I can remember when Facebook first started out and MySpace was still the more favorable avenue in the world of social media. There was a time when it seemed like everybody was on MySpace. I actually met my wife through MySpace. And then, suddenly the tables were turned and Facebook emerged as the leader in social media. It blew up and took off and now it seems like MySpace is just something in the distant past.
There has been a lot of good in social media. As a result of Facebook, I have reunited with friends from high school, other friends that I hadn't seen in years and it also allows me to keep track of how my friend and family's lives are going on a different level. Some of the discussions that take place on the social media platform at very engaging and you can be involved in groups that suit your interest. For those of you in business, it is also a way to further promote your brand and its activities.
But I have to admit that there are times that I absolutely loathe Facebook, to the point where there are times when I think of canceling my account. It bothers me to my core to see people use social media as a tool to mistreat and spread hatred to others. It just as much bothers me to see such a wealth of misinformation being spread that lead people to form conclusions about other people that they don't even know. The amount of gossip on Facebook is worse than Star Magazine, People Magazine and National Enquirer combined. It is an ugly aspect of Facebook I see on a daily basis.
Let's not even talk about the insane amount of inappropriate, filthy and degrading content that I have to funnel through just to get to something with substance. Years ago, I stopped watching mainstream news on a regular basis because what I constantly saw was the very worse of humanity constantly being bombarded into me as a viewer. But Facebook takes this to a whole another level. Scrolling through many of the posts of Facebook makes some of these news shows look like a dog and pony show. How said is it to see this gift of social media being used in such a way. Because people know they can draw on audience on social media, they will post videos of disturbing things like playing a game where you set yourself on fire. Really? And these videos got millions of views while others who are trying to put out something informative and beneficial are clawing for every single view they can get. It's a sad reality.
Social media can also be addicting. Facebook is becoming just as big of an addiction to some people like drugs or alcohol. People can be so tapped into social media that they are neglecting their families and slowly becoming unable to know how to communicate with someone face-to-face.With social media, we can become so plugged in to the virtual world that we begin to lose touch with the real world. I have met these people who seem like social butterflies online but in person, couldn't hold a conversation for two minutes. And because we can hide behind online tags and usernames, the things that people would never say to a person's face flows like wine in social media, particularly things like racism.
If Facebook has become a stress in your life, the best thing to do is unplug from it. You may need to take time to just unplug for a while or it may be something you need to unplug from altogether. With as many challenges and stresses life brings, we don't need to add anymore difficulty to our lives. There may be certain people on your "friends list" that you need to delete. There may be groups that you need to unsubscribe from. Whatever you need to do to make Facebook work better for you, do it. And if you believe your time on Facebook has run its course in your life, say good riddance. Life is too short and when I was diagnosed with my kidney disease two years ago, I really came to the realization just how short it is.
As for me, I truthfully am still going back and forth as to whether I even want to remain on Facebook. What makes me continue is seeing the blessings in my friends' lives and the thoughtful posts that I see from time to time. I treasure those glimpses into their lives and those insights from their hearts. It just sometimes takes going through a lot to get there. But at this juncture, I don't spend a whole lot of time on it. Just a few minutes at a time. For now, it's better that way.
What works better for you?
More to come,
LandoRigs
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