My Problem with Facebook...

Ok, here it goes...I (Christopher Elmerick) have finally decided to join Facebook...BUT, that said, here is my first public statement against these online social networking sites. In many ways I do not have a problem with Facebook, what I do have a problem with is with users of Facebook who do not use it for proper intentions. You see it was a year ago that my wife decided that she was going to cave and join Facebook. It was after returning to Berlin after an almost 8 month stint in the US that she thought it would be a good way of keeping in contact with those in the US. I told her that if she wanted her own page with her own name, that would be fine, as long as I would not be associated with it. I also had her agree that if it became an addiction and that her being on Facebook would distract her from work that she says that she can never get caught up on, then it would need to go. She agreed, and so far so good.

So what is my beef anyways? My problem is that I struggle to "support" a system that has totally wrecked the younger generations perspective on what it means to be social. They have no concept of it any more. There have been studies done showing that the generation that has grown up with Facebook no longer know how to effectively communicate on the phone (also due to texting) let alone in person. They no longer know how to confront one another and "fights" occur on Facebook and people are "defriended". The concept of even what it means to be a "friend" has gone completely out the window. Social interaction in the real world has declined and time on the computer has increased. The sad thing is that the younger generation is "socializing" on Facebook with the kid down the block. As opposed to having to really get together with someone and having to truly show the person who they really are. Again, Facebook is ideal for people like us, who are living overseas but would like to keep in more regular contact with our friends and family who are separated from us with a large ocean. Where it is really not possible to ride our bike, drive our car, let alone walk next door to talk to our neighbor.

Which is my second point, identity. On Facebook you can create any identity you want, without having to really live that identity out. I think that the youth have to deal much more with identity issues because of having an online identity and then reality. How do the two mix, and sometimes the struggle of wanting the identity and friends in Facebook to be the persons 'real' friends. Plus there is the struggle of identity with privacy and the youth not realizing the openness of the internet and the life they are really living online is not a private life. It incredibly sad to hear of kids taking their life because of something being exposed on these online social networking sites, either pictures or rumors. The youth are having a harder time differentiating what should be private, what should I share and what should I keep to myself.

Facebook can be a very dangerous thing if used improperly, in which it is by far too many youth (and by adults as well). I will admit and confess though that I think the idea and concept of Facebook is good and that when used properly and in moderation can be incredibly useful and beneficial. Like I mentioned, what I have always struggled with was more supporting something that I know brings so much destruction to peoples lives. However that is the reality of this world, i.e. wine (alcohol), sex, food. All things that God created for good, for our enjoyment, but things that man has taken advantage of and can be destructive and lead to death.

Why do I write this now? Because I have decided to join Facebook. I realized that I was just being stubborn by holding out and not joining, even though there are many people who would like to communicate with me and have tried but have been unsuccessful because of me not being on Facebook. However I still stand strong saying that Facebook should NOT be the only form of communication. I also believe that we as parents, as role models, have a responsibility to our kids, to the younger generation to get them away from their computer and get them interacting with one another (any maybe even to some of our own friends).