Monday, November 1, 2010

Does Facebook Really Bring Us Closer? (or is it just me?)

After watching the new Facebook movie, "Social Network," about the creator of the site, Mark Zuckerberg, I ironically am feeling rather down-in-the-dumps today while using the ever-popular website at work (can you say, lots of free time?).

During college, I had lots of action on Facebook... I started my first account in 2007 when, if my rusty memory is correct, only college students had access to the site.  And it was a fun, addicting way to keep in touch over the summer with my friends. 

Now, however, I'm working alone mostly, and my college friends have graduated and we've all scattered to the far corners of the earth.  I bought into the horrid lie that Facebook alone would keep us all in touch, but no.  It takes a little more than daily status updates to keep friendships alive.  Was I really just totally stuck on myself to think my friendships would stay strong while I neglected my friends in far away places?  Yup, apparently so.  I'm finding that even my cousins who live 15 minutes away seem distant. 

Social networking is baffling to me.  I must be really horrible at making friends in real life, because I find myself relying on Facebook alone to keep in contact with people. 

For real. 

The only person I talk to on a regular basis outside of Facebooking is my boyfriend.  How awful is that?!

And I don't know if this is just something unique to me--because maybe I'm just horrible at being sociable.  I don't know.  But I feel more and more like I'm drifting away from people I know and love--and have over 600 friends on Facebook.

*sigh* 

Does anyone else find themselves feeling ironically distant from their uber-connected Facebook friends?

3 comments:

  1. Yup! We definitely bought into it! Facebook is kinda like being given permission to peek into the windows of our friends houses, but not to come in! Although I guess we get out of it, as much as we put into it! The solution of course is to get off the damn computer, pick up the phone and really talk to (real) people! Re-establish friendships. Connect again. Make a date to get together and GASP!! Talk "IN PERSON"!! Facebook allows us to keep up vicariously, but not be responsible for maintaining true communication. On the one hand, I love Facebook. On the other hand, it sucks. :(

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  2. I completely agree! I think Facebook allows us to be lazy in our friendships. You can find out what is new in someone's life without having to talk to them. I have several friends who I still talk to and keep up with outside of FB, but, even with those friends, I find that I make most of my plans to see them via FB.

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  3. I totally understand!

    It's interesting - because I enjoy using FB to keep in contact with casual friends. After so much time elapses combined with a big distance, FB functions as probably one of the best ways to keep in touch.

    But with the people we're close to? It's not, really. And it's funny, because it seems like the younger generations are relying primarily on social networks today. Everyone's getting less personal in the ways they communicate with one another. I mean, why make that uncomfortable phone call to that friend you haven't spoken to in 3 years when you can just FB them?

    It's sad, but true. Great post, Erin.

    And for the record, I'm thankful for blogs and social networks to keep in contact with each other. I remember way back when we kept in touch via letter. And then it diminished pretty quickly.

    Oh, and I loved that movie. I'm hoping it's up for Best Picture next year :)

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