(This is a cross post that is currently now appearing on my Facebook page. Shared, here, for posterity, preservation, and maybe to help influence folks who may visit here, but don't, on their own, blog.)
Right off the bat, I'm not sure who will read this, or even how they'll see this; Facebook is such a wreck. But, I wanted to put a couple interesting thoughts out there about what I noticed in my behavior when it came time to make this decision.
As previously noted, yesterday, I'm killing both my Facebook, and the Neverland Transit Authority Facebook station on November 1st.
This place has gotten too whacked out; the lay outs are now practically unfollowable and privacy issues are too rampant. Some people say that we shouldn't complain about a free service. But, as regarded in a recent viral post around here; when everything is free, then you're the product.
In looking back on my decision, I noted, immediately, that it was a bit of a struggle to cut this cord. Right off the bat I had to come to the realization that I'm about to, as a very social person, cut a very large social tie. I'm going to lose out on more than a few gatherings, events, and possibly important announcements. Despite the urge to leave, and a near revulsion of what's becoming of this place, I was having real trouble letting go. How could I live without what this site was bringing to my life?!
Then, I thought back to the hey day of My Space; a place I used to rock, hard. And I remember, when it became too much for my personal life to bear, I closed it down. Just canceled it straight out. And you know what? I ended up being pretty okay.
Yeah, it was tough, but I not only managed pretty well, I actually continued to have random adventures and good times despite no longer being tapped into this social media thing. In fact, the only reason I got on Facebook was because my all too absent best friend really pleaded and insisted. I hardly ever see her here, let alone in real life.
But, looking back at the year and a half here, I'm seeing some scary trends. I'm also seeing a world that has stopped moving under its own power. And that, seriously, is even scarier, to me. But, I guess, I wasn’t strong enough to initiate myself into what I knew I wanted... maybe needed... to do. No, I was lucky; Facebook created that impetus for me.
Now, it's not like I'm tearing free of the net, or anything silly like that. Back in 2004, to handle over spill from a mailing list, I created a blog on Blogger called "IronChuck Presents"; based off of the funny trend of finding the silly, screwy, and sometimes poignant things that float in the intangible either that is the World Wide Web. In fact, I run two, now, as NTA Comics is moving to one; still headed by the infamous ntacomics url... if I can figure out how to get the bloody thing to work right.
Blogger is free. It doesn't ask for any private information. It has no agenda to collect and distribute any, either. It's controlled by you. All of it. Post what you like, as you like. You can go to other blogs, subscribe, and follow what others have to say and show. And you've been able to since long before My Space, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ (Yes, I know; affiliated), or, I believe, even Friendster.
Is this a campaign? I'm certainly not trying to make it one. But, it would be nice to see what people would like to share, in their own terms, their own way. It would be nice to connect without Big Brother Mark watching, waiting, and taking. It would be wonderful to halt, and maybe reverse this trend toward the mediocre, the simple, and benign. After all, what a thrill it would be if the power of the net, our lives, and our dreams were back in our hands; to express, communicate, inform, entertain, and enlighten each other with. Like it was supposed to be.
In old Celtic tradition, Samhain (Pronounced Sow- ien; meaning, near literally, "November") is the beginning of the New Year; a time to return to the womb of Winter and prepare for the rebirth of Spring. (Okay, well, maybe there's just a little fluffy nutter Pagan in that.) I'm making a series of big life affirming steps that day.
Maybe, just maybe, you'd like to join me in one?
Blog with me...
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