recently, after changing the user interface of my facebook (yeah, pretty late compared to others - i thank God for that!), it was giving me a lot of problems, like slow log in, problems with loading anything at all, and even slow log out! it proved to be a problem, but also a blessing in disguise. problem because i had to communicate important messages across different areas with different people; blessing because i had a lot of work to do and the hassle of long waiting time deterred me from constantly checking facebook.
Technology is taking up pretty much of our lives at the moment. please tell me an instance when you do not use technology. as much as it has it's benefits, it proves to be detrimental to our very lives as well.
social media (who couldn't have guessed where i was going??) is the biggest culprit of all.
i will not deny that it definitely has brought many benefits on many levels. however, it has been a hindrance as well.
pros and cons of social media:
1. it connects people
2. you share life with others
3. it fills up your time
4. you get to be involved on a more than superficial level; i.e., with emotions
if you were trying to figure out which are which, stop already. they all are both.
1. it connects people
it has definitely allowed me to connect with my friends from everywhere, from different places, across the globe much easier. however, it is a very superficial connection. you don't know who are your real friends on facebook, or whether what someone tweeted was really what they said. sure social media has created a world without borders, but that just gives an excuse for not putting any effort into the relationship to meet up face to face.
social media is a paradox: it brings people together, yet pulls people apart
2. you share life with others
hey look, someone just got a picture with the local celebrity i've always wanted to meet. how do i know? just by looking at that person's instagram.
it's exciting that you're able to share memories with those who are not there with just a click of a (or a few) button(s). it can also be a dangerous thing. you might attract unwanted attention. and well, some things are just better not to be shared on social media.
3. it fills up your time
yay, never bored again during the long summer break! i will also get to know what my friends are up to. i'll take my time commenting on their statuses, like all their summer vacation photos and maybe send a message to that girl i haven't spoken to in a long while. well, it's the exact same thing that happens when you have work and you say you'll just take a peek at the notification that just came in. everyone knows that the "peek" is actually a 10- minute, at the very least, check-up on who just did what. it takes up time till more often than not, it drives us crazy not being able to complete our work on time.
4. you get to be involved on a more than superficial level
just used up the last piece of tissue in the pack from watching that touching video posted on my friend's wall. must share it with the world. oh look! someone's just gotten married! let's convey our felicitations. you definitely get more involved, deeper than just the surface with people's lives. what you do not realise is that sometimes invokes unnecessary emotions. to this, i can allude to a personal testimony. ever since i got way much more involved in facebook, (by a lot i mean i knew who was usually online at what time of the day, on specific days of the week) my moods are generally more down. i also tend to have a greater tendency to feel jealous. especially when i see someone's post on facebook getting likes but mine is just.... there. i tend to start over-thinking some things as well, which has proved a liability for some time.
in short, i've decided that since facebook is being more detrimental than beneficial at the moment, i've decided to take a (very big) step back from using it. do not expect prompt replies to messages. on a side note, to those whom i've said that i have no time, i really do not. so please do not try to refute a fact which is about someone else in the first place.
i logged in today to facebook, as there were things that needed my attention. it seems to be working just fine now. but, it's not strong enough a pull to bring me back into being a watchman. my emotional needs and educational demands are much more important to look after than have an antenna and be like a news reporter to people.
let me remind you that this blog is meant to be my opinion expressed. comments are welcome but please do so constructively and respectfully.
