Why I don't Facebook

I don’t have anything against people who use Facebook. I personally choose not to have one, and I have often been asked why. When I answer, the asking individual often seems to feel the need to apologize for their own Facebook account. Why? I was asked—and gave—my own personal reasons for not joining. I was not condemning the other individual for their decision.

However, I do have some concerns about the site in general…so, even though you did not ask, I would like to give you my reasons for NOT joining Facebook.

1. It’s a waste of time—How many hours can someone spend in the virtual realm? I have enough trouble not wasting time as it is…why add another distraction.

2. I don’t have time—Work starts for me at 7:00 a.m. and I’m up by 4:15 to make sure I get there on time. After work, I also have evening classes—which by-the-way don’t end until 10:00 p.m. I’m usually not in bed ‘til between 11:15 and 11:30 p.m.

3. It’s a faux relationship builder. What happened to spending time with the family and friends that are flesh-and-blood living beings? I covet the nights I don’t have class, and I can sit down to dinner with my family. Sometimes I still feel like an international student living in my own home. I just found out someone was pregnant with twins—and I didn’t even know she’d been married for several years already. Talk about being out of the loop!

a. Virtual “friendships” (even with those you already know in real life) are shallow. If you are willing to friend me on Facebook, yet you never even talk to me in person/real life, I don’t consider you a real friend. A true friend who wants to build into the relationship will be willing—and desirous—to spend time: on the phone, to sit and write a letter/email, to go for coffee—even if it only works out once or twice a year.

4. It breaks down the barriers of discretion—How many intimate details of daily living are people willing to share over the internet, that they would be mortified (or even just slightly embarrassed) to speak or elude to in the presence of another person. The internet has made it easy for people to create a persona for themselves that isn’t necessarily accurate. As the country song goes: “I’m so much cooler online Yeah, I'm cooler online.” Do I really need to know what color bra you are wearing (yes, that was a real status update phenomenon on Facebook last year)? Or what celebrity you think you look most like? Or that you got “stoned” on your homemade skittles vodka (with pics of course)???? Really people?! Is there no shame anymore?!

5. It’s ridiculous! Imagine what life would be like if Facebook went live. If we LIVED Facebook!!! How absurd would life be?!!!