Musings about Facebook

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. While I generally enjoy my interactions and am truly grateful to stay in touch with distant friends and family, I find myself questioning the value of this "tool".

Facebook has allowed me to keep in touch with people all across the country and around the globe for that matter. I've met some really cool people online that I genuinely enjoy although I've never met them in person. I've come across some incredibly interesting information that has grown me, shaped me, moved me. I've laughed my ass off at all kinds of shenanigans from funny videos to threads of conversation that are pure ridiculousness.

Facebook has also been the source of a lot of aggravation, stress and quite frankly, despair.

I've seen heartbreaking things that people have posted that I wish they wouldn't have - I don't need to see those images to know how horrifying some things are. I've made the mistake of "reading the comments" on threads about race, gender or politics. I've seen people say things to others that they would never dream of saying to their faces. I've seen relationships implode over misunderstandings. I've seen people make huge assumptions about the intentions of others and without taking the time to clarify the unfavourable responses. Perhaps there are people that would say I've been guilty of these things, I don't know.

It seems to be an environment that brings out extremes in people. It's a quick soundbite, a meme, an arrow slung. There is little nuance. No body language or facial expression or tone of voice to show intention.

Is it designed this way? Is it designed to reinforce duality? To underscore a world of right and wrong, good and evil - only pairs of opposites rather than a continuum of what truly represents the complexity and variety of reality?

Is it designed to boil things down to the black and white text on the screen?

People that I like and respect have shared opinions that I have immense difficulty with and the format of the conversation is not conducive to a proper dialogue. I find it draining, taxing and at times overwhelming.

I also find it illuminating, heartwarming and hilarious.

The relative anonymity and lack of immediacy of a face to face conversation allows some people to react without having to witness the impact of their words at the same time as it allows others the time to carefully craft their responses.

Maybe like many other things in life it is what you make of it.