O.k. I admit it - I don't understand Facebook. I just don't get it and I don't particularly want to. It can't be a generational thing because lord knows many grandmothers are using it to stay connected with their grandchildren. I have resisted Facebook without knowing why although the light is beginning to dawn.
At this stage in life, friends are so important and the quality of those friendships easily trumps the quantity. Do I really want to reconnect with people I've gone to school or worked with over the last 40+ years? The answers seems to be a resounding 'no'. Maybe for others it's a way of reconnecting with the 'one that got away'. I probably have a few of those if I gave it an ounce of thought. My excuse is I can't afford to lose ounces here and there. I want to save them and lavish my friends with pounds of intense connection, even if we only manage to visit a couple of times a year (and even better if we manage a couple of times per month). Can it be replaced by a quick quip on Facebook? Not for me.
Public access to personal information gets under my skin. One pathetic example came on my birthday. I am linked into a facebook group and I received a birthday greeting from someone who wouldn't otherwise know my birth date. I was rather touched that he had discovered this from someone who would be privy to the date, and then he acted upon it. More fool I. Apparently, when I had to register in the group I needed to post my birth date (of course, I did it without considering the ramifications - should have known better), alas, now it pops up to remind all those in the group of my birthday. What did it achieve? An insincere birthday greeting. No harm was intended or endured, it's just the effect fell far short of the intent. No harm done - no goodwill gained.
You never know, I may get with it and find a role for facebook in my life. Or I can just wait for the whole thing to pass.
6 years ago
Posts
