A few months ago, I vacationed in Fiji, and ended up getting marooned in the middle of the Pacific with a huge group of obnoxious American college students. One afternoon, I ended up sitting within earshot of them on the beach, and when one of the meats got up to leave, he said: “Gotta check the book, dude. The Facebook.”
At which point, I decided to feign being Canadian for the remainder of the week. But this is a good way to accompany my point in saying that everyone has become OBSESSED with Facebook, MySpace and the like.
I know I damn myself slightly with this post, as I’m to be included with those who have decided to shoot someone a two-sentence pleasantry over actually writing them a proper email. We’ve taken out the thought and consideration it used to require in maintaining friendships with phone calls and emails, and replaced it with an a quick bit of banter on Facebook/MySpace. It takes the excitement out of it all, and there’s no mystery left. ”Staying in touch” has lost its soul.
It’s also becoming the enabler for the narcisstic and/or smug. I’m sure we’ve all heard someone yell out, “Facebook pic!” after taking some cutesy shot. Not a huge deal, but I guess I’m growing weary of the obsession some of us have of putting on some front for our high school/college/life acquaintances that we are these exotic & popular success stories. Okay, we get it, you’re not the awkward band nerd anymore, and you finally got rid of your baby fat. Congratulations.
I’m not aiming this tirade at those who use it as another method of staying in touch and keeping everyone updated. I’m railing against those I encounter who seem to subsist through social networking sites, against those who don’t feel the need to communicate with the people they once knew other than the occasional and brief wall banter.
Of course, I can’t debate the convenience of these websites. You can’t deny the advantage we all have with such a method of communication. It’s pretty wicked getting to see someone’s travel photos, read their music tastes, etc. And it’s pretty entertaining to see what people have to say about themselves.
I could debatably be guilty of everything I’ve whining about, and so be it. It’s a subjective debate. I’m just a bit envious of the pre-computer generation, the one that had to rely on phone calls, letters, and face-to-face (gasp!) interaction to stay in touch. We’re all internet whores, and Tom’s the pimp.
