After much prayer I have made a huge decision. I decided to completely cancel my facebook. I have been batting this around for weeks...probably more like months. See, I have moved alot in my lifetime. I have friends all over the world. Facebook has been invaluable for me for catching up with old friends. But it also makes me lazy with my local friends.
See, you may be able to tell by my 'name' Koinoia Community that I have a deep desire for communication and fellowship and sharing. I find myself constantly frustrated that we just don't talk anymore. We close ourselves up in our houses or on our back decks surrounded by our privacy fences instead of chatting with our neighbors on the porch. We spend our time side by side in front of the television instead of playing games and chatting around the table. We eat in our cars after hitting a drive thru for dinner instead of creating it and eating a meal together. We text or we send a facebook message instead of talking because it is convenient and easy and safe. I remember when calling on the phone instead of talking face to face was the 'convenient, easy, and safe' choice.
We are so busy! We want it all. As a result we cram so much into our lives that we can't give ourselves fully to any of it. Just like cheap furniture we surround ourselves with more, more, more....but mostly it's just cheap. We send someone a message instead of checking on them in person and ministering to them when they are suffering because we simply don't have the time to spare. But, just like furniture, if we don't invest substantially in our relationships, they soon fall apart.
God created us to be social beings. He created us for fellowship. He created us so we would fellowship with him. He created us to share in each others lives....victories and failures. Fellowship makes our lives feel richer. It kind of reminds me of the old country songs about not having money or things, but having each other.
Isolation from others always hurts us. We forget how to interact with others. Our respect and concern for the lives and feelings of others starts to diminish. Look at the results of our isolation when you go shopping.....the guy that cuts you off or honks and sends you a signal because you didn't move quick enough and HE has somewhere to go....or the woman who whips into the parking space you have waited for....or the one who you encounter with your shopping cart who will hold her ground expecting you to back out of HER way. People need people. You don't hear any songs about being isolated and happy, now do you?
I realize that canceling my facebook isn't going to suddenly inspire everyone to change their habits and start getting together for bridge and quilting bees. We are busy people, after all. But I hope it frees up some of my wasted time so I can get together and fellowship with my friends and family more. I never got into farmville or any of those other games, but merely staying up with current events in people's lives was time consuming enough. See, no one told me anything anymore. They just put in on their facebook status or sent me a message and I had to sort through them all daily in order to be 'in the know'. And I did much of the same. I realize that I will be ignorant to quite a bit going on in other peoples lives as the result of my decision. But I will have to live with that. My prayer is that my relationships will become stronger as a result of having to be more intentional about them. After all, nothing worthwhile comes easy.
6 comments:
Ah, I am free!
That's a big big decision. Congratulations on making that mental leap. I know what you mean - it is easier to text and send a quick message than it is to truly take the time to connect and take the extra few minutes to do the phone call.
I am on the same boat as you, but I cannot sever my technology cord! lol. Often I've thought aboutjust doing away with the whole INTERNET! But I just couldn't. I am weak.
BUT, I do need your address for the swap!!! I tossed the outerbox you sent your goodies in. I will mail it out ASAP!
Thanks!!
I live in isolation fairly much as am in the bush and honestly I would not swap it for anything. I can connect with nature, my inner being etc much better. I can connect with people but unless the conversation is enlightening or for some reason and not the general chit chat that I see most do. After talking to some I think well what was it we were talking about...it was all fluff and kind of shake my head. I use facebook so people know what I am upto, it's mainly for business not personal.
If you look at the amt of people that contribute to what you say when comparing to % of followers well if they have nothing to contribute then why are they following you, kind of makes you wonder sometimes. It does not make sense and I maybe delve to deep into the whys and wherefores and I can see why you gave it the chop, I did this for 12mths about 1 yr ago.
Currently it is my easiest medium to make a short note about things so people are upto date on my business happenings launches etc. I don't play the games on facebook, cannot see the sense it is very wasteful with time and what have you got to show for it. Nothing.
Instead one could have been outside patting an animal, spending time with their partner or growing veges to try and stay healthier instead of buying the tastless stuff at the supermarkets. Enjoy your freedom.
I will keep facebook for a while yet even though it canbe quite intrusive, it has been helpful I met a friend who is a microbiologist on there and now we talk on skype she is a wealth of knowledge. We talk scientific, natural and medical stuff tossing ideas around. I would have never have met this person as she is in another country, if it were not for the internet so it is good in some ways.
I agree Sharon. I hate the mindless chit chat as well. I think most of it stems from the fact that we have just forgotten how to communicate with each other, so we just fill in the blanks with mindless words.
I really struggled with cancelling since a majority of my friends live 2000 or more miles away from me. They can find me here though, if they choose. I'm sure many won't since it takes more effort. Oh well, more time to move forward instead of reliving the past.
Don't blame you for making this decision Natalie. It amazes me to see some of the mindless comments that are posted on Facebook. Who cares, for example, that someone has just eaten an apple pie or wonders what they will write tomorrow?
I agree with 'Platypus Dreams' when she says that it's useful to leave comments that update folk on the important things that you are involved in, and not just mindless ramblings.
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