7.21.2009

Warning: Facebook Can Rot Your Brain

It's true.

I've seen it.

I'm starting to experience it.

After 2 weeks on "the book", I've noticed something happening to my brain. Little cells that once were aware to outer happenings, once concerned about them, once used to creating (hopefully) intelligent and insightful writings to share and inform, are now singing little "la la la la de de la la de da everything is just schwell weeeeeeeeee" songs. After being exposed to games like mafia wars (still don't know what that one's about) and quizzes like "what color should your hair be" and messages from people I haven't seen in over 20 years, some of whom I never really even knew but now suddenly want to know when my birthday is so they can send me a virtual card???

Excuse me whilst I engage in a moment of screaming:

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

Facebook could have some real value if only people used it to actually create some sort of change by really informing people of the real shit that's going on in our world. Unfortunately, one can't write personal opinion pieces on F/B. You're given enough space to write about 5 sentences. Most people write just one, two or three sentences. Something that was intentional I am sure.

Not that I'm against the occasional escape from reality.

We all need that escape now and then, but given the amount of time I've found myself spending on F/B and the amount of time I've seen others put into it (F/B has this little indicator where you can check and see who is signed on--and believe me there are people on my "friends" list who seem to be signed on all the time), to me it seems like something that the PTB created to keep us focused in a world of virtual illusion whilst the carpets are pulled out from underneath us one by one. Wouldn't surprise me one bit to learn it was created by people who understand the brain and how it works and as such, F/B was created to tap into the addiction/pleasure centers of the brain.

So I find myself facing a dilemma. Do I take F/B for what it is or do I, now that I have a growing audience, use it to reach across the screen like I do on here and gently but assertively say "Wake The Fuck Up"?

Don't know the answer to that one. Brain cells once used to answer that question need to be recharged.

I wonder if there's a mental detox program for users of Facebook...

3 comments:

Devin said...

I enjoyed your take on FB Nina! I often wonder why the PTB have let us have the net for so long-we little people do get some cool stuff-cell phones (probably rotting our brains with microwave radiation)-and now they tell us Only Digital TV recently-just better methods for controlling the herd probably! I do not have FB or Mspace or any of those-however I have noticed with things like yahoo chat -which I have used like 4 times in the last two years-that some people seem to always be on it-I am not judging-that would be extremely hypocritcal of me-I mean look what I do with my time haha!! it just seems funny how all these "miracles" of today that we couldnt have imagined even 15 to twenty years ago-some even less time than that-that people cant live without anymore. Have you ever seen those media reports from different nations in the world where players on multiplayer computer games drop dead cause the dont eat, sleep etc?? man that is nuts! To me it seems I read more reports out of South Korea than anywhere about this-dont know why as we homo saps are almost identical under the superficial differences of our skin-but the S Korea "dateline" comes up often-maybe they just report it more!! best to you as always!!

Pugs in Space said...

Ay! I am not on all the time! I am just signed on because my computer and USB wireless is on all the time! Giggle!

Julie Ferguson said...

I have a FB page and check it out at least once or twice a day. It's nice because I keep in contact with lots of family that lives all over the US.
~~Julie~~