Why I Hate Facebook

          Okay so for the first thing I write about I have to talk about social media. I get into these conversations all the time with people about Facebook. I recently had a conversation/argument with my significant other about it. I am not a fan. Never really have been. I set up an account awhile back because everyone is telling me, "You have to get on Facebook. It is so awesome but so addictive." I quickly realized I must not have gotten the memo. I got these requests from people who I didn't know and from people who I hadn't seen in over 15 years. I found the whole thing somewhat strange. If you are my friend, why do I need this medium to stay in touch with you or to update you on my life.
          Let me start here. I am someone who enjoys face to face conversation. I need to look someone in the eye. I believe that interaction with people on a personal level is important. After having this account for a few days and really felt somewhat odd about the whole thing. I didn't want someone I met at a party looking at pictures of me and my family and I did not want to know that someone I hadn't talked since 8th grade was heading to dinner at Applebees with her husband. Not to be rude but I found myself saying, "Do you want a reward or something?".  Why do I need to know you are at the grocery store and see a picture of the funny sign you drove by. It was all so detached and impersonal to me. And really.....who cares...who is that important that I need a play by play of their day.
          I also really do believe that people come into and exit our lives for a reason. We are not supposed to stay stagnant in life. It is a progression. We learn things from people...some make the cut, some do not....we go on separate paths and if a friendship or relationship is strong enough to endure that it does. It is not something that should be forced. If I do not consider you close enough to keep in contact with normally, even email, why would I call you my "friend" and give you this insight into my daily life or show you pictures of it. It is truly odd.
          Lastly I have to point out the irony of some people on Facebook. I know someone who was saving to go on a trip to New York. She finally got the money together and her and a friend finally went.  Instead of actually being present in the moment, she is there with her friend typing on her phone to post on facebook that she was sitting with a friend at a bar in New York. She is putting up picture after picture showing her and her friend in the background typing away. Okay, where do I start....be in the moment. How are you enjoying being there with your friend present in that moment when you are on your phone typing to people who are probably people you wouldn't ever really call a friend. How many of these so called friends would be there for you in an actual time of crisis? Why do you need to tell everyone everything you are doing on any given day? The last thing I want to do when I am having fun is stop to tell my phone to tell everyone I am having fun. I want to experience the moment not write about what the experience is like. Then aren't you kinda missing the experience? Interact with a human not a machine.
          I know I drive my boyfriend crazy because he, like so many are addicted to it. I just do not get it. I just want people to go live life instead of writing about living life or putting picture of what they want to do instead of doing it. It is just silly and a waste of time to me. I didn't even get into the whole reconnecting with exes aspect. I will save that for another day. Bottom line, if you use it to keep in touch with family or something....okay....although I really would think that my brother could take the time to send me pics through email not in a bulk advertised to family as well as his work buddies and some guy he met once at a party. If you are important in my life, you will know what is happening with me and we will not have lost touch. We will talk and I will be involved with you and your life as much as you are with mine. There are those exceptions and I get that. I know an 85 year old who loves facebook and regularly uses it for family but I know a lot more people who just use it for nonsense nobody really needs to or wants to know. Go out....do something...spend time with someone and just for a change do not alter the experience by breaking down into a play by play to share with the world. Just go live.