OK, I don’t hate FB, I just find it a poor substitute for the way I want to communicate in the virtual world. What started out as a fun diversion, a way to keep in touch with the people I had lost from Y!360, and finding people from my past, has turned into a monster. As time goes by, my presence is becoming more diminished and I am receding into the invisible walls and dark recesses of a place that shines a light too brightly for my taste. The addition of coworkers and being an administrator for a Cause (at work) has turned my private life public. That is why this will not appear on FB Networked Blogs. I need my little corner of the virtual world where I can say whatever I like without having unwanted eyes on my world.
I hate to dwell on the past, but Y!360 had it all. It was centered around the blog. I found that to be the perfect way for me to connect with people. You could assess someone’s writing skills (i.e. intelligence), their interests (interesting vs. nut job), integrity (genuine vs. sleaze ball), and potential as a friend (or stalker, psychopath, sociopath, etc). It was not perfect; some of the loonies got through, but there was always the remove button and when necessary, the block option. You could also send private messages and IM (something I have burned out on and have no patience for). Facebook has these as well, but unless you already know the person, there is little substance from which to make any assessment. I can think of only one “new” person on FB who I have engaged in meaningful discourse and he was on Y!360 – we just did not connect in time before it shut down.
I know that I will continue to use Facebook, but I will keep it light and behave… damn, I hate to behave! But since it has become as much of a social marketing tool as LinkedIn and the like, I have to keep it semi-professional – the “semi” being as much of a concession as I am willing to make. I suppose that I could create another profile, but I really don’t feel like managing two pages.
So, for now, I will post this blog (and other like it) here. If nobody sees it, so be it. I want to write without having my hands tied. I wrote before Y!360 and I will continue to write. It was nice having that audience and getting the feedback, but that option is gone – until something better comes along.
6 comments:
Well, I for one am glad to see that you will continue to write on this blog, and that what you post will likely be the best writing you have to offer. I hate FB, too, for many of the same reasons as you do, and that's why I shut down my FB profile. Call me old fashioned, but I don't much like communicating in "bites of bytes". Just as I say good journalism is dead (it is, you know), so is the art of the written word for communicating with one another.
I have a love/hate relationship with fb -- and I totally agree with you that I miss Y360 too . . . such is the life.
and being semi anything sux!
Keep writing babe -- jj:)
FB irks the shit out of me, but as you know, I'm on it. I have a bunch of friends that think it's important to report what they're eating, & that's tiresome. Whatever.
I miss 360, too...but I've kept contact with most of the people I wanted to (you're on that list, duh), so in the end, I'm good. It just got so hard at the end with all of it's "quirks"...
I can understand completely.I feel silenced as of late.And am working to get that back.
Damn yahoo for ruining what was golden for so long.
Thank you all for proving me wrong about nobody reading this. I am committed to writing the way I used to and I am so glad to see others who are continuing to write or are ready to start up up again.
As far as FB goes, I am trying to put some things of substance on there and see what happens...
Interestingly, I was on facebook long before I joined 360. Which means I was among the original target audience: college students.
360 sparked the writer in me, but I outgrew it and moved on before its demise. I'm very happy on my independent space, though I never seem to have time to post regularly these days. Glad you'll still be here!
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