Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Anti-Social Media

To tell the truth, I was on Facebook for a couple of months. I don't know why, except Preacher at my old job said I should try it. I got two pings from old high school buddies, whom I hadn't seen since high school, and a bunch of invites to friend my students, and play Mafia Wars.

I pretty much ignored it, until Wiley came out with this cartoon:



...which, I think, pretty much says it all. I closed my account, and shall not return.

Click on the post title to read Matt Labash's take.

I agree whole-heartedly.

2 comments:

mkfreeberg said...

I've made it a point to keep a presence there and it pretty much comes down to ONE reason: I am completely confused about why certain ideas I find unappealing, hold any appeal for anybody anywhere. Facebook has provided much enlightenment in this area.

Based on the evidence I have been able to find in this forum, the theory that has taken form is: People are still re-living Larry Flynt's fight with Jerry Falwell. They're laboring under a delusion that we'll know our government is out of control when it arrests you for buying beer on a Sunday or breaks into your bedroom in the middle of the night and busts you for having sex in the wrong position. It never actually happens, of course, but it's "fun" to be afraid of things like this, and it's so boring reading news stories about the government being out of money because the legislators and executives spend money like it's going out of style. And so, out of a desire to mix their news with entertainment, people end up stick in time, being worried about things that aren't real problems.

I can't find this out hanging around at my own place. My readers are extremely smart. And therefore, much more often than not, they agree with me.

leelu said...

Interesting idea, that. The cinematic boogeyman, the heroic resistance. Instead, we are being boiled like frogs, a few degrees at a time, until we die. And that's how they will win, if we can't do something.

And, of course they are smart, and so, of course, would agree with you!