Facebook

Hello, my name is Pauline and I'm a Facebook addict.

As much as I'd like to think I'm in control of things in my life,  I'm not. I have spent way too much time on the internet and especially  Facebook more recently than is good for me.  

The recent confusing changes to the Facebook system have  caused me to look at how much time I spend on there and how useful it really is.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great thing, used in moderation and most of you who know me well will know that I've been a huge supporter of it in the past.  

But.

The downside is that it's easy just to spend hour after hour reading update after update and posting mintiae about myself whilst not really serving a useful purpose.  I have done this.  I admit it.

I don't think many of my relationships are any better because of it, in fact I'd go so far as to say that most have suffered because of it.  Yes, you can keep in contact with folks more readily, but not on any deep or meaningful level.  Anyone with an iota of sense won't post anything of a sensitive nature on there, which leaves it all a bit happy clappy doesn't it.   Unless you're pissed, when all sorts of things are liable to come tumbling out.  Before I would keep in touch with valued friends by email or telephone, these rarely happen now as we use Facebook to reassure ourselves that everything must be well in our friends world because they're still posting on FB.

I was brought up short whilst driving through the outer suburbs of Sheffield the other week. Adverts on buses and wall hoardings now have the big blue 'F' sign all over them. It seems that everyone and everything has to be connected to  Facebook. It's become like the Matrix.  And I don't like that.  I'm always suspicious of monopolies, and Facebook really is becoming all pervasive.  I'm just waiting for my local GP surgery to start a page. It'll happen before too long.  It's crazy mad and I don't like it.

So time to disconnect from the Matrix and find some more meaningful ways of keeping in touch with folks.