly is amazing. In most countries this wouldn't even be allowed to happen. So no matter how you feel and no matter how you express it do it respectfully.
The one plea I do have is take it off Facebook! One reason I started this blog is so I could say whatever I wanted. If you know me you, you know I have a lot to say and I wanted a place to say it were readers could elect to read it, comment or not read it at all. With the book it's a bit more difficult to make it go away, so to speak. I have hidden so many people from my newsfeed this week it is ridiculous because I just don't want to hear about the controversy anymore.
So why am I still on the book? I will tell you that I use Facebook as a way to keep connected with family and friends. I love seeing pictures of people's smiling babies, beach trips, weddings etc. It makes me happy to see someone I went to high school with and maybe haven't seen in 10 years as a beautiful mother or amazing career woman. To me that is more important than any political message you might be trying to send me.
The other night my cousin said something pretty profound about the obsession with Facebook, he mentioned "It's a slippery slope because it's almost like it didn't happen if you don't put it on Facebook." Sadly I think he's right. I think (myself included) most of us are great about putting the bright, smiling moments of life on the book and sometimes creating a perception that our lives are exactly what you see on Facebook which we all know isn't true. Still there are reports that Facebook is actually making people depressed because of it. ABC News did a story on it.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/feeling-sad-facebook-could-be-the-cause/
For me I don't take it all that seriously. I know that everyone's life ebbs and flows and not many people, if any, are going to expose the real deal on the book. You don't see a lot of status updates saying "I wish I could shave my husband's eyebrows off in his sleep! He's making me nuts!" You see the sweet status updates about anniversaries and people's husbands sending flowers and that's ok. I know for every sweet status update there are times our itchy fingers want to type the not so nice status update and I think that makes us human.
I don't think I've answered the age old question of is Facebook a good or bad thing but I do think like most things in life it is what you make it! If you use it as an amazing tool to keep up with the beautiful people in your life and nothing more than in my little opinion you are using it in the best possible way.
I hope you enjoy your Saturday and even get a little Facebook time in as well!
xoxo
I am basking in the weekend already! I've already worked out and gotten a jump start on some of my weekend to do list.
During my workout I got to thinking about Facebook. I was wondering if it was just me that has a love/hate relationship with the famous social media site? I often times contemplate getting off Facebook as I would have a lot more free time :)
These past few weeks with all the Chick-fil-a controversy I have really wanted to remove myself from "the book" as I call it. Here's my two cents on the whole thing: Truett Cathey and everyone in America is entitled to their opinion that's what makes this Country great. The man shouldn't be ridiculed for expressing his opinion nor should the supporters of gay marriage. Sometimes I feel that we as Americans forget how extremely lucky we are (I also feel this way about voting)! The fact that we can even have this debate openly is amazing. In most countries this wouldn't even be allowed to happen. So no matter how you feel and no matter how you express it do it respectfully.
The one plea I do have is take it off Facebook! One reason I started this blog is so I could say whatever I wanted. If you know me you, you know I have a lot to say and I wanted a place to say it were readers could elect to read it, comment or not read it at all. With the book it's a bit more difficult to make it go away, so to speak. I have hidden so many people from my newsfeed this week it is ridiculous because I just don't want to hear about the controversy anymore.
So why am I still on the book? I will tell you that I use Facebook as a way to keep connected with family and friends. I love seeing pictures of people's smiling babies, beach trips, weddings etc. It makes me happy to see someone I went to high school with and maybe haven't seen in 10 years as a beautiful mother or amazing career woman. To me that is more important than any political message you might be trying to send me.
The other night my cousin said something pretty profound about the obsession with Facebook, he mentioned "It's a slippery slope because it's almost like it didn't happen if you don't put it on Facebook." Sadly I think he's right. I think (myself included) most of us are great about putting the bright, smiling moments of life on the book and sometimes creating a perception that our lives are exactly what you see on Facebook which we all know isn't true. Still there are reports that Facebook is actually making people depressed because of it. ABC News did a story on it.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/feeling-sad-facebook-could-be-the-cause/
For me I don't take it all that seriously. I know that everyone's life ebbs and flows and not many people, if any, are going to expose the real deal on the book. You don't see a lot of status updates saying "I wish I could shave my husband's eyebrows off in his sleep! He's making me nuts!" You see the sweet status updates about anniversaries and people's husbands sending flowers and that's ok. I know for every sweet status update there are times our itchy fingers want to type the not so nice status update and I think that makes us human.
I don't think I've answered the age old question of is Facebook a good or bad thing but I do think like most things in life it is what you make it! If you use it as an amazing tool to keep up with the beautiful people in your life and nothing more than in my little opinion you are using it in the best possible way.
I hope you enjoy your Saturday and even get a little Facebook time in as well!
xoxo
When I read the part about the eyebrows, I literally laughed out loud and scared my cat to death. I'm glad you have a blog. I wish people would say more real stuff like this on FB rather than the political and "please find this puppy a home" stuff. But I'm sure I'm guilty of sharing something that someone else found annoying. Bottom line is I can't get off of it! So I have to put up with the fluff to see the pictures I guess.
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