Facebook

Just when you think you've found every way to hear or create a rumour, there's Facebook, taking over the social lives of every corner of the internet. Dan likes this.

Every insecurity is amplified to the point of blowing your speakers off. Every mundane, average comment about how you're doing something no more interesting than wiping your arse, can be broadcast instantaneously, as if it's breaking on Sky News. Richard Keys would love it, had he not resigned.

So, there you are, with your earth shattering news, and you expect that quota of 'likes this' and at least 14 comments. And when it comes down to it, only 3 people in the world were online when you posted it, and two of them were actually searching for pornography involving some randy goats and hit Facebook by accident. Before you know it, your destiny changing thing has been buried by how some single mother has accidentally let her kid shat on his cornflakes before school or there's a link posted to a YouTube video of a pig riding a unicycle. Such is life.

Then you're left wondering how much should you really share online. Do you play it steady and just leave it to talking about things that'll make you gain brownie points at cool school, or do you cry about how life's so shit you're trying to choose between trial by fire or water? More to the point, who are you doing it for? And therein lies the rub. You write those little updates for someone else to read, and you're peddling so fast downhill that you're either going to hit rock bottom or Hell, take your pick. Write them for yourself.

Accept the Game Requests, Like the things you like, Comment on the things that deserve a comment, but don't rely on other people to validate your own thoughts.

Describing aspects of your life in text on the internet can give you an outlet and communication more instant and beneficial than anything that's gone before. Living your life out on the internet is more destructive than the cast of the Roly Polys invading a cake factory on an angry rampage.

You should feel free to share your life to anyone you want in any way you want but, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons in the right way.


This one's dedicated to the person reading this who thinks I don't know they are. ;)