Just some thoughts and ideas going around in my head while trying to figure out where I am and where everyone else is going.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

How much is too much Information?

I don’t get it, I really don’t. Maybe it’s a generation thing. Maybe it’s something like certain dance movements that you only do when you are in early 20’s because to do them when you are older would throw your spine so far out of alignment you’d have to walk with a cane for the rest of your life. I don’t understand why the need to share what we are doing every minute of the day with friends or even complete strangers. Now I’m not talking about people with small children who really do need to know where the kids are and that they are safe, or people who do that for security reasons. I’m referring to those of us who sign on to certain websites and log every minute detail of our lives no matter how dreary and obsequious those details may be.

About 2 or 3 months ago I signed up with Facebook because a friend asked me to. But apart from him and an organization that asked to become a friend, I have no one else listed as a friend. It is not because I want to remain reclusive or set apart from everyone else, but because I don’t really know anyone else who belongs to Facebook, so I mainly keep some junk on it that will be easy for me to find in the future and prevent me from cluttering up my computer. It’s another resource for me.

I should also mention that I belong to 4 or 5 groups that have pages on Facebook, one of which is my gym. Out of the 5000 members that belong to my gym there are about 144 of us who also signed up for this group and except for the trainers; I haven’t seen a single person that I know. But it is a source that I can use to learn things about different events going on, or schedules that I might not be aware of. Also, Facebook is an icon featured on my iPod so it’s all linked.

Recently I noticed that I had not filled out the profile part of the webpage for Facebook and that there was also a section where you could tell people what you were doing exactly at that moment. There was a field for about 30 or 60 characters or words where you could say what you were doing at that moment. You could tell people that you were heading over to the movies, or having a cup of coffee with Jill or soaking in the tub with Bob. These blurbs about your life would then be instantly sent out to your friends’ email bins, websites or sent out as a text message to their cell phones and I thought this must be how Twitter works.

But then I asked myself, why would I want to let people know about every minute of my hum drum life, it’s tedious enough just living it. And worse than that, why on earth would I want to know about someone else’s life minute by minute? So you felt a little ill after lunch, do I really need to know right away? That shit can wait, no pun intended.

Take for example I gave a homeless guy a dollar after he held the door for me at a convenience store this evening. Should I have let the world know right away? I don't think so. If it’s really that important to you we can talk and reflect about it at the end of the day over the telephone if I haven’t turned it off and if I know that’s what the conversation will be about it probably will be off.



I know that there are many people who have signed up for Twitter and I guess similar programs and I don’t mean to point fingers at anyone because it’s not about them, or even you, it’s about me. I like to be up on gadgets and trends and stuff, but this one… I don’t get. It's funny that I’ll show you a picture of my behind and maybe more in a heartbeat as long as the picture looks good, but Twitter somehow seems like it’s too much of an invasion of my privacy and that just doesn’t sit well with me.

Am I wrong?

15 comments:

  1. no you are not wrong...I COMPLETELY agree with you

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are not wrong!!

    I have a facebook, but generally do not update the what I am doing info unless something really important is going on.

    Twitter... yeah, never.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc, are just examples of how narcissistic our society has become. I dont think it can get any worse than this, but I could be wrong, lol.

    L

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nah, you're not wrong - your opinion is cool. I'm on facebook and twitter and it's freaking addictive and fantastic all at the same time!

    ReplyDelete
  5. thegate-keeper - Thank you, I thought perhaps I was the only one who thought that way.


    RunningMom - Yes, I hear you, "never".


    Lola - You know they probably said the same thing during the 50's when Elvis was swirling his hips on stage. Wait a few years, there'll be something else.


    Darius - Addictive? Thanks for telling me. The last thing I need is another monkey on my back, addiction that is.

    ReplyDelete
  6. (Rant anyone...lol) Naw I agree wit ya man.

    ~Damnit!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Damnit - Ha ha ha. You remember old Mr So&So who used to live at the end of the street that all the kids used it laugh at because he was so crotchety and would say "kids today...", I think I'm becoming to be just like him.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I must agree there is no real reason for anyone to give up so much information with the exception of you; "how dare you try and withhold that information about giving the homless man a dollar after he held the door for you." we needed to know that right at that moment not a second later shame on you. LMAO! Seriously some folks tend to give up to much information.

    Every freakin day my co-workers turn on their damn computer and go right to Facebook to see what their other obnoxious friends and college chums are doing.

    Then again there are certain people that each of us would like to know what they are doing a great deal of their day, then again not!

    Happy New Year My brotha , oh yeah what are you doing right now, there is no update anywhere! I need to know. LMAO

    ReplyDelete
  9. Chet - "...my co-workers turn on their damn computer and go right to Facebook to see what their other obnoxious friends and college chums are doing." Err do you want to tell us how you really feel about where you work? Now that I'd sign up with Twitter to find out.

    ReplyDelete
  10. No Your not wrong. TMI is a problem for me also. I have a friend who gives me some of the most digusting info about her life. I love her like a sister so I relate it to Mac & chees and Lima beens on the same plate. I Love the make & chees so I accept the beans. I don't like em. They make me sick to my stomach, but I really love the mac & Cheese.

    I feel you. One of my other friends is attached like life support to these kinds of services and when I bought my iPod (just like yours too!) she was surprised the onlything I use it for was music, ebooks and games. *Sigh* I gues I'm just old.

    BTW you have a very nice rear among other things its always a nice surprise to see the header change.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ingrid - Don't you think that the iPod is the greatest thing to come out since the electric light bulb. I live and almost die for mine. I not only keep music, games and books, but there are videos of TV shows and film and photos and a humungous amount of podcasts on it. In fact I'm learning to speak Italian from 5 minute podcasts that I get daily from it.

    BTW, mac & cheese? I hope you are talking about homemade and not store bought. I tried the store bought type once and I'm still trying to get over it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You know i am talking homemade Mac & Cheese. The kind you only get on the holidays or when someone is trying to butter you up. I LOVE Mac & Cheese.

    And yes, the iPod touch is the greatest invention this side of the light bulb. I had a regular iPod and kept saying I didn't need a new toy. Then I broke down (peer pressure you know) and it is by far the best toy I've had since I got that Atari when I was 9.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Curious, you are not wrong and I completely agree with you.
    I think we all can appreciate the fine artistry of your behind.

    ReplyDelete
  14. SOB - Errr, errr thanks, I think.

    ReplyDelete

Did you like or dislike what you just read? Go ahead, tell me why. All comments are welcome here, good or bad let's both open up and discuss our differences or our similarities.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Google Analytics Tracking Code