Facing the Truth About Facebook
Fox News reports on one college student getting tired of the Social Networking game:
CHICAGO — For some, it would be unthinkable — certain social suicide.
But Gabe Henderson is finding freedom in a recent decision: He canceled his MySpace account.
No longer enthralled with the world of social networking , the 26-year-old graduate student pulled the plug after realizing that a lot of the online friends he accumulated were really just acquaintances.
He’s also phasing out his profile on Facebook, a popular social networking site that, like others, allows users to create profiles, swap message and share photos — all with the goal of expanding their circle of online friends.
"The superficial emptiness clouded the excitement I had once felt," Henderson wrote in a column in the student newspaper at Iowa State University , where he studies history. "It seems we have lost, to some degree, that special depth that true friendship entails."
Of course, Henderson is correct about MySpace, et al. I saw a parody of the shallowness of, "Ooh, I have 9,000 friends." The relationships are mostly meaningless wastes of time.
Of course, mostly is the operative word. My wife found one Christian alternative to My Space and through that we’ve become involved in writing a short story anthology.
But such stories are rare in today’s social networking circles. It’s like a bunch of fun people who really don’t form any lasting bonds or share much at all. It reminds me of Marcus Buckingham of Gallup explaining the difference between having a friend and a best friend. A friend is someone who amuses you. A best friend is someone who shares your values and who can challenge and encourage you.
Now, of course I’m not going to readily agree with those who praise the idea of face to face interaction and poo poo the idea that you can ever get to know anyone online. I’d disagree with that statement. I think our problem with face to face communication in this country stems from the fact that things are a lot less stable. The people who have lived the same place all their lives and are going to be there all their lives is a dying breed. Thus, there’s not the time to form connections, and often not the security to do so given that you could pack up and move at anytime. Of course, my generation has taken it’s technology to the extreme:
In the meantime, he says, many professors have begun setting their own limits, banning students from surfing the Internet during lectures.
Geesh, how disrespectful can you get? Surf on your own time, the instructor has something to say.
Hat Tip: Josue
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