... So I spend most of my time with my children and of course the magical Facebook. I was just thinking the other day how long I've been refusing to start an account on Facebook, firstly because I was scared it was like other social networks that linked me (through my friends) to all sort of curious, unwanted people; secondly, because I was under the impression there is nothing so interesting there, like there is no actual communication, there is no message going on...well I started the account because I wanted to keep contact with my friends and colleagues during my maternity leave and of course, show them pictures of my children (to make them live witnesses to their constant growing up) :)
The first question my husband asked when I showed him my account was : "and that's it, you just post pictures and people look at them and they hit the like button?"
"Well, basically, yes", I said.
Then it got me thinking... well, it's not just that... it is about hitting that like button but, by doing so, it's a way of turning alive into an inert world, it's the sign you exist, you are alive and kicking, it's the simple way of showing your interest in the others, of following their lives in a way we could never do in person...I found here my colleagues, my friends and I can monitor their lives from miles away... well that's amazing even the time of our lives facing each other, smiling at each other, touching each other... there are no more senses involved, but these bits of postcards, pictures and quotes we share from one another, and that's the way we understand how they feel: sad, angry, passionate, desperate... that's what we do, check the postcards and motivational pictures and we understand... then we hit LIKE (the most neutral form of showing our support and the fact that we actually share their thoughts and feeling) though it is terribly sad. There are so few instances when we get the time to enjoy real meetings and real life...I have seen so much joy and pain shouted on Facebook and I could not stop thinking : If a guy walked in the street yelling : "I got married!" or " I'm broken! I wanna die" everyone would consider him a lunatic... here the moment we see this written we hit the like and appreciate his/her courage to tell the truth (we say).
We are all stuck to our desks and homes, we say it's social network, I would say it's the only free time-virtual time network, because if we had the time to go out and share our joys and pains with our friends, if we could spend hours searching clothes in the shops or wander around in search of a cheaper bag, or a cheaper piece of furniture,if we had the time to join themed-clubs and be present there every week to share ideas, advice or information, Facebook would now be just a network for teenagers in search for a partner...but no, our friends are not living close anymore, people get spread around the world, the office hours are longer and longer, the time has changed his face ... we are actually booking the face of time- that should be the definition of Facebook.
So I guess running away from a Facebook account is like going hunting and refusing the gun, no one can face the bear bare-handedly so eventually he will shout for a gun... or play dead :)
Here is a little piece of advice: try and reduce the Facebook to the ultimate means of revealing yourselves, make it a tool, not a purpose... we are human beings and we are terribly beautiful when we exist in real, no picture, no postcard or quote will ever speak our minds better than our eyes, hands and mouth...and there will never be a bigger joy than hugging a friend after 20 years even if you have liked his photos every day...no better joy than seeing your parents faces dropping tears of joy, even though you Skype-ed them every day and never a more genuine love than the kiss of your lover blowing a few hairs covering your face... or the smell of your child hugging you... I'm challenging Facebook to beat that !!!! :)
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