Facebook Sabbatical
Let's be honest; this weaning thing just isn't going to work. I think there's a good argument in support of technology as an addiction. It's amazing how many times I see people checking thier phones just to see if there's anything to respond to.
I was listening to NPR on my way home from work one night (yes, I do partake in National Public Radio... I'm a bit of a loser hehe). The guest, an expert on something or another pertaining to this issue- I can find the source if anybody's interested in learning more- was talking about just this topic. Basically, his concept of why people cannot wean themselves from social media or technology may be explainable partially due to our innate desire to not be bored. That is, every time we go to check these things, a little shot of adreneline rushes to our head from the prospect of something special being there, waiting for us to read it. Usually, yes, it ends up being junkmail. However, the prospect that we'll get a message from an old friend, perhaps, or even something announcing good news or fortune. Therefore, when we pick up that device, we are searching for that rush of adrenaline to relieve the boredom. Yes, I can see how this makes sense. I wouldn't attach my name to this theory just yet, but it's plausable.
So, I have decided that there's no weaning off of social media; I just have to give it up. So, I'm going on a Facebook Sabbatical. This Sabbatical is going to last me anywhere from two months to a year. No Facebook. It's coming off my phone also. With help from others, I have come to the conclusion that although social media is a great virtual 'phonebook' so that you can easily contact someone when needed, it's a horrible communication tool. While it promotes openness of ideas, concepts, and a freedom to share your voice, it does so with undertones of ignorance, hate, and misunderstanding. How easy is it to say things to somebody you would never say to thier face on 'face'book? It's very easy, of course. How many hours does the average person spend a day on social media and the likes? Spring's coming, anyways, and I wanted to start a garden...
Anyways, starting tomorrow (ironically, Facebook's self-proclaimed 'Day of Peace') I'm done for a while. Ideally, I hope this Sabbatical allows me to take some time to clear my mind and rid myself of the evil-ness that can occur as a result of text-on-a-bright-screen. When it ends, I would hope that the ultimate result would be a minimal relationship with social media, if a relationship at all. So, I might be updating this a lot more now... either out of boredom or accomplishment... Hopefully it's the latter!
