Social Media

Writing Prompt: How has Social Media changed you?

A few months back I had a conversation about this with Mister Frisky, and listened to him emphasize how much he hates Facebook.  At the time, being an avid Facebook user myself, I laughed it off as him being slightly neurotic (I still love ya buddy!) and stood behind my social networking crack. Even though I loved Facebook and it's easy access to nearly everyone I know (even my grandma has a Facebook) I could kind of understand his point, even if I wasn't about to accept it for my own.

I'm starting to understand that point of view a bit better now.  One of his complaints was not being able to take someone at face value.  That is to say, if you say you want to hang out with a certain friend, and they say they're too busy or they have plans that evening, but then you see them post a Facebook status 2 hours later saying "I'm so bored, anyone want to hang out?" it kind of destroys all trust.  Perhaps it's a good type of lost trust, seeing as you probably should trust such a friend after all, but at the same time it leaves you wondering which of your friends you can trust.  Then you feel paranoid about Facebook and end up frustrated with everyone.

For example: There is a movie out now that I really want to see, and I spoke to a couple of other friends who really wanted to see it too.  Specifically one friend.  We decided to see it together, and so every time I had the opportunity to go I wouldn't-excuse being "she wants to see it with me, so I'll wait."  However, this morning her Facebook status showed up in my wall saying how great the movie had been.  I was floored.  The morning was already a grumpy one, and the status message just pushed me over the edge.  I had waited for her, why didn't she wait for me? 

Now, the logical me knows that this is really not that big of a deal.  I'll just go see it with the friends that actually waited for me tomorrow afternoon, and then I get to see it.  However, emotional me (who's currently in residence) feels slightly betrayed.  I think it's even worse because it was over facebook, and not as personal as if she'd said "I'm sorry, I went and saw it without you." which would have still stung, but it would be lacking that flippant (even if it was unintentional) disregard for my feelings.

I really do think that Social Media (Facebook mostly) has lessened my trusting nature.  I look at friend's status' and read too much into them, or  disbelieve them, see that I wasn't invited to something, or see that they never comment on anything of mine and feel sad about it.  Yet I still have the urge to have every one of them as my Facebook friend, even those friends I know don't really care about me.  What a complex.

The blogging community seems so much more close-knit.  Every comment left on my blog makes me feel wam and welcomed.  I feel as if my blog is a safe haven where I can spill my feelings out with every keystroke.  I don't have to limit my characters, I don't have to worry about who's wall it's going to show up on (because if you're here reading it, that's what you came for-it didn't just show up in a list of your other status updates) and I don't get overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the blog world.  It's warm and comforting and I feel like home here.

It's not like I'm actually giving up Facebook, these are just some things I've been thinking about it. I do plan to spend less time on it at home and more time doing things like reading or crocheting though.  Also, I will spend more time blogging that Facebooking.  :)

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