Hopefully my blog presence will increase (a bit) now, because . . .
I'm quitting Facebook.
Phew.
I feel so free.
And apprehensive.
(Please don't think I'm passive aggressively writing this to make others feel bad.
I'm just explaining my feelings. Blogging, if you will.)
I'm just explaining my feelings. Blogging, if you will.)
I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.
- It's a great way to keep in contact with people.
- It's like approved voyeurism.
- I get a high when people comment on my posts (lame!).
But at the same time,
- Facebook keeps you in contact with people
- it's approved voyeurism
- using it makes me feel euphoric. I'm quite addicted to it.
I'm not horrifically addicted. I generally only log in once a day, and luckily I don't have the app on any devices. But I log in EVERY DAY. When I could be interacting with my child. Or exercising. Or cleaning. Or napping. Or reading. Or actually personally contacting my friends.
Facebook facilitated me becoming "friends" with people with whom I had hoped to never interact again. I know I could've declined their friend requests, but I have guilt doing that (lame!), and I was also overcome with curiosity about whether high school mates had continued to wreck their lives.
Facebook was also good at keeping me in contact with select few individuals, but I've realized I can't stay on it just because it's my way of staying up to date with these people.
And most importantly, constantly seeing the random, whiny, menial thoughts of "friends" caused me to really, really dislike them. The following sums it up perfectly:
Facebook is far too efficient at quenching my thirst for drama, so it has to go. It has to go because I waste a lot of time on it. It has to go because there are few relationships that can be fostered only on Facebook. And it has to go because sometimes I find myself thinking of my life in terms of status updates (lame!).
Plus, not having a Facebook account will justify sending out Christmas cards.
12 comments:
amen! that's why i got off five years ago, and i've been contemplating quitting again, even though i've only been back on for 6 months. facebook...ugh.
I've never got the whole facebook thing. I've been on more recently to keep up on pictures of a new nephew and 90% of what people put on there is crap. Not even useful stalker info. Just plain crap.
I am so against it. I even wrote a ranting blog post about it in 2009. http://the-one-with-the-jeppesens.blogspot.com/2009/02/one-with-face-hate.html.
Apparently I have issues. Good luck quitting.
Well said Jen!
It's hard at first - but it gets easier. It's been a few years for me and I still miss it. Mostly for the approved voyeurism thing. ;)
Congrats! It's not easy - but you'll have lots of free time! \
Enjoy!! :)
Le sigh. You will be missed.
Good idea. I rarely get on it, so why let it take up so much gig space on my phone?? It's a goner. Way to set the example.
I think I'm going to have to follow your lead. It is stupidly addicting. I feel dumb even saying it but I think my increase in facebook usage is directly related to my feelings of inadequacy in my mothering... no in everything about myself. We don't go out like those people, I never read the news, I'm not accomplishing anything like so-and-so... blah blah blah. I started getting on facebook regularly after we moved and life just hasn't been the same (for the worse). Amen to absolutely everything you said.
I was lamenting not keeping up on my blog more. It is more fufilling and theraputic for me than facebook ever has been. I want to focus more on it anyway.
So if you keep blogging (and I hope you do), I'll comment on it. :)
Wish you were back in NV and we could be face-to-face friends... :) I need to make some of those desperately.
Thanks for saying this so well and accurately.
*like* HA! Good for you. Thanks for this honest post. Yes, I too, have written one and gone on month-long fasts from Facebook. I have the exact same problems with acute feelings of general personal lameness after I see what everyone else has especially selected for me to see about their lives.
I love hate relationship with facebook as well. I rationalize not getting off because that is where I get all my awesome deals. Since I live in the middle of no where sometimes it is my life line to the world...like when you posted about fun. and I had no idea who you were talking about...yeah sometimes I need the link. :)
I have heard a lot of people feel that way about pinterest. I personally love it. It is like my bff when Hyun is gone...I have lots of time at night:) But I do love it. I have never felt the inadequacy that most people feel. Probably because I am mean and think...really??? who has time to do that. They must spend no time with their kids. (Maybe that is how I make myself feel better). Yet I still pin it in hopes that someday I will have time to do such things. But boy are there some crazy creative people out there with way too much time on their hands. I feel accomplished getting my kids dressed, fed and my house semi clean. And I am ok with that.
Thanks for your post. I always love the honesty that you inspire! Good luck leaving facebook. I will miss you...you will have to keep me up to date on music...but we do talk and text so honestly we don't really need facebook...and I will let you know if Carters or Osh Kosh or anyone else is having a fb only special. That is one of the few times I can get shipping free and I do love free shipping...like I said I live in the middle of nowhere and sorry for the loooooong comment!
Bravo! I commend you for getting off. I seriously think it is so lame, but I find myself getting more and more addicted. I totally get on there out of boredom, and only post myself like once a year. I may try and follow your lead too. Thanks for the inspiration!
I echo everyone's comments. Well done. I should probably just get off facebook since I am never on it and people probably think I am ignoring them (if they hold that high of an opinion of me). I look for to more blogging!
so true! when i start thinking in status updates, i know it's time for a break. i haven't quit yet, but i contemplate it all the time.
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