I keep hearing from people who “aren’t into” Facebook and Twitter. You know what those people are saying? “You know what I hate? Keeping in touch with my friends and family. I’d like to distance myself as far from them as possible.”
Facebook is what you make of it. Think it’s lame to be “friended” by someone you barely knew from 10th grade biology? Then don’t befriend her. Want to avoid old girlfriends and/or enemies? Don’t befriend them. Facebook has allowed my wife to rekindle old grudges by conspicuously denying friendships to people she hasn’t seen in 10 years. It’s fantastic!
The common complaint about Twitter is: “I don’t care about what my friends are doing at all hours of the day. ‘Cleaning the toilet! Lots of skidmarks!’ How silly!” You’re a putz. Twitter has a measure of that, to be sure, but it also has friends and celebrities sharing links and information, tossing off witty bon mots, and the occasional photoshopped horrible eye stabbing (WARNING: DO NOT CLICK THAT LINK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES). If you have a friend who tweets nothing but Sartre quotes and poop stories, and you’re not into that, don’t follow him. Don’t want random people seeing your Godot quotes and hemorrhoids anecdotes? Protect your entries.
Not using Facebook and Twitter doesn’t make you cool any more than not using email does. Is your grandmother cool? Well, maybe she is, but that’s because she lets you drink from her flask and got you a bong for your 18th birthday.
I don’t have Facebook or Twitter and I’m pretty sure I’m not a putz. Having just completed a 10 page research paper on Facebook usage, risk, and security I can assure you my reasons have nothing to do with girls from biology.
Perhaps YOU don’t know what Facebook is making out of YOU or the information you provide it.
Now Twitter on the other hand is stupid. In fact, most people (not making up the “most” part) that sign up for a Twitter account realize that immediately and never end up using the service.
Next you’ll be asking to see the President’s birth certificate. Sure, Facebook has pictures of people throwing up on goats, stuff they wouldn’t want potential employers to see. You know what, though? People can put those pictures on Facebook without you joining Facebook. The risk exists whether you participate or not.
Like I said: Twitter is what you make of it. If you think of it only as an opportunity to make tweets like “Pooping; strange color this time!” then yes, Twitter as stupid. If you think of it as a means of brief communication between chosen friends and/or the public, a way to share links and anecdotes, then it’s great fun. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. 🙂