After weighing the matter at some length, I deactivated my Facebook account a while ago. The downside is that some people with whom I’ve developed what I hope has been a mutually beneficial relationship probably will disappear from my daily life. That absence will leave a void and I will miss them. The upside is that the removal of Facebook will leave me in a more serene state of mind. Even though my level of activity on Facebook has diminished dramatically during the past month or two, I’ve allowed myself to watch its feed from time to time. And that has been as upsetting as always. By disappearing, at least for a while, I’ll reduce by an order of magnitude the troublesome frenzy of Facebook nonsense. I’ve done this in the past, but I’ve always informed people I was doing it. I don’t know why I told them. It’s not as if most people care whether I’m on FB or not; but I suppose I believed they were paying more attention to me than I to them. They weren’t. Some may notice my absence and, if it’s sufficiently interesting, they can find me. Others won’t. And that’s fine, too. I follow others on their blogs, etc., so it may be possible we can keep in touch without even realizing FB has gone by the wayside. We’ll see.
In the meantime, I think training myself to leave FB alone for a while will be valuable for me. I hope so. We’ll see.
Bev, I know FB has many redeeming features; I just need a break. And I’m glad I can always find you, FB or not.
I can understand slinking away. Sometimes I feel that way too. I guess I stay on because it is a place where I connect with many friends. Lately, it’s become a very powerful platform for networking on environmental concerns. I guess it’s a case of people learning to make use of this tool — to pick it up and use it for our own purposes. Anyhow, good that you are maintaining your blog. Take care.
Trish, thank you. You are very kind.
Phil, the absence of Back-When-Bloggers is something I’ll miss more than anything else for as long as I’m off FB. That intimate connection came at a time I felt a need for it, more so than at any time before. But I allowed the cacophony of FB to intrude on me to such an extent that I found myself staying away even from that connection. I guess I just don’t have the ability to focus…or perhaps I don’t have the ability to filter. The relative serenity of noncommercial blogs, with comments made not out of necessity but of interest, seems more peaceful to me. I’ll try to stay in touch with BWBs outside the realm of FB. If I can’t, that will be a community I’ll truly miss.
Another thought – FB really does require time, and I foolishly presume that my supply of it is infinite. You might not.
I thought we were establishing those intimate connections in Back-When Bloggers, it was a private conversation and designed to be different from the fb feed. I never expected great content from FB, I found it a unique way to connect to people I will never will meet in person. My FB list is a big tent, with high school hometown folks, OSU folks, kayakers, friends of our kid’s, band people, neighbors.
My feeling is that I really don’t provide them much of a market, they recognize that, and I still get to use the medium for free, for what I still find value it for. Every now and then an interesting nugget arises, but I’m mostly just chatting over the fence, valuing the contact and not expecting much of anything except camaraderie.
Well, just seeing your blog here, and taking a hiatus from Facebook, more often than not proves very beneficial for one, John. Wishing you much peace, and comfort (hope you find as much as possible, and then some), I will continue to read your notes here as you post them. Sending my best to you and to Janine in this most difficult time.
Thank you, Robin. I am glad I’m not the only one who finds FB increasingly tiresome. I may be “old school,” but I much prefer blogging. Despite the radically smaller following (for me, anyway), the ones who follow are somehow stronger, more powerful, more intimate connections. I read and commiserate and celebrate with you, too! (But, because I can’t seem to post many comments directly on your blog, I may have to comment on mine and refer to you! 😉 )
I have been thinking about doing the same thing, John. I hardly ever post there anymore. So much of it is simply re-posting of stuff and hardly anything truly personal, revelatory, or insightful. These are such challenging times in so many ways. Facebook was once a place I went to for camaraderie and a sharing of our times. Now it’s a place that has sold our interests to the highest bidder and reduced us to bait clicks. I much prefer blogging. Some of my favorite people and virtual friendships are bloggers I’ve known for years. I count you among them. I may not comment much, but I read and commiserate and celebrate with you.