The thing about living in another country is the fact that I do not just happen to run into anyone that I went to high school/worked/partied/studied with. Well, it is theoretically possible, but much less likely than when I go to the gas station in my hometown. This means that if I want to maintain or re-establish contact with anyone, I have to track them down with the internet. And how do we do that in modern times? That’s right…we use Facebook. I had a Facebook account about 8 years ago. However, I started freaking out about private companies (yes, private companies…the NSA ain’t got nothing on Facebook/Google) tracking me and knowing things about me. That and my biological father with whom I have absolutely no contact with started contacting me. I decided it was better to deactivate the account. Wellll, as it turns out…my account was not deactivated and about 6 months ago I started getting emails from Facebook telling me things about other people (this person updated their status, this person posted a new photo, etc.). Curiosity got the best of me and I sneaked a peak.
Now, I am seriously considering rejoining the Facebook world. This is especially true as I attempt to integrate myself into the Berlin social scene. I also happen to be going home next week for Christmas (yay me!!!) for a few weeks and it might be interesting to talk with some old friends and see what they are up to. So, I am torn. Like really torn. As such, I would like to know your opinions:
Do you have Facebook (and actually use it)? Is it worth it or is it a monumental waste of your time? What would you do in my situation?
The Sunshine Is Ours 
I do. We have moved a lot and it is the simplest way I have found to keep up, at least a bit, with friends and family. It is so much easier and faster than email or snail mail. I don’t feel like I am completely out of the loop. And you can always block or unfriend people you don’t want around and set your privacy settings high.
Good points. I am still undecided. I am waiting to see if the urge to reconnect fades when I head back to Berlin. I am not really sure if I really wanted to reestablish connections or I did not want to feel like such a loser going home and only having a few old professors and a boss to visit (and family of course). Still, I do feel a bit out of the loop.
I get that. Totally. But don’t waste your energy judging yourself by the number of people you have:)
Personally I like google + much better. It connects to my gmail and i think it has better filters for people I don’t really care to have to “avoid”. Besides it anmoys me that I can’t truly delete my Facebook account. I did it to create a new one and avoid having to unfriend people due to it getting just too political and messy for me. Only they don’t really ever delete ana ccount. It just lies dormant waiting for yo to sneeze or something and reactivate it. I don’t like that. Yes, I have one for must my immediate family and those friends who are dear to me, for my writing friends as well. But not open to the public any more.
You know, I had never even heard of Google+ before your comment, but I asked my mom about it and she says it’s quite good. I think I may give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion!
Terrific. Please look me up. CherylKP. You can see so much more of what you are really enthused about and yet can also branch out if you like. I love it. Good luck.
I never had Facebook, but I did make one so I could make a page for my blog … have yet to use it. My BF has one and uses it daily. Honestly it pisses me off. I see it as a huge waste of time and have never understood the appeal. I always figured that if I was meant to be friends with someone, we would find a way to be friends IRL. I live a 500-1000 miles away from most friends and family. I’m a huge introvert though, and don’t need connections to other humans. My BF needs to be in touch with his friends – his relationships are really important to him. So I try not to be so judgmental when he spends an hour on Facebook. But deep down it still annoys me.
Like you I stay away from it due to security concerns…. from big business. Haha the NSA is NOTHING compared to the corporations FB does business with.
Ha-ha. I know what you mean – I swear my fella stays in touch with every friend he has had since he was in diapers. He talks on the phone like a teenage girl (please, excuse the gender stereotype). I am also an introvert, but sometimes curiosity gets the best of me. But, we all know what happened to the cat, so maybe I am better off without Facebook after all….
I also use Facebook-carefully. I have a comfortable security wall. I protect my photos and only accept friendships from my real friends. I post personal information sparingly and post nothing really personal. I enjoy it in moderation. When people I am friends with post dumb stuff or whine I just delete them. I rarely post pictures of my kids, after all, it’s my account. My kids are teenagers and they don’t have FB. It’s fun.
Well, you have a good question and have received some helpful answers for facebook and google. I will add my positive take on facebook, because as with everything in life, I find what you put into it, you will get back abundantly. I look for the positive in facebook and don’t worry about settings and cautions and suspicious things. Yes, I suppose you can dwell on those potentially worrisome aspects, but I find they are small in the greater scheme of facebook. I find that I have been able to reconnect with long-lost friends or friends who live in far-away places. It allows us to share some of those special times in our lives with friends – the celebrations and personal joys – and to offer empathy and understanding when those sad moments arise. I use it as a general communication tool with friends who are active in my life these days via personal messaging on facebook, whether they are bosses and co-workers or friends with whom I share interests. It’s a great networking tool! As a musician, I find that facebook helps me stay connected with other musicians as well as supporters and be aware of events via invitations. And I have noticed with other artist friends – whether it’s photography or painting or pottery, etc. – that facebook also helps them to keep connected with fans and enthusiasts. You mention being introverted, and I know of introverted friends who don’t go on facebook every day, but they still go on to some degree. 🙂
Wow! Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I really appreciate honest opinions. I think you are totally right about using social media to stay in contact with people – especially since I live so far away from everyone now. Thanks again for sharing your perspective and have a really super day!
You’re welcome! My pleasure. 🙂 Thank you, and I hope your day was amazing. 🙂