To disconnect or not to disconnect; that is the question.
The conversation must come up at least once a week, if not more.
It’s crazy this Facebook stuff, it’s taking over my life.
It intrudes on family time.
Social media is just way too much in your face.
I must disconnect. I’ve got to disconnect.
I really want to just unplug.
Y’know what, I’m going to cut myself off from it all.
Go to pre-smart phone days.
I can’t let this take over my life.
It’s ruining my family…
And all of it is true; these are the woes of the amazing leaps of technology. I grew up in a time when IM was way cool; having a conversation with someone over the computer! Facebook and Whatsapp have taken things to a new level; in just three seconds flat, I know exactly what each of my friends across the globe have made for dinner (leaving me either feeling smug with my menu or feeling incompetent for not being able to be as gourmet as they are).
I know the second someone passed a test, bought a new dress, binged on something they shouldn’t have eaten and when some random friend of a friend is having “a romantic dinner with hubby.”
Yes Facebook has taken over our lives, our privacy, our sanity, our ability to think clearly and believe in ourselves and just to be.
It has taken “keeping up with the Jonses” to a whole new level.
And when I finally wind down at the end of the day, for goodness sake, how did they know I was looking for new slippers and a phone charger- the two adds that keep popping up all over the place?!
Oh the woes of us as people, social media, life as we knew it and our future.
And just before you are ready to call it quits and unplug…
Oh the wows of Facebook and social media; I live a plane ride away from the rest of my family, yet I know what my nephews latest school project, my niece’s favorite outfit, the amount of snow on my parent’s front porch, and I get to a live feed of photos at family events. I no longer feel so far.
I have support from friends and instant advice when I’m in a fix or just need to vent.
And when I’m shopping for slippers or a phone charger, it’s right there for me in the sidebar, all the best prices, saving me unnecessary time of getting in the car, driving to a store etc and all the time that goes into one measly shopping trip.
Social media has changed the hopes and dreams of many young optimistic entrepreneurs without money or backing, but creativity alone; if theoretically speaking, in my spare time I came up with a new invention (like a robotic pacifier finding device for midnight under-the-crib search parties) I can market and brand myself and build up a whole business.
No talent has to go to waste and no expensive equipment is needed.
Someone going through any type of life challenge, has an instant support group at their finger tips; just Google and find it.
And those of us in the raising kids business have a wealth of info accessible to help us do our job best.
No more being alone. No longer can one be uneducated; it’s all there at your fingertips.
So what takes it from woe to wow?
My choices.
Like everything in life.
Medication is good, unless I abuse it.
Food is good, unless I abuse it.
Most things can be used for good; if I chose to use it that way.
And Facebook, Whatsapp and all the rest can be used for the good, unless I abuse it.
I will not blame Facebook or social media; it can only get in where I allow it.
Disconnect entirely? I don’t think I can ever do that but neither do I want to.
Work on self control and setting limits? Like with everything in life, that’s the secret to success.
Little Yellow Notepad 