Ah, Facebook. The social networking site that will single-handedly make mutual physical presence obsolete. The behemoth that is quickly becoming the poster child for media convergence. The online presence that is quickly replacing email, instant messaging, phone calls and face-to-face conversation among my peers.With that in mind, I must confess. I am a freak of nature. Forgive me, Oh Internet Powers That Be, for I have sinned. I have shunned Facebook.
I am currently the only person I know existing—not only existing, but thriving!—without a Facebook account. Wonder of wonders, I have survived. I don't know all the inside jokes, I had no idea where we were meeting that one time, and no, I haven't seen that amazing picture of the thing with the guy at the place. Sorry. Maybe next time.
My choice to maroon myself on a veritable uninhabited island of unconnectedness is not exactly unprecedented nowadays. We’ve all heard that employers regularly screen job applicants by looking at their Facebook profiles, and that a few too many images of drunken debauchery may just cost you a job. But more than a method of self-destruction, torpedoing any and all hope at gainful employment for those who like a few too many Jell-O shots, Facebook is a now a method of self-production.
Every picture you post is carefully selected to show a specific aspect of yourself. Whether it depicts you and your friends during a wild evening out, a family event, or your cat Snickers dressed up like a pumpkin for Halloween, they all create a sort of composite image of you. They communicate what you enjoy doing, who you enjoy doing it with, even something so simple as what you like to wear. All of these aspects of yourself are seemingly just candidly shared from your real life.I say seemingly, because when it comes to e-dentity, nothing is so simple. The interesting thing about Facebook is that it allows you to mediate your reality for others. This is to say that you censor your life, displaying what you want everyone to see, and forgetting about the less desirable aspects of yourself that you would rather hide.
For example, say you have a hidden passion for polka and have been playing the accordion for five years. You’ve won a few contests and even have a polka band. Of course, being a university student, you don’t want this rep as Polka King to get around. Instead, you decide to go to a bar with some friends one night and take a lot of pictures. You post all of these pictures on your Facebook page the next day, but neglect to mention your royal status in the world of polka. Essentially, you’re censoring your life, so that people can only see the “socially acceptable” you.
Seems like Facebook is more than just another way to talk to our friends online. We can use Facebook as a tool to make us seem like the one thing we all want to be—a cool kid.
Tune in next time for more riveting discussion on Facebook, this time centred around the force that keeps the world going ‘round…hegemony.
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awesome post, I don't have facebook either and I largely agree with you. Although facebook can be a useful community organization tool and a helpful way for ppl to communicate long distances, I also find it impersonal. It tends to be drama-central and the carefully pre-selected profile thing is just too much. I'm not hating on facebook users as individuals. A popular criticism which is also my reasoning: why have meaningless interaction with a whole bunch of people who are really not your friends when you can have a meaningful one with the close friends you do have and are going to talk to anyway (whether they think your profile photo is pretty and shiny or not)? Facebook, like money, should always be a means and never an end. Never valued for itself but only for the productive communication it sometimes can bring. I'd better stop or I will continue ranting!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Steph, although I am a Facebook addict! ;) You guys are going to think I'm crazy, but I used to have this weird desire for Facebook to be mandatory for everyone in the world!!! I guess the reason for that is because I use it sort of as a collective list of most of the people I've met throughout my life... not as a popularity contest, but it's a good way to keep track of old and new friends, alike. I just think it would be awesome if everyone had it and we could link to everyone we knew, which would connect the entire world through Facebook... and there could be a whole public network of how everyone is related, and such. I don't think I've convinced you, but that was my attempt, lol. :P My two best friends don't have Facebook either, and neither does my mom, so you are not alone!!
ReplyDeletethis is totally unrelated, but i didn't know how else to contact you. I was on the OED and reminded of how you had said that I misused the word "incline". The following definition is the way in which I was using it.
ReplyDeleteTo bend (the mind, heart, will, etc.) towards some course or action; to give a mental leaning or tendency to (a person); to dispose. Const. to something, or to do something
I don't mean to be a prick by bringing this up. I just wanted to clear up this possible meaning of the word.
I don't have Facebook, for many reasons.
ReplyDelete1. I'm way too lazy. No way.
2. Not that social, I guess.
3. I don't know what I'd use it for. I speak to the people I know, and if I can't, a phone call or e-mail will do.
I completely agree with Nicole, that a good conversation in person (or even in chat) with a good friend supersedes a large amount of lesser conversations with everyone.
Still, I like Veronica's idea of linking everyone together. Ever forget the name/face of somebody you've met? Then they come up to you and say "Hi, Pierre" and I say "Hey... you..." It's awkward. Reality of it is, I have a hellish time remembering names. I've often wished I had a catalog of the faces and names of people I've met so I can look at it and use it to help me remember. Facebook could do that.
Still, I don't see me starting to use it any time soon. The chains of people who add you because they know someone who knows you... their posts and comments practically become spam in themselves! I'm not anti-social, I just don't want to *know* too many people. Again, as has been said, I focus on making good friendships. As for everyone else I meet in public, such as my fellow students, I prefer to start the less serious friendships there than by-the-masses on Facebook.
Good comments everyone.
ReplyDeleteNicole--I completely agree with you about the drama that seems to surround Facebook. My guess is that a lot of this has to do with the anonymity afforded to us on the Internet. If we're not accountable for what we say, what's to stop us from indescriminately spouting off at the mouth? When you consider the propability of Facebook profiles being fabrications, one wonders...What's the point?
Veronica--Your idea about a virtual database putting faces to names would be convienient, but it scares the hell out of me. Could you imagine the potential for abuse? Fraud, identity theft, the ease of identifying faceless people someone might have a beef with...You know what? I'll pass.
Pierre--I agree that physical interaction is more desirable than virtual interaction. We are physical creatures. Why should we start moving away from that by gravitating toward Facebook? I see nothing wrong with focusing on a few close friends rather than having 50 Facebook "friends" who are little more than the friend of an acquaintance's little cousin...