dropping it like a bad habit... which for me it is
After using it for the past 3 years I have been wrestling with the idea of quitting facebook for awhile now. Last week I finally decided that I was actually going to do it. I also decided that I would do a 10-day countdown before leaving FB to allow folks who wanted to stay in touch the chance to make sure they had my contact details . Once I made the decision to quit and announced it on my FB profile (and status updates) I received an unexpected backlash. I've had quite a few people try to persuade me to stay on FB and harangue me about why I could possibly think quitting FB would be a good thing. Because of this response I have decided to do a blog post with some of my reasons for quitting FB. I'm not going to post all of my reasons and some of the things I'll post below are more a response to the "outcry" for leaving.
Before I get to any of my reasons I feel I should state that this is a personal decision I am making and not a wholesale condemnation of FB and those who use it (which is how it seems some folks have taken it). I readily agree that FB can be a great tool and that is has many good things to offer. My decision to leave is exactly that, my decision, and I don't have any issues with people who choose to use FB. Brooke is going to continue using FB and I think that's fine. At any rate, in no particular order, here are my reasons/responses for choosing to quit FB:
- For me FB is a huge timesuck. I have found myself wasting way too much time on FB and it is too convenient a distraction for me when I'm procrastinating (which I tend to do). I have found myself going on FB to check out one thing and and then realizing that I have wasted an hour checking out photo albums and updates that I didn't really need to. Again, I'm not saying this is a problem for everyone or that it's a reason for everyone to quit FB, but for me it is.
- I never keep up with my FB messages. I currently have an inbox full of messages that I haven't replied to. Since these messages don't pop into view every time I log onto FB I tend to forget they're there and then never respond. I find it much easier to stay on top of my normal email and to reply to them in a timely fashion. So for me the format of FB is not a more convenient way to "stay in touch."
- FB is a technology I don't really need. I guess I'm the new version of "Old Fashioned" but I have an email account, a Skype account, and a blog. This makes it very easy for people to stay in touch with me if they so choose. I had several people comment on my FB page that I shouldn't leave because it makes it so easy for people to stay connected with me. I personally think this is an exaggeration. If you don't have time to check my blog, send me an email, or give me a call; then I think the argument can be made that you aren't really that interested in staying in touch in the first place. The interesting thing to me here is that the majority of people (not all) who have tried to tell me I shouldn't leave FB because it makes it so easy to stay in touch are people who have never really communicated with me through FB.
- Following on that thought I think FB fosters a false sense of community. If you think you know what's going on with me or that you are "staying in touch" with me because you look at my FB profile occasionally, you are sadly mistaken. While I'm not denying that it can be used for good, I think FB creates the illusion of being connected with people when in reality you have little more than a latent awareness that other people are out there doing stuff. This type of "community" in my opinion is analogous to the sound-byte public discourse we've become accustomed to. There is definitely something alluring to this type of latent awareness but I've decided to reject the allure. If you want to know what's going on with me and what I'm thinking then my blog will give you a better picture of that than my FB page. If that doesn't work send me an email or, heaven forbid, call me so we can actually talk.
- Contrary to popular opinion, just because you can use a particular form of technology doesn't mean you should and just because many other people are using it doesn't mean you need to.
- I'm sick of having to ignore hundreds of "invitations" to use stupid, time-wasting, FB applications and am embarrassed to admit that I am guilty of having "invited" people to use them in the past.
I have several other reasons why I'm quitting but I'm sure that if the ones I've listed aren't good enough for you then you won't be happy with any of my reasons. That's okay, I don't need you to be. I look forward to staying in touch with all of you who want to stay in touch, the touching just won't be taking place via FB. Four more days and the habit is dropped.
posted by Travis @ 8:12 AM
17 comments
17 Comments:
Sounds like an imminently reasonable decision, man. I particularly like your thoughts on the false sense of community it can tend towards, even as it does help supplement many aspects of the communication in my local community.
thanks neil. again, i agree that it can be used well as in your community. however, maybe this is just an admission on my part that i don't use it well but i think the majority of people use it more as a pseudo-community than to foster and supplement and already active communal life. that maybe a bit too harsh of a generalization though.
Yay, Travis!
Thanks for putting into words what I've been too lazy to explain to other friends re: my thoughts on FB.
Yes, I do have FB, but pretty much for one reason only:
I just leave my profile out there like bait for old, long-lost friends and family. There are those that I've lost touch with, regretted it, tried to get back in touch, then found they've moved. And I just can't always track them down all that easily.
So I leave the bait bobber out there on the water. And every now and then it twitches, and I reel in another great catch.
Most recently:
-1-
A sweet "old" friend I knew from Covenant College, but whose name had changed to I-don't-know-what when she married. And (Whaddayaknow!) it just turns out that she's living 80 miles away in the Twin Cities.
-2-
An old chum from my high school and my "original church" (not what I think of as a living one, but I had friends there, just the same).
I'm glad for us all to have found each other.
================================================
But still, like you, I can't linger on Facebook. I'll wander around in there and waste a good hour in a minute flat, with nothing to show for it. So I keep Facebook for little more than a doorway to revive some old friendships, but then quickly move the conversations away from FB and into "traditional" email, and even the more archaic forms of communication, such as phoning, writing on murdered trees, or even such novel things as meeting in person (whenever possible).
One day I might even dump FB completely, myself. We'll see.
So glad to have seen you guys not too long ago. Hope it won't be too long before the next. Oh, and I'll try to get around to sending you some lovely photos I took of you that last Sunday we saw you. (You manly man, you.)
God bless your whole bunch!
John Hake
thanks for the sympathy john. i don't know when we'll make it back to rochester, definitely not before we leave for NZ. hope all is well with you.
I think you should drop it like it's hot instead.
...your reasons make sense. I am using it for networking a bit (you wouldn't believe how many philosophers are on FB) and a link aggregator, a way to share with my friends.
colleen, you should know i always drop it like it's hot. it's just my way. :-)
fb righteousness on either end, it's driving me crazy, not that I'm accusing you of that Travis, sorry I was a jerk on your fb comments, I'll keep your blog bookmarked and will probably check in occasionally, if there's a problem I'm all for radical surgery, cut it out, cut it off ex cetera. i for one am so glad for fb for the reconnection with old friends and the opportunity for reconciliation it's afforded with old girlfriends. it's also been a great tool in ministry because like it or not people use it
as I'm sure you figured, that last post and this one, are from rob not claudia, and i like that you're responding to each comment, like as if it were on fb or something :)
rob,
no worries brother. like i said in my post, i fully admit that fb can be a good tool and i'm not suggesting that evryone should quit. for me though it's not a great option. who knows, maybe someday it will be and i'll rejoin. for now though i think this is the best decision.
i'm glad to hear that you'll be stopping by the blog occasionally. hope all is well in the northwest.
replace "facebook" or "fb" for pants and/or zippers and you have pretty much my same reasons for letting my zipper open and/or deciding not to wear pants on a consistent basis.
Travis, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain your rationale. You are so thoughtful about things, and I was curious about your thoughts. They are all great reasons. So glad you have a blog where I can keep up on your wanderings.
tom - uh.... wow. you never cease to amaze me. please have pants on when you pick me up at the airport tonight. i don't even want to know what kind of security fiasco that might cause.
marcie - thanks and thanks.
tom, really funny. All should go back and read it with those substitutions
-rob
Travis, Thanks for your insights on the FB world. As I work w/ students I see the common theme of no time but everyone is up to date on the latest FB info. I rate the group sign ups about as high as chain letters and robo calls. I know that I am a slacker but I read your blog ofter to keep up w/ your travels,thoughts and ramblings. It has been a long time since we solved our problems over breakfast and the proper coffee, cream to sugar ratios. We think of you often. Keep faithful. We love you guys. Jon & Cindy
Was interesting reading your reasons for leaving FB (thanks for taking the time to share them btw) and I can fully understand why you chose to take that step.. i just wish I had the guts to do that too sometimes! Its always made me laugh how the novelty of it wears off fast when I don't have any uni assignments to procrastinate over..
-Priscilla
Trav. am current, i read every post you made in forever. I joined fb cuz i thought it would be a way to keep in touch. but you're right it hasn't been living up to my expectations. sometimes i am amused or surprised, but not often. and i, too, have felt like a schmuck for ignoring, even hating so many invitations. i don't have time or energy to check everyone's status, etc. i never look at pics unless I AM tagged or it's my grandchilren. i'd like my internet interatctions to be, well, relevant (?), faithful(?) even if it's in an ordinary everyday way. it's a burden to try to be clever and brilliant when you aren't...so i'm questioning some of this, too, and wishing i had more insight. thanks for letting us know why you're doing this.
margie,
thanks for the comment. well written as usual.
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