Tuesday, 30 August 2011
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Why I Deleted Facebook
I just deleted my Facebook for the following reasons:1. I was tired of being a narcissist.
Posting statuses in the hope that someone will "like" or comment on my greatness, taking awesome pictures of myself in the hope that someone will recognize how beautiful I am, and actually thinking that an amazing and witty "about me" section would make others realize my greatness, I realized, was not a very good way to practice humility, for which as a Christ-follower I strive.2. I noticed that my social skills were suffering.
I admit that it was a million times easier to interact with someone online than it was to interact with him or her in person. And just like with a crutch, the more I used Facebook to interact with people, the more my ability to invest in someone's life in person suffered.3. I was often tempted to air my dirty laundry and also tired of seeing other people's.
Whenever I would feel sad or depressed, I would be so tempted, for some reason completely beyond my comprehension at the moment, to post about it in a status. Maybe I was hoping that someone would comfort me? Which is totally pathetic. I don't want to be seen as that type of girl, desperate for attention. At the same time, I was frustrated and disappointed constantly with my girlfriends who posted the same type of depressing statuses.4. I was using Facebook as the universal procrastination tool.
Instead of studying school work, scripture, or building genuine relationships in the real world, I was on Facebook.5. Facebook had turned me into a busybody.
Humans are naturally curious, so gossip is a hard thing to avoid. On Facebook, you can know so much about a person. The temptation to know more about a person than you should is there. I don't want to be that way. I want to know something about someone because I spent time with him or her, not because I cheated and gathered it off of an online "community."Have you deleted your Facebook account? Why or why not? In what ways is Facebook good for the Christian life? In what ways does it pose challenges to it?
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- From: scrittore@xanga
- Name: Lori
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- About Me: I'll admit, I'm only here whenever I need to rant about something, then I post it to get feedback on the issue.
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Comments (44)
You speak the truth! Just about every reason on here is why I am anti-facebook and had to remove my account several times until I decided to remove it permanently. Thanks for the honesty and being brave to put your thoughts out there!
Facebook doesn't make you into something you aren't already.
I deleted my old account and set up a new one under another last name. All my friends are wild drag queens and I don't need prospective clients(Christians) getting into my personal life and judging me by that when in FACT I have more talent then my competition will ever have.
But Christians unfortunately are like that. They will pick a guy with no talent and waste there money on just because he is a Christian before using there brains and picking the best guy for the job.
Using facebook is not bad, like TV, you need to use it in moderation. I deleted my Facebook account before and decided to bring it back after three months because most of my friends were asking whether I blocked them or deleted them and they tell me I should have it back. I no longer update it because I don't feel the need to update it. I avoid spending a lot of time looking at other people's lives, just simply ignore those people I want to ignore.
I am still debating whether I should or should not leave Facebook. Only about a handful to ten people interact with me on there given the hundreds on my "acquaintance" list. Given that I do connect and play games with acquaintances from eons ago, it does serve the useful purpose of getting me in touch with people whom I would have lost contact with otherwise. Other than that, there seems to be no point in communicating with someone you know and interact with in the real world through Facebook.
Temporarily when I needed to prepare for important stuff (like my ATPL witten exam). Other than that, no. As to your reasons:
1. What's wrong with being that way?
2. People suck. Social skills are way overrated.
3. The defriend and "hide all posts by xyz" are your best friends, as well as the "hide this from" in your updates.
4. Probably the only legitimate excuse you gave.
5. This works to your advantage: it helps you see who you really consider a friend and who you don't.
hahas im keeping my facebook. its a great way to keep in contact with my youth group members, know a bit more about them.. so its easier to connect to them. and it helps me stay connected to people who havent been coming. besides that... i like to upload my pictures there and ... you know. make plans, get the newsfeed about this world, be aware of certain events and other stuff... but of course, i can live a whole week or two without it... as long as people text/call me if anything important happens. its just one of the many methods to stay connected.
i use it to connect with family, friends, coworkers, and church members. i thought about deleting but i realize i can promote the goodness of it by posting christian music, bible verses on my status, or just positive stuff. i don't really care who may like or comment it but it could uplift someone's spirit if they are going through a tough time or rough day... well that's how i would use my fb :)
It's true that it can be a time waster, but it can also be a great way
to encourage and pray for friends in real time as they are going through
stuff. I ignore the things I find annoying, and try not to be whiny in
my own sharing. FB is neither good nor evil, but the use of it, like
so many other things, requires a measure of self-control.
So you deleted Facebook and instead turn to Revelife to waste your time, be narcisstic, air your dirty laundry and read others, abandon your social skills, etc. Great choice. Perhaps a better approach would be to exercise a little self discipline and shut the computer off, or use a timer and allow yourself 30 mins a day recreational use of it. Looks like you traded one vice for another...
I don't think it's evil, I just think it sucks. Been thinking about removing my account for the better part of a year and just haven't done it yet because there are a couple of people there I want to stay in touch with.
good for you!! I orginally signed on to facebook to keep in touch with one of my daughters who responds faster to facebook than emails and hate to call her during work hours. My other daughter responds faster to emails. I guess as an older parent with adult kids i have to find the best way to keep in touch.We also talk weekely on thwe phone. as they live many states away from us. I agree many /most people feel a need to log in everyday and post their immediate pics, feelings etc.... I think the key is limiting your time online period...whether facebook, email,blogging or browsing the web. That is what it comes down to. I remind myself that i use facebook to try to encourage and lift up others, pass along meaningful scripture and express gratitude. This lifts up my day but i have to fight the urge to just browse around on facebook and waste hours of otherwise productive time. I try not to go online when my husband is home as that is like showing preference to technology rather than the real people in our lives. I also expect my husband to put away his cell phone when in restaurants, the car and for the eve...it is just a realtionship courtesy!!We are both working on this but it is baby steps to move away from the constant leash of technology!!
None of these reasons apply to why I deleted mine. The only reason why I deleted mine was because I had better things to do than sit on a computer.
i love facebook. i can keep in contact with family that i would otherwise have no means of ever contacting, because calling your estranged family in another country and being all HEY GUISE SNAPPENIN doesn't go down too well. also, the brilliance of 'facebook stalking'... being able to creep on people you knew in the past and find out what they're doing. if you ask someone that irl they'll be like errrrr go check their facebook you twat.
it's also my favourite platform for airing my awful jokes. s'goooood.
good one.
I deactivated mine for a week now 'cause I'm tired of all the drama on it. My ex and the skank he cheated on me with apparently have been stalking me on there for months :/ wtf. I felt really creeped out after he admitted that to me and immediately closed it. I don't even feel safe on there anymore.
@StatelessPilot - 1. While Jesus was on this earth, he showed the importance of putting
others before Himself, like in John 13. In verse 14 he says, "And since
I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each
other's feet." Also in Mark 9:35, "Anyone who wants to be the first
must take last place and be the servant of everyone else." How much of a
servant's heart will I have if I am conditioning myself daily to be
narcissistic and putting myself before others? I'm not taking a casual
position against the ways of this world. I have declared war on them.
2. It's about more than social skills. Jesus invested in disciples,
and I want to be like that, too, even though I know I will always fall
short. Still, I need the social skills to be able to become deeply
invested in someone's life so that I can be an encouragement and
blessing to him or her.
@Ork58@xanga - Maybe it's true that I have a little vanity in posting this on Revelife. But overall, I do not often get on here. I only get on here when I am inspired to write a post that may very well be an encouragement to others. And you're right, if I had the self-control to just not be on Facebook as MUCH, why is there the need to delete it completely? As I told StatelessPilot, I am trying to be vigilent with my downfalls. It's about knowing yourself and setting clear boundaries and staying far, far away from them. Deleting Facebook has rid me of the temptation altogether and brought me one step closer to my Lord and Savior.
@lforletty@xanga - I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. :(
@wyrdkismet - Thank you for your encouraging comment!
@scrittore@xanga - 1. Looking after others before yourself is a one-way path to getting screwed over. As I said, people fucking suck. They do nothing but stab you in the back, cheat you, and screw you over in the end. And that's why I do not trust anyone, nor do I have any interest in helping people, because if I do I KNOW I'm going to get burned in the end.
2. For said reason, I have no interest in investing myself in anyone's life. The only things I invest in are my career (the single most important thing to me and my first love) and my interests/hobbies. I can rely on these things to make me happy. I can't rely on people at all, because as I said, people are backstabbing, malfunctioning trash.
I use fb to keep in touch with friends and family. I don't put many pictures of me on my page, nor do I engage in gossip. My social skills away from fb remain the same. I think fb is like any other tool. Used in moderation and with care, it is a positive.
@StatelessPilot - How sad for you that you have not found any good people. I have several good folks in my own life. My friend of nearly 40 years has been the best blessing for me. Jobs come and go, interest in hobbies wax and wane, but my friend has stood by me for decades. I hope one day you will find decency in your life.
I'm Catholic, I have a Facebook account, and I'm not afraid to use it. :)
@Amythist_Malaise@xanga - Jobs come and go but career is long term (I might ove around airlines early on but I'll always be doing the same work). Hobbies do wax and wane. As far as friends, friendship is conditional (just as there really is no such thing as true unconditional love) and your friends will eventually stab you in the back. That I can promise you.
@StatelessPilot - Forty years and counting for me--still no stab in the back. Again, I hope you encounter decency at some point in your life. I'm sorry people have hurt you so badly.
I deleted mine because I felt like I relied on it too much. Then I suddenly had this realization that anyone who needed to contact me, or actually cared enough to, had my phone number and /poof. Back to xanga that I can use casually and anonamously.
I also got tired of people harassing me on facebook. Not being online just makes anyone who wants to bother me a little more challenged.