Modern Technology, Part 2

It goes without saying that, next to the Stratocaster, the Internet is the single greatest invention in the history of mankind. In the last week alone, I have been able to research & purchase a new camera tripod and track its delivery progress, order a pizza, reconcile my bank accounts, and find out what's on TV...all from my computer screen. An amazing amount of historical material is available to help me learn what I need to know for the Veteran's History Project, and any time I'm feeling lonely, I can find a friend online.

Which brings me to Facebook. A friend told me that there are probably more people logged onto Facebook right this instant than there were human beings on the planet when Nixon resigned. Whether that's true or not, it certainly seems that everybody and their dog has an account. And since my entire personality is centered around trendiness, hipness, and fashionability, I figured I'd better get an account.

The most immediate appeal for me was the prospect of reconnecting with old chums. I could find high school buddies, Wichita Swim Club teammates, and even all the girls I had crushes on but never spoke to. Perhaps we could reminisce about old times, laugh about how fat the good-looking/popular kids have gotten...and all without having to spend any time at all in Wichita.

What I discovered, though, was that such reminiscences really don't take much time. In about one day after logging on for the first time, I found that I had run out of interesting things to say and had completely satiated my curiosity about the entire spectrum of historical chumdom.

I guess my severe introversion applies to online relationships in much the same way it does in the real world. It seems I have an endless supply of curiosity about Mythbusters topics, Star Trek remakes, and creative ways to combine rice, beans, and tortillas -- but very little interest at all about the weather in Dubuque, the latest sale at Costington's, or whose dog just pooed on the carpet. My impression is that most Facebook traffic is of the extravert variety, intended for folks that thrive on social contact. While I turly do cherish my friends and always enjoy our one-on-one conversations, I feel no need to get updates about each conversation they have with their other pals.

Plus, it's not like I have a lot of spare time to devote to online voyeurism. For those who do, I say more power to ya'...but I'm probably not going to log into the darn thing very often.

I know...such ambivalence toward Facebook seems odd for someone who really enjoys blogging (which after all, is nothing more than an extended description of weather, shopping, and carpet poo events). But I think I know what's different: A blog is more like a book -- a person can choose to open it and read it if they want. Facebook is more like a phone call or a Jehovah's Witness -- notes show up whether you asked for them or not. And while they don't interrupt your dinner or anything, they still seem to have a certain arrogance and pushiness that can make us introverts uncomfortable.

So, to all of my friends on Facebook, let me just say that it's not you, it's the medium. If you email me directly, we'll have a dandy conversation, I promise you. But since I have accepted the fact that I'm somewhat of a social-network-o-phobe, I would ask your acceptance of that fact as well. I'll check in every now and then, but in the meantime, enjoy the weather (where ever you are), thanks for reading my blog, and have a great day!