May 16, 2011

An Open Letter to My Facebook Friends



"Gone" by 2Raven ^
  “Therefore it is wiser to have a reputation for meanness which brings reproach without hatred, than to be compelled through seeking a reputation for liberality to incur a name for rapacity which begets reproach with hatred.” Attributed to Machiavelli*


Recently, I decided to turn my back on Facebook. To date, it has been over two weeks since I have posted a status update, a news link or something from YouTube.
I will admit to considering, in depth, the benefits of deleting my Facebook (herein FB) account all together. It seems, via FB, I am monitored, scrutinised, accused, belittled and insulted. I found myself a witness to my own censoring of what I wrote, wondering later, if an innocuous status update might be misconstrued and used against me. Perhaps this seems paranoid, but it has happened. As Nietzsche is reported to have written, “there are no facts, only interpretations”+.

FB infuriates me. It is rife with misspellings, nonsense, bigotry, bossiness, snoops, hidden agendas, cruelty – the list could go on. Once upon a time, FB was a bit of fun, but no longer. I do not want my life scrutinised. I do not want my day to day goings on left open to public debate. Yes, it is egotistical to think anyone does this, but I have been around enough people to know that once something is seen or said on FB, it becomes gospel and heaven help you if something innocuous is misconstrued into something resembling nothing of its original conception.

My living in London has not changed me. I am still the same person as I was when I was living in Brisbane. I still have the right to make my own decisions. I have made it to 30 years old with a sound knowledge of what I want to get out of my life. I have not suddenly reverted back to being a 5 year old who needs to be monitored constantly, and finger slapped for being caught in the biscuit tin.

To make a long story short, I will be on FB, if and when I see fit.

At the moment, it is a source of aggravation and I refuse to have that influence near me. I will update the blog when I have something worth blogging about, I will email when I have something worth emailing and I will be back on FB when I have something worth using it for.

Nobody should read this as a personal letter. This decision has been coming for some time.




^ http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=gone#/d7whov
* Machiavelli - http://www.constitution.org/mac/prince16.htm
+ Neitzsche - http://www.nietzsche-quotes.com/other-nietzsche-quotes