I did it. I deleted myself from the Facebook. I have my reasons. The biggest hurdle I had to mentally overcome in doing so was the fact that I am supposed to be on the social media team at work, helping create an online presence. I resisted removing myself from Facebook, as I told myself "I need to keep up and follow trends and see what is going on." Crazy thing is: no, I don't. I read enough articles, journals, and publications outside of the Facebook to follow trends. And I won't be completely removed once the park establishes a presence. So really, what's the point in keeping it?
It is a little weird. I didn't think I spent that much time on the book of Faces, but obviously enough of my time was wasted on there. In the past 24 hours, I have had several moments of habit rear its familiar head. "Let's see what's going on... oh, right. I deleted myself." Maybe I did spend more time on the Facebook than I had realized.
I am also find it freeing.
One of the reasons I deleted myself had to do with the number of life-changing events I would find out via Facebook status. Engagements, weddings, babies-to-be, and birth announcements. That is the sort of thing I would like to learn about in person! Or on the phone! Or even through a text message! Okay, maybe not a text message... But a card or letter will do! This is an experiment. Maybe with this act I have just become more isolated as people from my generation forget how to communicate in methods other than wall posts and "likes." The world has gotten along this far without it; I think I will manage. I certainly hope I will, anyways. Whenever this comes up, somebody in the conversation always pipes up "well, that is the only way I can communicate with some of my friends." Are they really your friends, then? How in the world can we possibly keep up with 190 friends?* Maybe we weren't meant for this?
Another reason I deleted myself had to do with the creepster-vibes I gave myself as I scrolled through the news feed. If I had "befriended" somebody who was merely an acquaintance, their life events, photos, etc., would show up in my feed. Yes, I know there are settings to change all that, but that requires way too much of my own time and it really wasn't worth it to me. My [awesomest] brother-in-law [ever] said what I felt about browsing other folks' photos. "I feel a little stalker-y." I agree. What happened to living life without digitally sharing it with the world? Can't I go and experience and do and not upload a picture or check in?
Now, I understand the irony here. "Um, aren't you digitally sharing your life here on this blog?" Well, why, yes. Yes, I am. And I am still sorting out how involved I want to be digitally (I did not delete my Twitter account and still plan to use that... although it serves more as a news feed and less as a social bombardment). And maybe one day I will undelete myself (you know, when I want to announce an engagement or something). I like to read about the impact of the media. I am interested to see where this is all going (and why we are in this handbasket... just kidding). But for now, I will go ahead and live my life without capturing it and organizing it on a digitally-formatted presence.
*Crazy sidenote: I googled "Average number of Facebook friends" and before I could finish typing "number," Google provided me the rest of the phrase. It is a highly searched thing, evidently? I wonder why...
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