Remember how back in the day, my day, the primary way of long distance communication was the telephone. Well what happened when you called someone and they didn't pick up the phone? Three things might go through your mind. One, they're not home, two, they're busy, or three, they're ignoring you. Now how do you find out which one it is? Simple, you DON'T! We'll that's far from true, but was it really worth the energy to find out the reason?
I mean, are you really gonna drive all the way to the house and look to see if the lights are on? Better yet, are you gonna peek in the windows and try to see if someones inside? In fact, don't answer that. I'd rather not know.
My point? That's pretty much what you do when you try to track someone down using Facebook or any other social network.
Posting a status doesn't automatically mean you're home. It just means you felt like sharing something. And the last time I checked you can be anywhere to do that. In fact, while I was checking up on that I discovered that you can share your thoughts in places where you can't talk on the phone. Hmmmm
While I'm on the subject of sending status' from a phone, you know what else you can do from a phone? Chat. Why do I bring this up? Because the general assumption is that if you show up on facebook chat, you are attentively waiting for someone to send you a message that you, of course, will respond to in seconds. Well keep on waiting. Just because someone is online doesn't mean they're always available to chat. Just try to imagine someone leaving their phone off the hook, you think they're on the other line but they're not even home. I'll give everyone some time to let that soak in...
Oh and here's a good one. A cafe world or Mafia wars post doesn't mean that your sitting at home doing absolutely nothing of importance. Seriously, I for one am not sitting in front of the computer watching the timer on my chicken pot pie count down to zero while twiddling my thumbs. In fact if you know how, and have the resources, you can even do that stuff from anywhere. Isn't technology great!
I could go on for pages talking about other forms of what has been affectionately labeled "Facebook stalking" but I'll leave the rest to the comments that will be posted below (that means you!)
As for me, there's approximately a 10% chance that my posts will tell you exactly where I am so take the smart road try not to assume your being ignored. Just leave a message and your call will be responded to in the order received...
I agree with everything you said. I leave my computer on most of the time because it just takes too long to boot up. But that just means it's on, not that I'm sitting right there by it every second. I might be away from it for hours at a time! Isn't that shocking! And I have my Droid phone so I can check in with that if I feel like it. I don't very often but I can if I feel like it.
ReplyDeleteI think people are just not ready for all this communication technology. Unless they are a longtime computer nerd (like me)they may not have figured out how to deal with messaging, chatting, texting(I still can't text), Facebook, Zinga games and the whole internet experience that changes faster than anybody can keep up with it.
Who would have thought that the average person could now have the "phones" we do now. They are mini computers that do so much stuff. They make Star Trek communicators look really old school!
Actually if all the phones and computers get zapped out at Armageddon I'm not sure I'll miss them. Even if I am pretty much a computer/internet addict now.Old fashioned face to face communication may be a pleasant change.
Haha good one man
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support and comments! I agree that we've suffered a communication overload and it really makes time feel like it has sped up when you stop and think about it. Hmmmmm....
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