Goodbye Facebook

[Jacqueline Hynes]

Goodbye Facebook...Sort of. I can reactivate my account any time, friends can still tag photos of me and my information will forever float in the embrace of Facebook cyberspace. As I sat on the Metrobus this past Friday during a heavy Newfoundland downpour, I opened up my laptop and took the few nervous steps of cutting myself out of the mega social network. I was now out of the Facebook loop forever (sort of). I'd been wanting to get off the crack-book for about a year now, prepping myself with journal entries waxing on about the sense of artificial community. Finally the day came, the courage accumulated, and it was easy and felt right. As soon as I pressed 'deactivate' I experienced a release similar to confessing to a secret I couldn't bear to hold in. Sometimes, before I would log in, I would get anxious, knowing how I felt about it, knowing full well that I would feel incomplete, inadequate, and obsessive. How was I feeling and should I tell the world? Maybe I should post more photos to show my progression as an artist, post witty comments on my 'friends' pages...How would I say how I felt? Should I spell check? Did I really care? How could I reflect my growth, my evolution as a social being, my ever changing thoughts, my hobbies, my work, my intelligence? How was I to be honest and a functioning being in this world? I couldn't-not accurately, not truthfully and certainly not with joy. What did I know about ninety percent of my 'friends'? Have I ever spoke to them face to face? If I did, how long has it been since I heard their voice, saw them smile (still photos aside)? What could I learn from stalking the profiles of my friends? Not much, not enough. What if I just didn't log in? How bout I use facebook to lobby against itself? And getting out? What will I miss out on? How would I keep in touch? Do my friends have my email? My phone number? Would they drop by for tea? But it's just a silly interactive website, I could participate as little or as much as I wanted, right? Wrong. Not me at least. Maybe if I didn't think so much, or analyze it to death, I could continue on and play in facebook land without a care. I could-but I won't. So long 'friends'. I'm going back to the old fashioned way of keeping in touch-so drop me a line, the cans are hooked up, or remember email? Trusty ol hotmail is still in the running. Shit, did I update my account to let my friends know I'm leaving? Too late now....
:)
JH

[Missiz]

Congratulations J. Whatever anyone says, FB is about managing your image. I don't really use my account and I remember feeling some sort of visceral depletion when I first got on and would spend time surfing around in there. I think psychologically this can run counter to any efforts one makes to get some sense of authentic self as part of a healing process. Email works just fine. Like you say, you can always jump back on if you feel like it.

[Rosemary House]

This is lovely Jacqueline! You express many of my own feelings about FB. I have also felt that it cheapens everything it touches. I would have left it long ago except for the fact that it allows me to keep tabs on my family's whereabouts! But I still would like to be free.... maybe I will pluck up my courage, follow your example and start calling family more often to stay in touch! Thanks for the post, cheers, Rosemary