Deactivating Facebook NOT Friendships
The title summarises what my intentions are but I genuinely need your help to do this.
I've been bored with Facebook for a year or two now but because much of my work is online I often find myself procrastinating. This time last year, I decided that I wouldn't deactivate Facebook but instead I'd use it less; I didn't reduce my procrastination as much as I had hoped. It's undoubtedly hypnotic and on reflection, I consider that I may have an addiction. In 2012, a study was released regarding social networking addictions; I know that I score unhealthily high on this.
I feel that someone like myself, with a career in media, and anyone with an inquisitive mind, will find that they are far more susceptible to this addiction. One thing I have learnt since reducing my use of the site is that it's no longer appeasing my intellectual needs with regards to quality of information, news, business or research. It's also not greatly appeasing the reason that I first signed up which was to stay in touch with people; those people mostly text or call my mobile anyway - something that I would like you to do if you are reading this (check you have my number now). I was one of the early registrants of Facebook and I've seen some massive changes with it over the years; the majority of it these days is crap when compared to more specialist social networking sites; Twitter and mainstream sites are better for news, talking is better for community knowledge. Photography, music and video sites fulfil my anti-social entertainment requirements. There are far too many spammy adverts on Facebook, at least with Twitter they tend to be more targeted. Mainly I miss the true connections that have been murdered by Facebook; in this new world it's now acceptable to wish someone Happy Birthday without meeting up with them to celebrate (guilty).
The main reason that I didn't deactivate last year was because I thought that my career depended on having a social networking presence but now Facebook only significantly benefits small businesses when you pay for promoted advertising, - I've tested both adverts with and without funding. I'll be handing over the Facebook web presence of my business to a trusted friend as most of my business is repeat business from people who recognise my abilities. For those that want to stay in touch for business networking, my websites and name score highly on a Google vanity search and so I'm pretty convinced that people can easily find an alternative business contact and I no longer fear that my business will suffer without Facebook. I also believe that any actors, actresses or production crew that I wish to work with again are all contactable without the site but I may later open up a pseudonym page just to be a member of certain groups that advertise contracts and roles that are appropriate but would still appreciate that people get in touch with me if they see something appropriate, that's what real friends do (I hope).
Socially, I'm going to miss those people that don't show up anywhere other than Facebook but have to question if they were ever really 'there' anyway. Facebook, to me, currently feels like a business dating site. Even if considering it as a social or romantic dating site; to this day I've never founded an emotionally fulfilling relationship online; who are those men and women anyway? - how fascinating thou art? Please explain to a single man with high expectations how it is that swiping right finds 'the one' - surely using a process of elimination, rationally, only works if you're sure that 'the one' is present... yes I'm cynical with Internet dating and I find the concept socially fascinating but that's for another blog, some other time.
So yes I will be going off of Facebook soon; at least for a while. Maybe I'll show up again in the future especially if I find that it does actually have more benefits than I can currently perceive (I am sometimes wrong just not very often)... if so maybe it will be temporarily, maybe permanent - I can't yet be sure. Any addiction generally has a negative effect on the self but sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll all have a greater number of perceived benefits that I can currently score to Facebook.
As I said in the header, I'm not deactivating friendships and would love to stay in touch with people even if I haven't seen you for years. It would be great if you stay in touch and will help me with the whole Anti-Social Abuse Disorder thing so text me, call me, Skype me, email me, meet me, tweet me, sing to me, hug me etc. One thing I know that will surely make me return to Facebook is if I find that my real social life is adversely affected. This is actually a likely problem as I see a lot of people, including many on my friend's list, depending on Facebook more than they either realise or would care to admit.
Private message me for my number if you don't have it already. If you do have it already, get in touch and we'll do something real. I'll still be online but I'll be elsewhere plus because I'll be wasting less time with abusive distractions, silly memes, idiots, trolls, flamers, cats and unfunny marketing videos, I should actually have MORE time on my hands to experience some real connections and get more done.
Great video with some good points... anyways I love you all and wish you a Happy Christmas!
Ciao
AK
x
I've been bored with Facebook for a year or two now but because much of my work is online I often find myself procrastinating. This time last year, I decided that I wouldn't deactivate Facebook but instead I'd use it less; I didn't reduce my procrastination as much as I had hoped. It's undoubtedly hypnotic and on reflection, I consider that I may have an addiction. In 2012, a study was released regarding social networking addictions; I know that I score unhealthily high on this.
I feel that someone like myself, with a career in media, and anyone with an inquisitive mind, will find that they are far more susceptible to this addiction. One thing I have learnt since reducing my use of the site is that it's no longer appeasing my intellectual needs with regards to quality of information, news, business or research. It's also not greatly appeasing the reason that I first signed up which was to stay in touch with people; those people mostly text or call my mobile anyway - something that I would like you to do if you are reading this (check you have my number now). I was one of the early registrants of Facebook and I've seen some massive changes with it over the years; the majority of it these days is crap when compared to more specialist social networking sites; Twitter and mainstream sites are better for news, talking is better for community knowledge. Photography, music and video sites fulfil my anti-social entertainment requirements. There are far too many spammy adverts on Facebook, at least with Twitter they tend to be more targeted. Mainly I miss the true connections that have been murdered by Facebook; in this new world it's now acceptable to wish someone Happy Birthday without meeting up with them to celebrate (guilty).
The main reason that I didn't deactivate last year was because I thought that my career depended on having a social networking presence but now Facebook only significantly benefits small businesses when you pay for promoted advertising, - I've tested both adverts with and without funding. I'll be handing over the Facebook web presence of my business to a trusted friend as most of my business is repeat business from people who recognise my abilities. For those that want to stay in touch for business networking, my websites and name score highly on a Google vanity search and so I'm pretty convinced that people can easily find an alternative business contact and I no longer fear that my business will suffer without Facebook. I also believe that any actors, actresses or production crew that I wish to work with again are all contactable without the site but I may later open up a pseudonym page just to be a member of certain groups that advertise contracts and roles that are appropriate but would still appreciate that people get in touch with me if they see something appropriate, that's what real friends do (I hope).
Socially, I'm going to miss those people that don't show up anywhere other than Facebook but have to question if they were ever really 'there' anyway. Facebook, to me, currently feels like a business dating site. Even if considering it as a social or romantic dating site; to this day I've never founded an emotionally fulfilling relationship online; who are those men and women anyway? - how fascinating thou art? Please explain to a single man with high expectations how it is that swiping right finds 'the one' - surely using a process of elimination, rationally, only works if you're sure that 'the one' is present... yes I'm cynical with Internet dating and I find the concept socially fascinating but that's for another blog, some other time.
As I said in the header, I'm not deactivating friendships and would love to stay in touch with people even if I haven't seen you for years. It would be great if you stay in touch and will help me with the whole Anti-Social Abuse Disorder thing so text me, call me, Skype me, email me, meet me, tweet me, sing to me, hug me etc. One thing I know that will surely make me return to Facebook is if I find that my real social life is adversely affected. This is actually a likely problem as I see a lot of people, including many on my friend's list, depending on Facebook more than they either realise or would care to admit.
Private message me for my number if you don't have it already. If you do have it already, get in touch and we'll do something real. I'll still be online but I'll be elsewhere plus because I'll be wasting less time with abusive distractions, silly memes, idiots, trolls, flamers, cats and unfunny marketing videos, I should actually have MORE time on my hands to experience some real connections and get more done.
Great video with some good points... anyways I love you all and wish you a Happy Christmas!
Ciao
AK
x
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