4 ms·

Am I the only person for whom snapping a photo of an experience and uploading it to Facebook doesn't ruin said experience? Am I the only person with the capacit

by csallen 14y ago

Am I the only person for whom snapping a photo of an experience and uploading it to Facebook doesn't ruin said experience? Am I the only person with the capacity to engage in social media at-will, without feeling compelled to do so because otherwise my experiences "didn't happen"? I don't understand either of these sentiments. Humans are social creatures. We always have been, and always will be. Engaging with people face-to-face is great. But when we're separated from others we care about, we'll resort to whatever means possible to share our experiences with them. In the past, that meant writing letters, talking on the phone, having film developed, etc. Today, it means whipping out your phone, snapping a photo, and touching your screen a few times. Has the nature of how we experience life really changed that much? I can't help but feel that complaints of this nature are really just nostalgia in disguise.

icebraining 14y ago
No, you're probably not the only person. It doesn't mean you're not different from OP (and many others) in that regard.
- csallen 14y ago
  Well, I was asking that question rhetorically. There are a billion people on Facebook and even more with mobile phones, and (to my knowledge) the vast majority are capable of enjoying real-life experiences. The issue I'm getting at isn't really whether I really am alone, or if I'm the only one different than the OP. The point I'm making is that there is precious little substance to the claim that we have entered a new age characterized by a net loss in our ability to enjoy live experiences. It's a bit like my dad comparing his childhood to mine. He would play all sorts of games outside with his friends, whereas I spent a comparatively large amount of time watching cartoons and playing video games. His point was that "kids these days blah blah blah." But the reality is, the people of my generation have very fond memories of those old cartoons and video games. We'll probably all grow up to criticize the pastimes of our children as well. But are these new generations of children really missing out on anything substantial? Or are things just different? It's one thing to be nostalgic about things long gone. But it's extreme to take that nostalgia and conclude that social media really has taken away our "freedom to live" (the OP's words, not mine).
prostoalex 14y ago
You have chosen to simplify your life and seem to enjoy it. Other people tend to fight imaginary monsters, like self-consciousness, narcissism, the feeling of not fitting into the society, ostracism, envy - the first noble truth. For them the pressure from social networks seems to intensify this suffering of disconnect between the life they desire to live, and their actual life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_self_and_false_self http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_self_and_false_self
peterjmag 14y ago
Agreed. This passage in particular stuck out to me: There was nothing different about the bottle of wine we had in that one Italian restaurant. Except that it was our bottle of wine, and we shared it just with each other. Not with anyone else. That hasn't changed. The author can still choose to keep a moment or a memory between him and his SO. He makes it sound as if the mere existence of social networks obligates him to share those moments with others. Frankly, I enjoy having the option of sharing a significant moment with my friends and family. Or, I can choose to keep it to myself and soak it in. I really don't think it's worth worrying so much over that choice.
theorique 14y ago
Bravo. Well said. I am a member of Facebook but I don't take it all that seriously. Sometimes I post a photo of something in real time. A lot of the time I don't. Sometimes people around me do this. Sometimes they don't. Either way, no big deal. I try not to do this when I am in the middle of conversation with others, and I see others do likewise. If a group disperses, that's the time to do your social media stuff (but only if you want to!) before engaging with others. People take this stuff oh so seriously.

by csallen 14y ago

icebraining 14y ago

No, you're probably not the only person. It doesn't mean you're not different from OP (and many others) in that regard.

csallen 14y ago
Well, I was asking that question rhetorically. There are a billion people on Facebook and even more with mobile phones, and (to my knowledge) the vast majority are capable of enjoying real-life experiences. The issue I'm getting at isn't really whether I really am alone, or if I'm the only one different than the OP. The point I'm making is that there is precious little substance to the claim that we have entered a new age characterized by a net loss in our ability to enjoy live experiences. It's a bit like my dad comparing his childhood to mine. He would play all sorts of games outside with his friends, whereas I spent a comparatively large amount of time watching cartoons and playing video games. His point was that "kids these days blah blah blah." But the reality is, the people of my generation have very fond memories of those old cartoons and video games. We'll probably all grow up to criticize the pastimes of our children as well. But are these new generations of children really missing out on anything substantial? Or are things just different? It's one thing to be nostalgic about things long gone. But it's extreme to take that nostalgia and conclude that social media really has taken away our "freedom to live" (the OP's words, not mine).

prostoalex 14y ago

You have chosen to simplify your life and seem to enjoy it. Other people tend to fight imaginary monsters, like self-consciousness, narcissism, the feeling of not fitting into the society, ostracism, envy - the first noble truth. For them the pressure from social networks seems to intensify this suffering of disconnect between the life they desire to live, and their actual life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_self_and_false_self http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_self_and_false_self

peterjmag 14y ago

Agreed. This passage in particular stuck out to me: There was nothing different about the bottle of wine we had in that one Italian restaurant. Except that it was our bottle of wine, and we shared it just with each other. Not with anyone else. That hasn't changed. The author can still choose to keep a moment or a memory between him and his SO. He makes it sound as if the mere existence of social networks obligates him to share those moments with others. Frankly, I enjoy having the option of sharing a significant moment with my friends and family. Or, I can choose to keep it to myself and soak it in. I really don't think it's worth worrying so much over that choice.

theorique 14y ago

Bravo. Well said. I am a member of Facebook but I don't take it all that seriously. Sometimes I post a photo of something in real time. A lot of the time I don't. Sometimes people around me do this. Sometimes they don't. Either way, no big deal. I try not to do this when I am in the middle of conversation with others, and I see others do likewise. If a group disperses, that's the time to do your social media stuff (but only if you want to!) before engaging with others. People take this stuff oh so seriously.