I've turned off my virtual light on the world - resigned my membership from digital clubs - turned in my key to the electronic gossip gallery = I've quit Myspace and Facebook.
So far - so good. When my email isn't enough, I check the newspaper now. My brain has to skip that time-suck of a beat and move on to something else, something more worldly than a collection of pixelly pictures of my oldest conocimientos.
It makes me wonder, is it better to spend time reading about the mundane details of my most far-spread least contacted friends - "S0 and so is spreading around her dissertation," "Such and such are feeling sick," "Him and her went on another trip to another place and took another photo! - or is it better to read the New York or LA Times, the Washington Post, the Onion - "Bear Stearns Rich Old Guys Arrested!" "Obama still continues to push buttons and kick ass" "Area man has a sad little routine when he needs cheering up!"?
I'm going to say...I will put my money on...well, really either. The news of the rich and famous is only interesting in regards to the scale they accomplish it on. I suppose if good and interesting things are done on large scale then we appreciate them more - they seem more significant. But then again, to see that my old classmate who used to inspire me by running a marathon at the same time as the school newspaper has now has two children still gives me important insights into how the world can work. Do we learn from lessons of strangers or our friends? Probably both. I guess the question here was, how do we distract ourselves? Do we entertain ourselves with the external world or a more closely connected one?
I chose to get off the sites to avoid conflict, avoid wasting my time, avoiding trying to pay attention to everyone I've ever known doing so in hopes that I can pay more attention to the details of the lives that I do know now. My current friends, my current loves, my current life. That is - I'm giving up my virtual life for my real one. I'm giving up the idea of everyone for the reality of one.
1 comments:
although I enjoy reading your blog once in a while I think after that post you should also quit that, cause it is virtual - a way of staying in touch with the ppl out there.
I was often wondering who reads my blog, who cares... but there are more ppl that you might think.
it's not a waste of time being in touch with your friends. even if it's just a little post on the facebook wall, it still shows that they think of you, which in the end of the day is a great thing. friends make you feeling not alone, the New York Times doesn't...
In short: in my opinion the two are important and you shouldn't neglect one of them for the cost of the other!
virtually contected greets ;-)
Post a Comment