JokerClown88's Soapbox - Social Networking

I do not Twitter. Nor do I Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, Hi-five, Orkut or engage in any other form of on-line social networking.

I want no part of it. Social networking, I have long argued, is yet another rung on the downward spiraling ladder of what used to be our society. It allows people to scream “look at me” while engaging in the most narcissistically boring comments ever scribed on behalf of mankind; “JD's status is that his tummy is full and he’s heading to bed.” Riveting.

Social networking also makes us cowards. More and more we communicate with other people by hiding behind the computer and/or cell phone while espousing some idiotic defense akin to “everybody’s doing it.” People are breaking up relationships via texting, Facebook postings and Twitter announcements; and why not? Why go to the trouble of showing the other person some dignity when you can hide behind your own keyboard and spare yourself the pain of disappointing another person face-to-face? Soon enough employees will be terminated, children disciplined and, divorces settled all though a total lack of human interaction, and yet for all of the world to see. No shame, no privacy, no courage.

I am certain we are only days away from watching the funerals of loved ones from the comfort of our own homes via web-streaming. Certainly that saves us all the pain of not only traveling and dressing up, but also having to deal with all of those sad people and their needy emotions and desire to be around others for comfort.

We already have traveling and non-present parents watching their children’s sporting events on-line, why not extend it?  After all, when someone like me dares to criticize a father who watches his son win the little league game from his hotel room in Omaha, I am called insensitive. I should be happy, I am told, that such technology exists to allow the father to still be part of his son’s life.

And that’s really the problem isn’t it?

We all like to hide behind technological advancements as though they bring struggling families together, when in fact we all know that what they truly do is drive most of us apart even further. Decades ago, as dad was faced with a crying child who didn’t want to see his father fly to Omaha the night of the big game, dad was confronted with actually dealing with it; either by explaining the misfortunes and unfairness of life to his son or by analyzing his own priorities as a father. Today, thanks to technology, dad just says “it’s okay, son, I’ll be watching from my room.” Ah, yes, another life lesson avoided. Thank God.

And so it should come as no surprise to you that I am looooving; absolutely loving, the consequences that are being thrust down upon social networkers. Yes, that’s right, my tweeters and my-facers, there are even consequences to all actions in a virtual, removed world.

More and more, people are being terminated, caught-in-the-act, and even robbed, all as a result of their incessant need for self-importance through social networking sites. Far be it from me to celebrate people losing their jobs or having their homes pillaged, but let’s just say that such occurrences as a direct result of my-face put a spring in my step, a song in my heart and a brief glimmer of hope that there is still perhaps a higher power directing us to our ultimate doom; A higher power with a simply awesome sense of humor.

Those of you that cry “how can they fire me for something I do in my personal time,” are naïve and stupid beyond words. All professions have morals clauses, implied or implicit.

A school teacher simply cannot be seen dancing on tables in bars, whether it be on a social networking site or by a group of her students’ parents. You can scream and moan and cry about it as much as you want, but it’s always been the truth. The arguments against it lie atop the scrap heap of excuses next to how unfair it is that employers judge people with tattoos, piercings and an inability to form complete sentences…it may upset you, but your hurt feelings don’t change the facts of life. Those of you my age and older will remember the days that teachers who smoked cigarettes did so behind blacked out windows and solid walls so that they wouldn’t be seen doing so, lest it leave a bad impression. If you don’t want to be seen dancing drunken on a bar table, don’t proudly put the picture on your Facebook page, dummy.

Work for Coors? You probably should not post photos of yourself drinking Budweiser. Don’t like that rule? Work somewhere else…or don’t put your life on display on your my Space page, dummy.

Traveling? Stop telling people, dummy. This is the crème de la crème…the piece de resistance, the cherry on top of my life’s sundae; the new rage amongst criminals is using facebook and twitter messages to discover who is traveling while on vacation, thus leaving behind an empty house ripe for a crime spree. Literally hundreds of Americans have been robbed this summer as a result of their asinine and short sighted need to advertise the fact that they’re not at home, anywhere near their home or coming home anytime soon. How beautifully poetic and just it is to see people who feel the need to scream “look at me I on vacation,” in a small, petty display of classlessness be punished by a home that is robbed. I hope it was worth it.

Before you begin with your lame attempts at moral equivalency, don’t even try the “it’s the same as sharing photos with people you love when you come home,” argument. No it isn’t. This form of “sharing,” masked as a wonderful way of communicating with the 2,350 most important people in your life while experiencing the joys of vacation is nothing more than the worst of humankind on display…and you know it. Sharing photos after a vacation with the few people who truly want to relive your joyous experiences is part of the wonderment of solid inter-personal relationships. Taking time out from your alleged vacation to upload photos of yourself in a bikini half a world away is nothing more than bragging; a real world, 21st century way of telling people you are supposed to be friends with, “look at me, today, right now, I am better than you.”

I changed my earlier thought; I AM glad that you get robbed. Perhaps humility can find its way to you via a small violation of what’s left of your personal dignity. I had my home broken into once, more than a decade ago, in the old fashioned way; the scumbag broke the lock on my back door in the middle of the day while I was at work. It was, still to this day, the most violated I have ever felt in my life. It began my love affair with guns, Cats and self reliance. It was truly a life changing event. I can only hope, I suppose, that some of you will experience the same catharsis as you fall victim to some sort of devastation in your life as result of your hollow need for social networks. Perhaps finding important things missing or destroyed will provide a wake up call to the prospect that there’s more to life than thinking you matter to a myriad of people who play the “look at me” game. Perhaps, thought it’s not likely.

Here is my challange for you.  Take a week off. No cell phone, no computer, no form of technological interaction whatsoever. You must personally talk to people, drive to places and do actual things.  At the end of the week, if you allow yourself, you’ll learn two very valuable lessons: You are not nearly as important as you thought you were and it feels so very good to not be very important.    

I do not Twitter. Nor do I Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, Hi-five, Orkut or engage in any other form of on-line social networking.

I want no part of it. Social networking, I have long argued, is yet another rung on the downward spiraling ladder of what used to be our society. It allows people to scream “look at me” while engaging in the most narcissistically boring comments ever scribed on behalf of mankind; “JD's status is that his tummy is full and he’s heading to bed.” Riveting.

Social networking also makes us cowards. More and more we communicate with other people by hiding behind the computer and/or cell phone while espousing some idiotic defense akin to “everybody’s doing it.” People are breaking up relationships via texting, Facebook postings and Twitter announcements; and why not? Why go to the trouble of showing the other person some dignity when you can hide behind your own keyboard and spare yourself the pain of disappointing another person face-to-face? Soon enough employees will be terminated, children disciplined and, divorces settled all though a total lack of human interaction, and yet for all of the world to see. No shame, no privacy, no courage.

I am certain we are only days away from watching the funerals of loved ones from the comfort of our own homes via web-streaming. Certainly that saves us all the pain of not only traveling and dressing up, but also having to deal with all of those sad people and their needy emotions and desire to be around others for comfort.

We already have traveling and non-present parents watching their children’s sporting events on-line, why not extend it?  After all, when someone like me dares to criticize a father who watches his son win the little league game from his hotel room in Omaha, I am called insensitive. I should be happy, I am told, that such technology exists to allow the father to still be part of his son’s life.

And that’s really the problem isn’t it?

We all like to hide behind technological advancements as though they bring struggling families together, when in fact we all know that what they truly do is drive most of us apart even further. Decades ago, as dad was faced with a crying child who didn’t want to see his father fly to Omaha the night of the big game, dad was confronted with actually dealing with it; either by explaining the misfortunes and unfairness of life to his son or by analyzing his own priorities as a father. Today, thanks to technology, dad just says “it’s okay, son, I’ll be watching from my room.” Ah, yes, another life lesson avoided. Thank God.

And so it should come as no surprise to you that I am looooving; absolutely loving, the consequences that are being thrust down upon social networkers. Yes, that’s right, my tweeters and my-facers, there are even consequences to all actions in a virtual, removed world.

More and more, people are being terminated, caught-in-the-act, and even robbed, all as a result of their incessant need for self-importance through social networking sites. Far be it from me to celebrate people losing their jobs or having their homes pillaged, but let’s just say that such occurrences as a direct result of my-face put a spring in my step, a song in my heart and a brief glimmer of hope that there is still perhaps a higher power directing us to our ultimate doom; A higher power with a simply awesome sense of humor.

Those of you that cry “how can they fire me for something I do in my personal time,” are naïve and stupid beyond words. All professions have morals clauses, implied or implicit.

A school teacher simply cannot be seen dancing on tables in bars, whether it be on a social networking site or by a group of her students’ parents. You can scream and moan and cry about it as much as you want, but it’s always been the truth. The arguments against it lie atop the scrap heap of excuses next to how unfair it is that employers judge people with tattoos, piercings and an inability to form complete sentences…it may upset you, but your hurt feelings don’t change the facts of life. Those of you my age and older will remember the days that teachers who smoked cigarettes did so behind blacked out windows and solid walls so that they wouldn’t be seen doing so, lest it leave a bad impression. If you don’t want to be seen dancing drunken on a bar table, don’t proudly put the picture on your Facebook page, dummy.

Work for Coors? You probably should not post photos of yourself drinking Budweiser. Don’t like that rule? Work somewhere else…or don’t put your life on display on your my Space page, dummy.

Traveling? Stop telling people, dummy. This is the crème de la crème…the piece de resistance, the cherry on top of my life’s sundae; the new rage amongst criminals is using facebook and twitter messages to discover who is traveling while on vacation, thus leaving behind an empty house ripe for a crime spree. Literally hundreds of Americans have been robbed this summer as a result of their asinine and short sighted need to advertise the fact that they’re not at home, anywhere near their home or coming home anytime soon. How beautifully poetic and just it is to see people who feel the need to scream “look at me I on vacation,” in a small, petty display of classlessness be punished by a home that is robbed. I hope it was worth it.

Before you begin with your lame attempts at moral equivalency, don’t even try the “it’s the same as sharing photos with people you love when you come home,” argument. No it isn’t. This form of “sharing,” masked as a wonderful way of communicating with the 2,350 most important people in your life while experiencing the joys of vacation is nothing more than the worst of humankind on display…and you know it. Sharing photos after a vacation with the few people who truly want to relive your joyous experiences is part of the wonderment of solid inter-personal relationships. Taking time out from your alleged vacation to upload photos of yourself in a bikini half a world away is nothing more than bragging; a real world, 21st century way of telling people you are supposed to be friends with, “look at me, today, right now, I am better than you.”

I changed my earlier thought; I AM glad that you get robbed. Perhaps humility can find its way to you via a small violation of what’s left of your personal dignity. I had my home broken into once, more than a decade ago, in the old fashioned way; the scumbag broke the lock on my back door in the middle of the day while I was at work. It was, still to this day, the most violated I have ever felt in my life. It began my love affair with guns, Cats and self reliance. It was truly a life changing event. I can only hope, I suppose, that some of you will experience the same catharsis as you fall victim to some sort of devastation in your life as result of your hollow need for social networks. Perhaps finding important things missing or destroyed will provide a wake up call to the prospect that there’s more to life than thinking you matter to a myriad of people who play the “look at me” game. Perhaps, thought it’s not likely.

Here is my challange for you.  Take a week off. No cell phone, no computer, no form of technological interaction whatsoever. You must personally talk to people, drive to places and do actual things.  At the end of the week, if you allow yourself, you’ll learn two very valuable lessons: You are not nearly as important as you thought you were and it feels so very good to not be very important.    

Here is my challange for you.  Take a week off. No cell phone, no computer, no form of technological interaction whatsoever. You must personally talk to people, drive to places and do actual things.  At the end of the week, if you allow yourself, you’ll learn two very valuable lessons: You are not nearly as important as you thought you were and it feels so very good to not be very important.    

"

Good Read - I'm not into Twitter myself (In fact, I'm not sure what it is, exactly).  As far as internet usage, I'm probably on more than I should be.  And GiantBomb I use mainly for kicks and giggles.  I have a bunch of free time, so I surf the net a lot.

" @Chipset_Seven: I do not consider Giant Bomb to be a social Networking site.  It does not fall into that catagory because it is a Website...About Video Games.  Games is what it does and games is what it does best. "

Nice generalization of why people use social networking websites. 

" Nice generalization of why people use social networking websites.  "

Yeah, Facebook is pretty retarded. All of my friend's status messages are updated every 5 minutes with "talking on phoneeeeeee with mah fraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand <3" and "supper then shower then bed then school in the morninggggggggggggg :( gaem afterrrrrrr texxxxxttttt"

I'm not sure how your self important blog is any different than the tweets and myspacing and such you pride yourself on avoiding.

Annoying people are annoying and giving them twitter or any other Social Networking tool is like giving the a massive megaphone, thing is, they can still be ignored. i do not however, like facebook at all, people seem to live by it, not be content enough in an entertaining moment by itself, they will say something like 'I'm so going to update my status about this'. It's like some people are constantly plugged in, like life outside of facebook is a facebook app... Ugh, I just want people to actually talk more, screw the convenience of it all. I have twitter because it can act as pretty good RSS feed for me to have, i have facebook because I was asked to have it by my friends though I only visit it when I get an email notification.