This morning as I read the FB "news," I learn about the state of life in the Ukraine from a visiting journalism professor, see one of the funniest and brightest guys I know make fun of himself and the entire male gender, read an article about spiral learning, enjoy a few new pieces of art, glance at several music video offerings and think about coming back later for them ... but probably won't, contemplate several pithy quotes, awwwww over the mandatory cute animal photos, and in general start my day on a positive note. And, never did I find out what anyone had for breakfast.
Nor did I immerse myself in the gloom and doom, mayhem and violence, or rape and murder of the world's "real" news. For my entire life I've been a small-time news junkie; I couldn't imagine life without a daily paper and the evening news. Four years ago I went cold turkey and all I can say is that I am much happier starting my day with FB than I ever was with "hard news."
It's an understatement to say that FB is a phenomenon, but I wonder about all the ways it's changing us. I have 339 FB "friends" ... not a particularly large number but far more than I would actually call "friends" in the deeper sense of the word. There are few of those 339 folks that I could call in the middle of the night and ask them for a favor. But they do enlarge my world. They bring me information and ideas that I might never be exposed to. I have friends whose political or religious views are diametrically opposed to my own. I can read their posts and comments and consider them in my own style and pace. I don't have to reject the ideas or the person.
Perhaps FB, in a slow, gentle, non-threatening way, will offer us a way to hear each other. Who knows where that could lead us.
About this image: "Crack in the World" is a new piece and you can see it and other abstracts in my "Abstract and Almost" website gallery.
I like your new art piece!
ReplyDeleteLike Twitter and other social media sites, FB becomes whatever one may make of it. I use it primarily to stay up on literature and art events and offerings; it's easy to use it to track museums, galleries, and publishers. I think it's also been helpful for posting info about my poetry.
i am not a huge FB user -- not because I don't like it but rather because I've been time poor and my experience is -- it takes time.
ReplyDeleteMy goal as I move out of shelter work to freelance work is to carve opportunities for more in my life.
And I too like the image -- very compelling.
Another interesting post to to consider. I agree with Louise, Facebook as well as other social media outlets does take a lot of time and thought. I keep my follows/friends #s low by choice so I may connect with people I am truly interested in connecting, learning, and sharing with.
ReplyDeleteMaureen, Louise and Erica ... thanks for your comments. I agree that social media takes time. But, it's a non-demanding time consumer and ebbs and flows with my schedule.
ReplyDeleteI love this piece; just scrumptious!
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