23 Jun (my)face (book)

Before I begin, please note that I am fully aware of the irony here. I am aware that the only reason you are reading this post is because it is in fact posted on Facebook where I posted it. But if you can look past that ironic fact and also accept that I am preaching to myself more than anyone, please feel free to read-on.

The other day I was sitting and staring at my facebook (like I tend to do about 12 times a day), and as I scrolled down my page, i began to notice a trend.

“Christie Miller posted a status..”

“Christie Miller took a photo on instagram…”

“Christie Miller is listening to Group 1 Crew on Spotify…”

“Christie Miller shared a link..”

“Christie Miller this Christie Miller that…”

And somewhere along the way I realized, maybe I’m not quite using Facebook right.

And since I grew up in a generation where teachers drilled the importance of primary source material, I decided to go right to the source: “Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and other who work, study, and live around them.”

Wait.

Facebook (noun)- A trademarked company.

Social Utility (noun)- For all intents and purposes a tool to be used between people. (Notice the plural form of people there. Not PERSON…people.)

Connect (verb)- To draw together. To create a bond. To foster relationship.

Hmmm.

You see, it seems as though I’ve been using facebook for different reasons. My definition might look more…like this:

“My own personal space that I use as

a platform to convince the people around me that they should look at my face (book) while simultaneously validating my own sense of self-worth.”

Maybe that’s harsh…but it’s true right?

My (personal possessive)- It’s mine. For me.

I want to post this song so you will all know I listened to it. I want to post this video so you can comment make me feel important. I want to post this status so you know what I am thinking and maybe think that what I’m thinking is actually worth thinking about.

And please please please…LIKE me.

I know I’m going to extremes here. I know that the motivation is not always about ME. But I guess I realized that I defend facebook to people who don’t like it. I defend it by saying, “It’s so good to connect with people who are far away, people I don’t get to see much.”

But honestly, how many of us do that? Maybe for one or two friends. But for the most part, facebook is a way for us to validate the relationships with the people we see all the time.

I guess all of this got me to thinking about identity. Is the reason we are so addicted to facebook because we can create the person we want to be because we can’t manage to be that person in reality?