Before I leave Facebook, let me tell you what I’ll miss. I enjoy the daily contact I have with my Facebook friends. I feel a connection to them – to you – and their daily activities. At times, I feel I’m at a big party with all my friends, roaming around, listening to different conversations, dropping in and out as I please. Facebook is very different from email and instant messaging. That said, I hope each of my Facebook friends will send me email to make certain I have your address; send me your IM and Skype info, too, if you wish. Because, I won’t be seeing you around Facebook anymore. I’m not breaking up with you but with Facebook. I want to hear from you again.
I won’t miss Facebook’s stream of information that flows relentlessly, carrying important items off the page to be replaced, at time, by trivialities. Everything is equal and transitory in Facebook’s stream. But, in truth, some of what we say is more important than other things. At this point, I forget even the important things that flow away from me. The Web may be rewiring my brain, but I think Facebook is turning it to mush.
I wouldn’t be the first or last to complain about the time Facebook absorbs. If that time were all spent communicating, it might be worthwhile. I’ve enjoyed reading my Facebook friends’ experiences and their real feelings, and appreciated their comments and ‘likes.’ Not so much the polls, games, fads, and other hoops too many of us jump through. Above all, I spend too much time fighting Facebook’s gawd-awful functions. I won’t list my complaints here; I noted many of them as they arose. Remember, I’ve spent my life dealing with computers and software: I’m not easily defeated in this area, and yet, Facebook, you did it. This party I love takes place in an environment I can’t bear any longer. I’ll miss the party, but I gotta get out of this place before in makes me sick.
I do hope you’ll write me now and then. I hope you’ll read my blogs (better: subscribe to the individual RSS feeds or All Mark Considered – if you don’t know how, ask me). I especially hope you’ll see my photos. I still like sharing. You’re welcome to comment on any of these things.
I’ll be watching for the successor to Facebook. I long for a communal gathering place, but I want an oasis, not a stock tank.
I’ll miss you on FB, too. Thanks for “All Mark Considered.” I love anything that lets me “declutter” any part of my life, including, but not limited to, my RSS subscriptions. One for Five. Outstanding.
Before FB, thanks to you, I became a relatively early member of the Edgewise Blog Community you created. You’ve had the vision for a time.
Sorry FB is so irritating. I haven’t delved nearly as deeply as you in the devilish details of computing technicalities.(I am just now struck by how some words morph into something much different when imbued with ironic meaning, E.g. “technicality.”) Sometimes, I guess, ignorance is bliss.
Since you’ve sworn off FB, I should tell you when I finish this comment I’m going onto FB to add “Tried and True Cliches” to the “Interests” portion of my profile.
Done now, so I will save my thoughts on “rewiring” for another day. Here’s a foreshadow of what’s to come: “One Note.”
Happy Trails, Buddy. Perhaps with your newly acquired free time you’ll decide to create an Edgewise Cyper Saloon at Second Life or some other virtual community, and we can have a lot more fun than FB with virtual cigars and single-malt scotch (or very dry vodka martinis up with extra olives). :o)
Thanks, buddy. The scene in the Wizard of Oz comes to mind, where Dorothy says, “I’ll miss you most of all!” But we have many strands in our bond. Be seeing you. peace, mjh