Have you facebooked yet? If so, you might notice the explosion of users in their 4th and 5th decade of life. It’s become a great way to reconnect with old friends from high school and college. If Myspace was for teens then FB is for adults longing to reconnect in a world where they’ve left so many friends behind. I’m probably a perfect example. I don’t live and don’t visit the town I grew up in. I went to college in two different locations, grad school in two different locations and have moved about 10 times in the last 20 years. So, FB is a great way to reconnect
BUT….a friend and I were talking recently about the downside (besides the temptation to tell the world that you’ve just blown your nose (you know what I’m talking about if you FB) and besides the temptation to spend hours fooling around on the web instead of doing what you are supposed to be doing in your REAL life).
What else could go wrong? You could have those old teen feelings all over again! And worse, you are now (hopefully) more mature and realize what an moron you were back then and now that is all these old friends of yours remember you by!
1. You ask someone to be your “friend” and they ignore you. Do you remember that feeling in highschool?
2. Someone asks you to be their “friend” and your not sure you want to. Maybe they have goods on you and your foolish past. Maybe they’ll decide to remind you of it on your “wall” for the whole world to see.
3. Someone asks you to be their “friend” and you don’t remember them (or vice versa).
4. You join your high school group only to fear that you’ll be ignored–or worse!
Wow, I feel the pimples breaking out all over. No, actually, my FB experience has been just fine. Its good to see God’s handiwork in the lives of individuals–a testament to grace for fools for many of us, including me.
Now get back to your real work!
Musings on Faith and Psychology 