70%
It comes as no surprise, really. I'm notoriously bad at moderation. My switch either doesn't turn on at all, or it goes to 11. I wondered wistfully tonight if maybe I'm the kind of person who isn't able to do this in a controlled way. For example, in addition to the eye-opening and nonscientific quizzes above, I learned that Facebook can trigger OCD. Or this Scottish study from last year which compared the effects of Facebook to gambling addiction: “Like gambling, Facebook keeps users in a neurotic limbo, not knowing whether they should hang on in there just in case they miss out on something good.”
That's what I feel like - a addict. Out of control. When I used to smoke (1980-1990), cigarettes were the central XYZ axis of my world. Units of time (10 minutes, the time it takes to have a smoke), units of money (the cost of a pack), where you could and couldn't go. Everything and everyone had to fit into or work around it. I hit a low point when, in order to scrounge enough change to buy smokes at Walgreens, I resorted to chiseling quarters off a table with a butter knife that I'd glued there as a joke to see who would try to pick them up.
I finally got mad enough at the fact that smoking was in charge of me to just quit cold turkey. This is much, much harder, because I worry there are people I will never, ever hear from if I don't keep a hand in the game. Some folks will, but most won't. And it seems life is too short to not ride this bus. On the other hand, real life is too short, too! What could I be doing instead of blogging or posting? Probably something reasonably constructive in the real world. Maybe working/knitting/reading/sewing/drawing/clay/painting, or - dare I say it - cleaning the house? (No, I haven't totally lost my mind).
What about you people? You know where to find me. I didn't miss you before I was on FB. Well, I did miss many of you, but like most of us, I relegated you to the category of "gosh, hope their life's going well, too bad I probably won't see them again." So what are we really missing out on? Is Facebook life real life? Or is it a very, very attractive substitute?
Now I don't know what to do. Crap. If only it weren't so much fun. Full-time employment would probably solve my problem automatically, though I am very grateful for contract work.
Sort of sad about it at the moment.
3 comments:
Sounds like an addictive personality. I have seen the issue before with others that I know. The key, it seems, is to get addicted to stuff that is good for you (or at least not bad), exercise, etc. The key for me is to have multiple interests so there is never enough time to dedicate towards blogging (or FBing) that much. Always more to do in the rugged SW.
To addend my previous comment. I avoided FB for the exact reasons you mention. There was that inherent need to stay connected. When I realized that I had gotten along for as many as 20 years without that contact, I realized that I was wasting my time. We spend time with our family and friends (in RL) which is infinitely more gratifying than on-line.
I do miss my extended family. I am used to it because we moved so far away when I was relatively young, but I have cherished memories of the interaction that I did have at that point in my life. It's important to remember those and let those memories bridge the gap between times that you see each other.
I love this blog specifically because you were one of the cousins that I most interacted with intellectually. My brother and I had this growing up (I don't know if you did or not); it's tremendous to have a peer that you can connect with and exchange ideas with, each of you learning in new directions and sharing with the other... Or maybe I am just getting senile ;)
Thanks, Pete! A totally addictive personality, which as you point out can be good or bad, depending. Real life is infinitely more satisfying, of course, and yet many of the people we'd most like to engage with - like you - are themselves too busy or too far away. But I'm deeply grateful that we've stayed connected in the only practical way we can. Maybe we can help keep each other and other like-minded folks from getting Old-Timer's before we're meant to.
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