Facebook

As a non-Facebook user, I've been surprised at how often it seems to have kept cropping up in my little world this week. First there was Jay Connolly's brilliant address at Grad which drew heavily on Facebook for humour and penetrating insights on life as the metaphor was developed. Then the radio seemed to be mentioning Facebook every time that I turned it on, from reflective pieces by an author giving up her Facebook friends because of the unsatisfying shallowness of the contacts to discussions about the potential impact of the new privacy settings. Finally, there was a discussion with the fellow who has declared that tomorrow( May 31st) is 'Quit Facebook' day ! Where then does that leave yours truly?

Well, unaffected for sure in some ways as I said at the beginning that I was not a user, but philosophical in other ways as any student of society would be. It seems to me that Facebook is like any other social phenomenon in that it has its merits, but there's also a downside. A great bottle of red wine shared with family and friends is a worthy social ritual to many but not if it's followed by four more and then a car is involved. Surely, it's all about balance and moderation, not an all or nothing approach. Facebook can never replace real contact and photo's are merely moments captured not moments sustained.

In closing, I did chuckle at the line on the radio piece by an aging female comedian who said, in a way that I can identify with, " At my age, if I want to keep in touch with my friends, I don't need Facebook, I need a Ouija board!"