I began reading a book about modern technology for a class and it sparked several debates among family and friends. Is Facebook a friend to modern man or a foe? Does it create relationships and bring people closer? Or does it keep us in our little nuclear families without creating new relationships with the people who live around us? I'll give a few examples of each and then we can discuss.
Facebook keeps us from getting to know our neighbors.
If we are spending time on FB getting to reknow our old HS buddies and the new people at church and keeping in touch with our family, do we really have the time to get to know our neighbors? How many of you really know your neighbors? Even better, are your neighbors your friends on FB? I have relationships with several of my neighbors, a couple who are, in fact, my FB friends. One friend I met at the school and we and our kids have become buddies. Another neighbor I met when she and her daughter were selling girl scout cookies. The people across the street both work full time but we enjoy monthly coversations as we yell across the street. The kids love the guy over there because he shovels snow in his shorts. They call him Jack Frost. The next door neighbor is a single lady with 2 dogs. I run into her a couple times a week when she is walking her dogs and she is doing just fine. That is probably the extent I am going to know my neighbors here. I may invite next door lady over this summer for a BBQ but that really has nothing to do with FB. Is it wrong for us to want to cultivate long lost friendships? Or is wrong that we spend more time cultivating far away relationships over new ones closer to home? I don't know, I think that would have to depend on the situation. If you live in an isolated area, FB might be helpful. If you are ignoring potential friends in your area by hangin on FB, that could be a problem.
I don't want to know what the kids in my HS are doing.
This is not a personal sentiment, I just hear it all the time. Personally, I love seeing what my old buddies are doing but I have to say, I am not looking to start cultivating. I like FB in the old HS buddy arena because I can keep up with them without having to expend alot of energy and time. There might be a few people I would like to get with from time to time to remember old times and have our kids play but that is about it. I love FB so I can chat with them and see their pics without having to travel. Some people hated HS and have no desire to see what those people are doing. They didn't get along with "those people" and want to move on. (Maybe those people have neighbors that are fabulous friends : )
Facebook keeps us glued to our computers.
How many times a day do you check FB? 1, 5, 25, every time your phone buzzes? Are you the kind of person who checks it in the evening when your kids are in bed or are you the kind who checks every second of every day and has a comment to make on Everybody's statuses? I guess we should really ask ourselves if it is wrong to be glued to our computers and phones. That's a good question. Phones are nifty little things that keep us connected to our teenagers, spouses, parents, friends, and bosses. We can text our kids to see where they are, text our buddies to tell them news, and text little love notes to our spouses. But phones can be a huge disruption. Talking on the phone while paying for our groceries is kind of rude and who has been enjoying a quiet dinner when a cell phone has interrupted us? We are always tethered to people who want to get in touch with us. But I have gotten sidetracked. Now that we can access FB on our phones, we have all day access in our pockets or hip phone holder thingies. Whenever I get a notification on FB, my phone pings. I can just reach in and check to see who is trying to tell me something. I can immediately respond and communicate with people that I normally wouldn't be communicating with. Again though, it can be disruptive if you are on a date and the person you are with keeps checking FB or posting their "places" or whatever. Or if your phone wakes you up several times a night with that incessant "pinging" (which usually means a fabulous status posting by somebody).
I don't know if I can think of anymore topic headings but I'm sure ya'll can. Personally, I see FB as a friend. I can keep up with all of my family because they all live out of state. I am friends with several of my kids' teachers and I get school updates and can easily reach them if need be. I am friends with over 150 people from church and it keeps me in touch with their daily lives. I am friends with my friends and can easily check on them or invite them to parties. I am friends with old high school and junior high school buddies. I can see people I have known since I was 5 and see how they grew up and what their kids look like. I know which of my friends are going through a hard time, who is a Star Wars fan, what kind of music they listen to, what concerts they've been to, and who has sick kids. I can tell people funny things my kids say or if I have something I just have to get off my chest. I can share victories and sorrows. I can run into someone I don't see much and can ask them about their water leak in their bathroom or they can ask me how I did on the paper I posted aobut. I have no desire to reconnect with an old flame but it is fun to see pics of them all grown up. I am not interested in giving up my current friends but I do use FB to try to better my friendship with them. I use FB to tell my Spouse I love him or my teens that they are loved. I consider FB a friend.
How about you? Do you consider FB a friend or a foe? What other topics could you add? I have to say that I probably could have added more but I am a little distracted with American Idol. Who do you think should win?
