Sorry this post is a little late, but I have been having a difficult time finding a topic to talk about because I already talked about events in November this month and I haven't seen any new movies or read any new books or anything like that. So I decided to talk about something that isn't extremely serious, but is just kind a good thing to keep in mind as you are going through life!
The world changed on February 4th, 2004. A brilliant young man named Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates decided to launch a little website called "Facebook", opened only to students at his school. Eventually, he decided to open the site up to a larger audience, expanding access to all colleges in the Boston Area, Stamford University and the Ivy League. During the year of 2004, Facebook earned a total of 1 million users. I'm sure Zuckerberg and his friends very, very pleased. Little did they know, this was only the beginning. Today, Facebook has 1.49 Billion users, has over 4.5 Billion likes generated daily and is currently worth around $245 Billion Dollars. That's right, all of those numbers are in the billions or hundred billions, and they are correct. I checked all of these numbers like 4 times and I found them on real websites. I will put the link for the websites at the bottom if you would like to check yourself, just in case you still think your eyes are playing tricks on you (I don't blame you.) Facebook rules the internet, it is the second most visited page on the entire internet (right behind Google). It was the most popular app of 2014, with more than 114 Million unique visitors (new users). I might even go as far as to say that Facebook is ruling the world. Not literally, but I mean a seventh of the entire WORLD is registered on this website! If every single person who has used Facebook even once made an army, they could conquer the world. No questions asked. But what does all of this mean. What does it matter? Why do so many people use Facebook? Two words to explain Facebook: It's easy. It's easy. It's easy to talk about your life. It's easy to rant about things. It's easy to share media on. It's easy to start a brand on. It's easy to market on. It's easy to spend time on. It's easy to sign up for. But the easiest thing to do on this website is talk to people. All you have to do is type in a random name in the search bar, and click message. You don't even have to be friends with them (unless they have different privacy settings, I get it). But you can basically just message them and that's that. You can also call people on Facebook now as long as you have WiFi and have a microphone on your phone or computer. Facebook (and texting which is essentially the same thing) is 100% the easiest way to talk to people in our generation. We don't even need to move. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this. I text people all the time. I would say I probably send like 75 messages minimum a day. Probably way more but that is just an estimate. Anyways, texting is just way easier than an actual verbal conversation. That's is just the truth and everyone knows it! However, the best things in life are never easy. Everyone also knows that. And in my opinion one of the best things in the world is sitting down with someone and having an amazing conversation. One that is so good that hours pass and you have no idea, because your just so caught up in the moment and caught up in being present. You might be thinking," I've had some pretty great conversations with people on the phone," and I don't doubt that for a second. I have too! But nothing compares to actually having someone with you, being immersed in the conversation and just having fun....talking. It is so much more real than the words on the screen, whatever they might say. I promise you, they will sound infinitely better if you actually hear them, physically with your ears. Weird, I know, but I hope this is making sense. Another thing I would like to add, just because you are "friends" with someone on Facebook doesn't mean you are friends with them in real life. I learned that one a while ago, when I walked up to someone and said, "Hey! We're friends on Facebook! What's up!" and they just gave me the weirdest look on the planet. I don't blame that person, I looked really dumb. Relationships aren't based on statuses, they are based on real human interaction. They are based on moments and memories, not a notification that says "Hey! You've been friends with _______ for 3 years! Click here to post MEMORY.) That's not a memory. Facebook sending you a notification that 3 years ago you scrolled past someone you think you saw at a party but you don't really remember and hit send friend request and now you're still friends isn't a memory. See, you aren't friends with that person. You might not even be acquaintances, you might not have even met them! And don't get me wrong, I can go through my own friend list and probably find 70 people I haven't even met before. I'm not going to lie, I keep them on there because I like seeing the high friend count. It makes me feel popular inside and that feels good! I'm not being hypocritical or blaming anyone because we ALL do it! We all have people on that list that we don't even recognize, and we all post those ("I've been friends with ________ for ___ years!) It's fun! It really is but there is only so far we can go with it before we start living a kind of digital life. We start living the number of likes we get and the number of friends we have and who commented this and who said that and it just gets to be too much. It's sad, and it's happened to me and probably a lot of the people reading this. Our egos expand and or pride increases, we just aren't nice or kind to many people EXCEPT people on the same "level" as us. Again, not blaming, I've done it too. So my challenge for you is to start a conversation with someone in person. It can be simple as "hello" or "how is your day going" or anything along those lines. Or it can be an actual like long, immersive conversation. It doesn't matter how long. Just talk to someone without the help of technology. Maybe it might be a good time to revisit old friendships you feel drifting? Whatever the case is, just go talk to someone. I know this isn't an original idea or anything like that, but I have kind of an original ending. When you are done talking to someone, don't post about it. No #Talktosomeone. Not one status. Not one tweet. Not even a comment on this blog. That would ruin the entire concept of what is trying to be accomplished. Just have the satisfaction in your heart that you talked to someone without using your cellphone or Facebook or whatever. Again, I don't want this post to seem like I'm hating on social media or texting or anything like that. My entire job on this council is social media and statuses and tweets and this blog and all of that that entails. And I can say that I absolutely adore it, from the bottom of my heart I love what I am doing right now. I just want to remind everyone that the likes aren't everything, and when the grown ups tell us to put our phones away, maybe we should just listen next time, because they are right." We need to be present, because it is a gift. That's why it's called the present." I heard that on a cheesy Family Channel movie or something like that, but it makes a lot of sense. Another quote I remember hearing is "We walk through this life but once," so let's do more walking and talking that texting and calling. Verbal communication is truly a gift, so let's use our beautiful voices. That's all for this post. Lot's to think about :)
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Caleb FastPublicity and Promotions co-coordinator for Welland MYAC. Archives
February 2016
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