Facebook Friends and Failure of the Face to Face

Modern technology has arrived.  Well, it arrived quite some time ago, but for some of us more technological idiot savants,  the internet and all its folly still leaves us sitting in a dust trail.

When cell phones arrived on the scene, it took me quite some time to figure out the puzzle of how to retrieve voice mail messages.  Leave it to my son to be of help to his old mother.  I'd say, "Bryan, the phone rings, half the time I can't hear it, and or I can't find it in my purse.  Once I locate it, I see a little envelope flying all over and can't get the message".  It took some remedial lessons on cell phone 101 to master the modern telephone.

Then there was the task of trying to recollect pin numbers, passwords and log-ons.  I finally came to the conclusion that everything should have the same password, log-on, etc so that I could easily plug myself in to any type of modernized modes of communication. 

Unreal, needing a password to have a conversation with someone.  What happened to the good old days where you picked up the rotary phone, dialed a number and then ask your friend if they wanted to "do something".  Then came Facebook.  And with Facebook, came Friends.  Last time I checked, I have 182 friends.  I had more, but somehow after going through the list, I thought why on earth am I still "friends" with this person if the last conversation I had with them was, "A Friend Request". 

Facebook is legal voyeurism.  I have, perhaps a handful, of people who I actually speak to on a regular basis.  We "Like" things, or "comment" or "share".  Its all very sterile and non-committal.   Facebook has its perks; I can post my Blog address on FB (lets shorten the name down)  so that I can have followers, or get some feedback on my musings.  FB also allows us to look at pictures.  It also allows us to spy on our kids, or our friends' kids, and then report back about social no-nos.  One of my modern friends, (actually we've been friends for over 30 years)  who is not on FB, has me review her son's FB account so that he isn't stepping in some mess that might hinder his chances of getting into a college someday.  Instead of creating her own FB account, I gave her my password so she can spy.  Wow, that's down right odd.  Its like revealing your bank account pin code.  Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode about that - BOSCO?

Of the 182 friends I have on FB, I would really deem half of them regular acquaintances. Split that again, and the next round might be those that I would stop and talk to on the street, if I actually saw them.  But with that many friends, who is walking on the streets anyways - We're all on FB.  Half the half, and there lies the real communicators.  A few old boyfriends, a few high school friends, and a few people I met since moving to Colorado.  I do have a good 20 or so relatives listed, and since they all live abroad, its nice to be able to chat with them instead of breaking my sparse budget calling Ireland, South Africa or Australia.  And if FB weren't enough for me, I also do "Skype"... and that is the epitome of saving money and talking into a small camera.

I do miss the days of getting together once a week to have lunch or take a walk, or just chit chat.  Now, with the FB genre, you have to be careful about what you say.  Employers can follow you, and next thing you know - you're being told to sign a Social Media protocol.  Ah, that one I refused to sign as I fervently believe in the freedom of speech.  You can FB the weather, or how much you dislike your boss, or that you are angry with your spouse, or, annoy your liberal friends with conservative stories (my personal favorite).  You can thank people, acknowledge people, tell other people what you are all about...

And somewhere out there in the darkness sits the old rotary phone, collecting no friends, just dust.