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Fr. Jonathan Tobias usually posts things way above my pay grade. His recent post about Facebook is one I think I understand. If not, at least I find it convicting on a deeper level even though I continue to resist Facebook. It's a pithier critique of what Facebook and other social network stuff perhaps represents about our lives and potentially does to our souls.
Fr. Jonathan's post "Mimeograph" is worth a read and a few minutes of reflection. You might even want to post it on your Facebook page and Tweet it to your followers.
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12 comments:
Thanks, I love it. Though i think I could sum up my thought about facebook, and yes I do have a facebook account, w/ one word, not even a paragraph or a sentence: Narcissistic.
Facebookers Annynomus? At least the homeless don't have this problem.
"You might even want to post it on your Facebook page and Tweet it to your followers."
heh heh
A blogger complaining about facebookers: now that's rich. Pot meet kettle.
(Please forgive.)
Ranger and Kirk, Bingo. I have no illusion that blogging, facebooking and most of what happens on the internet is about narcissism. Hit counters, flags, followers, stats, friends, younameits are all about ME-ME-ME! I dare anyone to deny that they don't get some ego rush when they open their whatever-page and see comments, new friends, followers and hits on their sites. But in the end its just another manifestation of what goes on in our life in general: fishing for validation and ultimately communion. And generally it's "looking for love in all the wrong places." No forgiveness necessary, in fact, kudos for seeing it for what it really is and having the cojones to call it. :)
Bloggers looking down their noses at FaceBookers, "Thank you Lord that I'm not like that FaceBooker..." There's a pretty funny irony there! :-)
Allan, Actually we're not "better" than Facebookers, just humbler. :)
s-p, I didn't mean to get onto you. I can see how we could become over-familiar with others via facebook or twitter. I don't tweet, and I don't need a play-by-play from people who think I need to know that they just ordered a half-caff soy milk mocha latte. I could give you examples of instances where people posted Too Much Information on their facebook pages--stuff I didn't really need to know and don't even want to think about.
On the other hand, I think there needs to be a balance between being totally detached from others and showing a loving concern or interest in their lives. The failure to communicate with others prevents unity and promotes indifference. On the other side of the spectrum, loving concern often leads to gossip and idle talk, which is counter-productive (and sinful).
(Oops...Moo answered this one. I can't keep my alter egos straight anymore.)
Hi Kirk, No offense taken at all. Ultimately you are correct, there is nothing inherently evil about Facebook, email etc. any more than there is about "normal conversation". Insofar as any human interactions reflect love or narcisssism they can become a means of communion or sin. That said, it seems to me the internet tends to highlight the darker side of our humanity more than illuminates our relationships.
(weird, creepy music playing, lights are dim and the wind is howling...and a voice from the other world begins to speak...)
JOIN US, STEVE. HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY DENY ALL THOSE POTENTIAL FACEBOOK NETWORKERS THE STORIES ABOUT MOO AND YOUR PERSONAL BLOG POSTS? AND WHAT WILL BECOME OF THOSE WHO OWN STOCK IN THE FAST FOOD COMPANIES YOU PATRONIZE ONCE YOU STOP WORKING? HOW MANY MORE WOULD KNOW TO DUMP THEIR STOCK AFOREHAND?
JOIN US STEVE....
NOOOOOOO!! YOU'RE NOT MY FACE!! I'LL NEVER TURN TO THE DARK SIDE!!! :)
WE'LL GET YOU YET, MY PRETTY...
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