Sunday, August 18, 2013

Facebook-A Love/Hate Relationship


Facebook-A Love/Hate Relationship

“What’s on your mind?”

What would Facebook look like if we were real? What if we TRULY answered that question?

 I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I love posting my family’s photos for friends and family to view. I can easily reach out to old and new friends in so many different ways. Recently, I was able to raise $10,000 for a family battling a devastating illness by posting on Facebook within a month!

I also hate Facebook. I actually despise it. I attempted to deactivate my account but I was back on it like a drug within days!

 Facebook is a half truth of a person’s life. It is partial look into what we are really thinking and doing. I worry about our children and the affect Facebook will have on their lives. It is a façade. For the most part, you scroll through Facebook and what do you see? I’d say 95% (if not more) is rainbows and sunshine with a sprinkle of truth.

A friend of mine recently committed suicide. She did it in the most tragic way. She was so vibrant and charismatic and a truly, truly wonderful friend. I miss her and think of her often.  

She was a big Facebooker. A few weeks before her death, she stopped using Facebook. WHY?

Could it be as she scrolled down her newsfeed she was bombarded by photos and updates of people’s “perfect” life?  As I scroll down my own page I see cute little sayings, a few inspirational videos, updates on dinner outings, beach days, date nights, hiking adventures, vacation photos with a few more dramatic posts  like  “pray for our family as my husband goes off to fight another fire” etc.

Smiley, smiley, happy, happy!

In her despair, maybe she couldn’t take it anymore. In her right mind, she would know Facebook is just a snapshot into people’s lives.  Unfortunately, when life became I hard I believe Facebook helped push her over the edge.

I imagine in her sorrow she felt very alone. I don’t blame Facebook for her suicide but it didn’t help her either. I wish she had just known that on the other side of my beautiful family photos and charming girls’ night out pictures, there was a person who could relate to her struggle of depression.  I can’t relate to the thoughts of suicide but I know there was someone on Facebook who could.

What would Facebook look like if we were real? “What’s on your mind” What if we TRULY answered that question?

No comments:

Post a Comment