Wednesday, September 22, 2010

12: Binned Facebook

Facebook, done, dusted, fuck that shit, seriously. I know I know, I've quit facebook before and somehow always returned, but not this time. In the past leaving facebook was always because of somebody else.I probably felt that facebook was causing more trouble in my previously troublesome social life than I cared for.

This time, none of that is a factor and I'm actually leaving it because I just don't really care about it anymore. In all honesty, I never really cared about it. I was a late bloomer to facebook and social networking sites in general and the idea of it has always kinda seemed pathetic and stupid. Not to say I categorise all people who choose to be on it, under that description.

I guess young society crave and seek the positive attention they get from what I call "fake" self representations in the form of chosen, digitally edited pictures and a few boxes detailing what you want people to read in order to manipulate peoples opinions of you. Trust me I wasn't much better, my profile was locked down tight. If people actually formed a significant opinion of me based on a combination of my pictures/info/likes/statuses and general activity I guarantee you they would be surprised (pleasantly/unpleasantly) if they ever really got to know me.

5 years ago if I took pictures of you and told you I'm posting them on the internet where potentially hundreds if not thousands of people could view them and would actually be notified and directed to view them through a live feed. You probably would have said "the fuck you are, I'll sue your ass". Not today son, today I may log into facebook only to see pictures of me smoking marijuana from 4 years ago on a profile that shares a "friendship" connection with people from my work and quite possibly their friends if they decided to comment on the photos. The best part is, there is diddly squat I can do about it if the original poster decides not to remove them.

Funny enough this is a commonly accepted practice these days and I have actually been called "gay" or been accused of thinking or acting like I am a celebrity or a person of some significant public importance because I actually dared to request photos of me that I dislike or don't want been made public to be taken down. Apparently, NOT being one to crave or welcome attention is seen as celebrity like. I thought it was stupid to.

Anyway I have a mobile phone, an email, a face, ears and frankly I rather have personal relationships with friends rather than such impersonal relationships with them over a glorified classifieds website. I miss the old days where people actually had to catch up over lunch or a drink or even on the phone. I liked the days when you didn't miss out on dinner invitations because you hadn't checked your facebook in a few weeks; and I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know people from conversation. Facebook just takes all the fun out of that.

So goodbye to those who only knew of me through their online reality, just don't forget that people still continue to exist outside in the real world.