(Disclaimer: Okay, so it's not that far back. But speaking technology and social media-wise, it was ages ago.)
For my generation, MySpace was the ultimate place to be an emerging adult in the world on the Internet (and yet how we all hope that any trace of the documentation of our former selves from MySpace is completely destroyed now). You could customize your page with a banner, profile pic, background, layout, and even play your favorite songs for people visiting your page. I credit MySpace for my useless self-taught knowledge of html coding, actually.
Circa: 2005. I was freshly married to my high school sweetheart, living independently, working full time, and just discovering MySpace. Ahhh, the good ole days. >insert some 50 cent or TI you were bumping to in your fast and furious-inspired ride< Or don't. Whatever you were into at that time is just as good.
For my generation, MySpace was the ultimate place to be an emerging adult in the world on the Internet (and yet how we all hope that any trace of the documentation of our former selves from MySpace is completely destroyed now). You could customize your page with a banner, profile pic, background, layout, and even play your favorite songs for people visiting your page. I credit MySpace for my useless self-taught knowledge of html coding, actually.
It was all about self expression. And it was really the beginning of the popularization of self-taken photos, coined "selfies". Y'all remember.... that in-the-mirror-with-a-flip-phone-or-camera selfie. Oh, and that flash. So dope.
However, it was also the beginning of a new era of competition. To be the most attractive, have the most friends, be the happiest, or most successful. It often felt like an online extension of high school, only with way more smoke and mirrors. The passive-aggressive competition that began to unfold seemed unsurpassed by any sport in existence. I'm not saying 100% of social media users fell into this category. But the vast majority did (and still do on Facebook).
Facebook became about networking and connection to long-distance friends and relatives (not initially, but eventually). It also, eventually, became a truly beautiful way to share the highlights of life with those you care about. Personally, I've always enjoyed sharing pictures, humor, and nostalgia with my like-minded counterparts, much like I do with blogging. The main difference for me is that I blog detailed emotions, realizations, and nostalgia in a very personal, self-reflective manner. Whereas Facebook is more diverse with reactiveness to pop culture and news, as well as others' personal lives in a somewhat less detailed manner. Well, less detailed for some. There are always those that seem to share every minute detail down to what their having for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and their problems with life, family, and health, as well as political and religious viewpoints. You're thinking of that very person right now, aren't you?
I've long enjoyed the type of interaction that Facebook has to offer. However, things have changed a bit, on Facebook and within myself. Hate and ignorance have crept into my newsfeed, overshadowing a lot of the beauty and good that I long for in social interactions.
My Facebook account consists only of people that I know personally. I have no "friends" that are strangers on Facebook. Some of them post only the occasional views or links that I find hateful or even ignorant, so unfollowing every person that posts something that I find ridiculous would be, well, ridiculous. I am very open-minded and can listen to a majority of oppositions and civilly participate in any debate, but public two-way text can be incredibly impersonal and difficult to interpret actual emotions from either party. Therefore, I loathe that degree.
A new onset of worries surrounding my husband's health have also made a lot of things on Facebook suddenly seem uniteresting, ungrateful, and significantly less important to me.
And oh the hypocrisy. The amount of conflicting things and viewpoints that one single person can, and will, post annoys me to the degree of judgment. And I do NOT want to be judgmental toward the people I like or care about, or anyone for that matter. In person, people seem to be much more consistent and confident in their viewpoints and emotions (at least, in my experiences). Also, I am better able to decipher true emotions from tone and body language in person, and I find this incredibly valuable in relationships with others. I've also discovered that I like people much better in person than I do on Facebook these days. Ha. Imagine that.
My Facebook account consists only of people that I know personally. I have no "friends" that are strangers on Facebook. Some of them post only the occasional views or links that I find hateful or even ignorant, so unfollowing every person that posts something that I find ridiculous would be, well, ridiculous. I am very open-minded and can listen to a majority of oppositions and civilly participate in any debate, but public two-way text can be incredibly impersonal and difficult to interpret actual emotions from either party. Therefore, I loathe that degree.
A new onset of worries surrounding my husband's health have also made a lot of things on Facebook suddenly seem uniteresting, ungrateful, and significantly less important to me.
And oh the hypocrisy. The amount of conflicting things and viewpoints that one single person can, and will, post annoys me to the degree of judgment. And I do NOT want to be judgmental toward the people I like or care about, or anyone for that matter. In person, people seem to be much more consistent and confident in their viewpoints and emotions (at least, in my experiences). Also, I am better able to decipher true emotions from tone and body language in person, and I find this incredibly valuable in relationships with others. I've also discovered that I like people much better in person than I do on Facebook these days. Ha. Imagine that.
The mindless scrolling through products, video after video, comments, pictures, it took so much more time than I ever realized. I adore photography, and I can get downright immersed in professional photos for hours! I completely lose all track of time. Facebook is full of that, and awesome new gadgets, hilarious videos, insightful articles... so many things that I love to look at or read. But it's such a time-sucker. It sucketh time that cannot be giveth back. It's honestly enjoyable time-sucking, too. But when that extra time is suddenly available to you, it really puts in perspective just how much was being wasted. For me, it's like Wow, look at all that I have in front of me. It's a beatiful day. I need to finish the dishes. I wonder if I'd like this room better this other color? Luke's vocabulary is amazing. I should go build train tracks with him. Maybe this will sound absolutely ridiculous to me in another few months or years, but for now, I'm really enjoying this rediscovery of gratitude.
I already miss the connection with the people that I am friends with, though. And especially the humor. That was my favorite thing about FB: my funny friends and the hilarious memes, pictures, comments, posts, and videos! They were utterly addictive (in the best way). I don't really hate Facebook or anything. I think I'm just proud of myself for being able to split from an enjoyable time-suck and have it not suck. Ha. I've revisited Facebook once or twice from my laptop to check in on friends or for new messages, but honestly, I'm enjoying my time away from Facebook so much that I feel no desire to put the app back on my phone any time soon.
I have been able to redirect the time that I spent scrolling through my newsfeed towards spending time with my family, taking videos of my son, blogging, cleaning, cooking, working, and even pinning things on Pinterest like recipes for dinner, vacation spots, home improvement ideas, and articles that educate me on topics that I am interested in (such as parenting, positivity, photography, health, etc.). Life is what you make it. Life is good. Life is better.
#bestbreakupever
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