Facebook/LinkedIn

The spelling bee website just reminded me we are less than 32 days away from the Spelling Bee. Times go quick, I remember 2008, my first spelling bee viewing, like it was yesterday; so many possibilities, so much hope, so much spelling! I will definitely be watching this year, especially since it'll be a respite from work. I readily admit: I don't use social networking that much. I don't have twitter, joined LinkedIn but don't update it too much, and barely sign into Facebook anymore. Facebook was a MONUMENTAL idea in 2005-2006: everyone and their mother (literally) had one. It was as essential to one's life as a car, or a toothbrush, or a phone: very few didn't get one, and if you didn't, it was cuz you had this anti-mainstream streak or something just to not go with the convention, which was a testament to the power of facebook. Many argue that the website is still those things, and even more: now you know what your friends are doing, what they'e having for lunch, what games they've just played, what their friends have said about them, which friends you just befriended, which friends your friends have just befriended, etc., etc. Many people call it a miracle, a best invention, the epitome of our times, the thing that links us together. After 5 years + of service with Facebook, though, I call it something else: a distraction. Besides its addictive effects, Facebook is really a menace to the dedicated study program/workplace. One thing Facebook does better than anything else: it makes you multi-task, it makes you focus on it, it makes you do cool things on it, it makes you divert your attention to it. That's great when you're bored and have nothing better to do, NOT great when you don't have time and shouldn't be doing other things, like say.....working at the office. Or studying at school. Or in class. All things I have done, with so far not-disastrous results, but I don't feel good doing it. When I consider after using facebook what I have cost myself in going on facebook, I realize its problems. Sure, you get social responses out of it, it's good for keeping track of friends, keeping in touch, etc., but at what cost? Facebook is I think part of a growing problem of our youths: a shrinking attention span due to the amount of media and things thrown at them. It's almost not their fault. Nowadays you have Ipods, Ipads, facebook, Iphones, blackberries, bluetooths, all things designed for multi-tasking and for people to bring with them WHEREVER they go. Yes, the internet and Ipods and technology arfe more interesting than biology, world history, and French. It's more interesting than a lawsuit, a Mergers & acquisition deal, or a science lab. We flock to it. Some of us who know better can restrain ourselves, but many young kids cannot. They just cannot concentrate on the book in front of them without thinking of using the internet and getting on whatever obsession they recently acquired, unless you physically take away those things, which is tantamount to capital punishment in some cases. Facebook (and other things, I only target Facebook because it is literally the face of this movement) feeds that desire for distraction, the desire to get away, the desire to easily access something that feels good, feels better than what you're doing at that moment. (geez, am I describing facebook or a drug?) It's a very dangerous thing for young minds, and might be more detrimental than its inherent value. Facebook is awesome and something that's changed the world forever, but is it really something that's all positive change? Certainly not.



 Fantasize on, Robert Yan