Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Irony of "Social" Media

Remember the good 'ol days when you had to call people on the phone to communicate with them.  When you would have to hop in the car to go have face to face discussions with your loved ones?  These days it's all about social media outlets to stay connected.  Myspace paved the way for the heavyweights Facebook and Twitter.  There are 100 other examples but these are the two I'm familiar with.  I primarily use Facebook so I'm gonna focus on that.  Just as in life, friends come and go on Facebook.  Almost like childhood, the number of friends you have depends on how popular or nosey you are.  My question is, have these methods of staying connected actually de-connected us?  There are people that are on my friends list that I see out and about who won't say a word to me in person but pour their hearts out for anybody to see online.  In the social web, people gather in mini social groups.  You have the gym goers who have to check in to show the world that they take care of themselves every day.  Most of these people check in 50% of the time at the gym and 50% at the bar, go figure.  The self-portrait peeps who take 1000 pictures of themselves in the same pose in the bathroom and post every single one in hopes of compliments.  I'd like to see pictures of these people putting some windex on their bathroom mirror.  The self loathers who fish for compliments and try to sell the whoa is me sad story every day.  The inspirational quote over posters who feel that they need to show the world that they aren't as fucked up as they really are.  The living through their kids peeps who never post shit about themselves.  I hope that if there is a reunion of some sort that you bring the kid cause I don't know who the hell you are but I could talk to them about their sports careers, swim lessons, haircut, time with paw paw and mee maw, etc...  The stealth moder's, who never post shit or like anything but read everybody's stuff daily.  Then when they do post something twice a year you automatically like it in hopes that they'll post something again.  The E-carders who don't have an original thought in their head so they copy and paste these cards with the old time people on them.  Why can't we cut out the middle man and just connect me with the people that put them together.  The bored housewife who stays connected all day and night while somehow taking care of the household.  I could go on and on but you get the point.  Which one am I?  Im the guy who tries to put a smile on your face and make you laugh whether you are online or right in front of me.  The guy who is sure to give you a smile and a hug or handshake when I see you.  The guy who appreciates everyone that I have the ability to stay connected with.  The guy who treats everyone the way they deserve to be treated regardless of your circumstances.  The guy who would much rather hear your voice than have you like my status.  Sometimes we get lost in seeing people as their avatar online.  I encourage you to reach out in ways that matter.  Life is too short to lose personal relationships for convenient ones.  Until next time, I have to put this on facebook so my friends can continue to know me.