Well, gang, I've come to crash your party! This is my first contribution (or distraction, if you prefer) to the much adored blogoff. This was written rather quickly and off the top of my noggin, so I admit it's not my best work, but the point is to say what I think on the subject. And this is, after all, the first thing I thought of. Well, have at it.
Today's blogoff prompt:
Everybody has an opinion about Facebook and its social web kin. They are either humanity's greatest achievements or the products of a world gone mad. What do you think?
I use facebook and twitter on a daily basis - okay, more like a tridaily basis. I post links to articles or stupid things on youtube, share vacation photos, and occasionally put in a good word for a groovy band with a salute to whatever song I'm slamjamming to while avoiding homework. Do I fill my status updates with "Dang gurl I l00k hawt in these stilettos!" and "Why do people always ask me where I buy my cute tops? LOL" and "SoooOOooo gonna rock it 2nite at da clubZ" ...No. A resounding NO. Partly because I would hit my head on door frames if I wore stilettos - that is, assuming I would even able to stay upright in them. I also haven't been shopping in a while, and I don't go clubbin' every night. Or any night for that matter. But, mostly, I don't spout such vapid details of my life over facebook because I know other people don't give a shat. (No, that wasn’t a typo) While I am guilty of posting some pretty irrelevant items, I generally try to consider my friends on the social network before overloading their newsfeeds with "I" statements.
So are facebook, twitter, and other social networking sites solely for narcissistic ninnies? My answer is: "No, it is not." I believe the overuse of the social network by those who do seem to be seeking constant self-affirmation, though, is just a natural byproduct of any mechanism of social interaction. There will always be the self-glorifying, I'm-God's-gift-to-mankind (or womankind), attention-seeking pricks in the world. They will always be running their mouths - whether it be to your face or on your screen. There's always that coworker who has to one-up everyone else's weekend gallavants at the water cooler. We've all had that cousin we can't stand to sit next to at the family reunion because they won't shut up about their giant house, fancy car, exotic biannual vacations, and, yes, even their sweet abs (for Pete's sake, we're cousins! Stop asking me to confirm you have a hawt bod!) We simply can't get rid of them. They drive us crazy, we loathe them, we see their status updates and scurry the other way when we spot them at the mall later on. The 'social conversation' we type at the computer carries into and is produced by the happenings of the real world.
Social networks and the people who use them are just a representative model of the people in the regular world. Therefore, if facebook is littered with narcissists, then so is the real world. If twitter is plagued with the mundane lives of ordinary people, then so is the real world. If the online community has gone crazy - well, my friends, then the real world, too, has gone to pot.
To find out what others have to say or to learn about #letsblogoff, follow the blue hyperlink road!
Nice first post....and hysterical picture! I may have to ask permission to steal it for my FB profile pict. :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, you make a valid point of "I" people in public...why wouldn't we expect them to be in social media as well. Point taken.
Exactly. What she said.
ReplyDeleteAs with anything else that is subjective, it's what you make of it. Treat your online friends as you would be treated and it will come back to you. Could be a slap, a hug, a kind word, an attack, or a whole lot of nuthin'. I think you have a good plan... stick with it!
Talk about bringing the hammer! Good read- love hearing the truth.
ReplyDelete@Amy It makes me laugh every time, but alas, it is not my photo - it's a floater that I don't think anyone can reasonably take credit for at this point, so feel free to snag it for your own devious purposes ;)
ReplyDelete@Rich Indeed, the Golden Rule is an application (pun!) that can be used anywhere!
@Nick Thanks! Honored to have your comment!
keep sharing whatever pops into your head. the world needs to hear what you have to say :) seriously, this is good stuff.
ReplyDelete@Denese thank you thank you! I have to say encouragement is the best fuel for wee, aspiring writers! Looking forward to your post on those tshirts! Might have to get me some of those :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cham! Excellent point about the SM world mirroring the real world. The only reason we see more of the SM world is because we can be connected to so many more people at once there. In the real world, you can only stand beside a few narcissistic jerks at once!
ReplyDelete@Steve Indeed, the vast wasteland of "me me me" status updates has really opened my eyes to the plethora of insignificance in the world - both SM and real. Here's to attending only to matters of import! Well, most of the time...
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific post and great point of view; I can't get enough of your irreverence. We need more of it in this stealthily homogenized placating world, both on and off the web. I'm going to be thinking about this the next time I'm jammed on a subway platform with a thousand other people--taking a look at those around me and trying to figure out what each person might have tweeted were they popping up on my tweetdeck (and who knows, I might even be connected to some of them)! Keep the cheeky posts coming!
ReplyDelete@Saxon Thanks for reading! Always great to get feedback from a more experienced writer! And good idea - should make the drag of commute more interesting...might have to do this next time I'm in a waiting room or even at work...
ReplyDeletehaha, nice post. Seems you're picking up on the 80/20 rule idea too. Social Media mirroring society - very true. Thanks!
ReplyDelete