Friday, January 8, 2010

Facebook might be Pandora's Box

I'm beginning to wonder if when I joined Facebook perhaps I might have unwittingly opened pandora's box. Sure there are benefits. We know immediately when we can expect our children to get the stomach virus because everyone's status tells us it's heading our way. We always know when there are sales at stores, thanks to the mommas out there who actually leave their houses during the day. And most importantly, I can always depend of Facebook to let me know that there are other people out there with lives very close to mine. Empathy is a comfort.


But, I think perhaps that the negatives might override the positives.

1) I can never-ever gain weight without everyone knowing. It's like we have a living weight chart on the world wide web. "Kristina looks like she's packed on about 15 lbs. since last June. See this pic versus her brand new profile pic." Don't post pictures of yourself you say? I don't have to, because there are people who take their annoyingly addictive I-phones around, take pictures and tag you in them. Then the tag tug-o-war begins. I'm tagged, I untag myself, someone else tags me, I untag myself again... so on so forth... I and my seesawing weight are forever immortalized on the internet. It's kind of like the tabloids with Oprah or Kirstie without the headlines of course. Thank GOD there are no headlines....


2) I can never surprise anyone with a fun factoid. "Yeah, I saw that on Facebook" Really ruins the enjoyment of quasi gossip. e.g.: Did you hear that so and so is pregnant? Did you know about so and so's new purchase? it goes on and on... every body knows everything instantly.


3) It causes me to almost sin on a daily basis. My friend Amy says it DOES cause her to sin. My other friend Cheri says it's not sinning if you realize that it might be...? I call it Facebook Coveting. Before Facebook I didn't have to see my friend's delicious meal that is sitting right in front of them at this very moment at S.A.B. while I'm having Cheerios for dinner. Before Facebook, I didn't have to see a bajazillion pictures of Hawaii while I am swimming in rain (I love you Kimberly).  I'll stop now, before I tell you the times when I've REALLY sinned while reading stuff on FB.


4) I constantly think about my life in terms of status updates and postings. Is this event status update worthy? I should post that on Facebook. I bet that would get tons of comments on Facebook. It's kind of like in 10th grade when I was addicted to Tetris. (yes, I played video games too much, yes, I was a dork, and no, I didn't have a boyfriend... I was too fat for one -- thank heavens there was no constant pictorial documentation back then...).  We rented it from the movie place, and I played non-stop. It got so bad that I begin to try to fit imaginary Tetris shapes into various silhouettes in my real life. STOP THE MADNESS!!!

But the box is open, and quite frankly I don't think I can stop, but curbing back is highly in order. We'll see. So, signing off for now. I need to go post a link to this posting on my profile.

2 comments:

Brown Family Blog said...

LOL...loved it Kristina!So true...

Amy Ruth said...

Girl, you know I agree! And you crack me right up!!! :-) Love ya!