Just yesterday I deleted my Phacebook profile. I had been making public proclomations of my soon to be executed decision for a while and had been systematically copying down the birthdays and email addresses of my friends.
I felt this step necessary because I desire true community and I want to stay up to date on my friends' lives. This is seemingly the reason that most people get Facebook profiles, however, it is a facade. Instead of communicating directly with people they call friends about what they're doing with their lives, Facebook users get relational crack with the click of a button and spout off facts about their friends like trivia. We are becoming the guru of current events about our friends.
And most of it is a total waste of time due to the narcissism that drives the constant updates of users and the countless pictures of people doing totally common tasks together--like sitting at a table. I am not denying that there is something beautiful about enjoying the taste and time and company of a dinner party, but that communion is not what's being shared in the countless numbing from-the-hip shots of dinner parties and outings.
Instead, it's about what she's wearing, who's shoulder his arm is around, and how bad we all look at the end of the night after leaving the bar. The bad camera angles and Ke$ha lyrics speak volumes to how much we value one another's company. Thank you piknik and quotes.com for ruining anything anyone important has ever said by placing bad vignettes over girls wearing tshirts as dresses.
I no longer exist. At first it was annoying. No one will invite me to anything anymore. And I won't be able to say I'm "maybe attending" if they do.
I have learned in the past week to be content with where I am and with who is around me. Whatever the situation, we must strive to be wholey present with those around us, because we are as fleeting as our Facebook profiles.
We live in boxes. And we display ourselves in boxes. I'm not doing that anymore.
Not existing is the best existence.
