Today I feel like I have taken a massive step forward in the world of communication and technology only to realize that I am still light years behind most of the people I know. I received an email a few weeks ago about joining a group of my fellow seniors on Facebook as a way to communicate about our upcoming graduation. Of course my initial response was uhhhhhhh “No Thanks.” Unfortunately, I began to discover that if I was going to have any information at all about what was going on, I would have to take the plunge and join Facebook.
My first reaction was WOW. I can’t believe how much information is out there about all of my friends. Part of me is very excited, I have learned more about some of the people that I know in this first day than I have about them in all the time that I have known them. I even learned that Crystal and Mary went to see Miss America yesterday which is a very cool thing.
My second reaction was a bit terrifying. There is so much information that is available out there that I can see why parents would be, and should be, concerned about what information kids have on their Facebook pages. I was showing Karen what people had written and then I showed her that Terri said “My dad has Facebook… How crazy is that? And she noticed that it was posted sometime in the middle of the night, and wanted me to type back a message and tell Terri that she was staying up way too late. Then I mentioned that I could do that but it would be seen by all of my “friends” and all of Terri’s “friends” and did she really want me to do that? Uhhhh probably not!
My third reaction was that I am very glad that I didn’t discover Facebook 3 years ago, or I might not be graduating. Yesterday afternoon in class, I found myself working on my Facebook page, sending requests to people that I knew to put me on their list, and responding to friends who wanted to add me to theirs, (Yes I know I should have been paying attention, but it was really boring, and plus I am graduating in a couple of months:) I then saw a message that said, Sherry (name changed to protect the guilty): “isn’t paying attention” Then I realized that “Sherry” was sitting right in front of me, and I responded by saying that Sherry should be paying attention like I am, Which she responded that since I am paying such close attention she could borrow the copious notes that I was obviously taking, to which I responded uhhhh errrrr uhhhhh, the dog ate my notes, to which someone on the other side of class then commented and laughed at our conversation. Suddenly I discovered that half the class was on Facebook following the conversation.
Oh My! I can’t believe how far out of the communications loop I have been all of these years. With that being said, I can see the benefits of Facebook, and I can certainly see the problems with it. For now, I will try to avoid getting addicted to it and I will make every attempt not to log on while in class, regardless of how boring it may be. Technology can be exciting, and all of these new ways to communicate can be fun, but I still prefer the face to face kind. I remember having the conversation a few months ago about this new technology and being told that we now know more about what someone is thinking and feeling and what is going on in the lives of our families and friends than ever before. To this I agree, I think that we have much more information about other people, for better or for worse, than ever before. But, it is important that we don’t go on information overload and confuse knowing information about someone with the real communication of reaching out and touching their hearts:)
Blessings
My first reaction was WOW. I can’t believe how much information is out there about all of my friends. Part of me is very excited, I have learned more about some of the people that I know in this first day than I have about them in all the time that I have known them. I even learned that Crystal and Mary went to see Miss America yesterday which is a very cool thing.
My second reaction was a bit terrifying. There is so much information that is available out there that I can see why parents would be, and should be, concerned about what information kids have on their Facebook pages. I was showing Karen what people had written and then I showed her that Terri said “My dad has Facebook… How crazy is that? And she noticed that it was posted sometime in the middle of the night, and wanted me to type back a message and tell Terri that she was staying up way too late. Then I mentioned that I could do that but it would be seen by all of my “friends” and all of Terri’s “friends” and did she really want me to do that? Uhhhh probably not!
My third reaction was that I am very glad that I didn’t discover Facebook 3 years ago, or I might not be graduating. Yesterday afternoon in class, I found myself working on my Facebook page, sending requests to people that I knew to put me on their list, and responding to friends who wanted to add me to theirs, (Yes I know I should have been paying attention, but it was really boring, and plus I am graduating in a couple of months:) I then saw a message that said, Sherry (name changed to protect the guilty): “isn’t paying attention” Then I realized that “Sherry” was sitting right in front of me, and I responded by saying that Sherry should be paying attention like I am, Which she responded that since I am paying such close attention she could borrow the copious notes that I was obviously taking, to which I responded uhhhh errrrr uhhhhh, the dog ate my notes, to which someone on the other side of class then commented and laughed at our conversation. Suddenly I discovered that half the class was on Facebook following the conversation.
Oh My! I can’t believe how far out of the communications loop I have been all of these years. With that being said, I can see the benefits of Facebook, and I can certainly see the problems with it. For now, I will try to avoid getting addicted to it and I will make every attempt not to log on while in class, regardless of how boring it may be. Technology can be exciting, and all of these new ways to communicate can be fun, but I still prefer the face to face kind. I remember having the conversation a few months ago about this new technology and being told that we now know more about what someone is thinking and feeling and what is going on in the lives of our families and friends than ever before. To this I agree, I think that we have much more information about other people, for better or for worse, than ever before. But, it is important that we don’t go on information overload and confuse knowing information about someone with the real communication of reaching out and touching their hearts:)
Blessings
3 comments:
Ahhhh Jim, do you realize that maybe you prof has facebook too ? Now he knows what is happening in his class ha, ha. My oldes daughter signed me up and got me started several weeks ago. Lots of luck
Ohhhhhh Noooooooo!!!
Busted LOL :)
Indeed, senioritis has set in for you, Jim. I can't claim senioritis since I don't graduate until next year, so I won't tell you the location in which I read your blog or am commenting on it now. But I will say I can relate to your bordeom yesterday afternoon. :-) Welcome to the world of facebook. Your reflections on it are "right on."
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