Goodbye Facebook

Throughout my life several times my friends asked me "What is the bravest thing you can do?" . Most of the time I will give an attempt to this question. I accept failure and rarely success.

This time I was asked same question in different way "What is the darest action you can do now?". It was very painful when he uttered;

1. Deactivate Facebook, Twitter account, Google+
2. Weekly once Instagram and Photos
3. Exceptions to News channel

How in earth he can pick that personal space. I am so attached to these spaces. I'm holding the smartphone for these social connects.

After few days observation I realised this;

The objective of these social sites is to create an virtual friendship circle and define new digital communication instead of talking to face to face.

Today, I was @ restaurant and saw couple next to my table talking less than a minute and started poking their phones for more than 15 mins. I politely asked them what are you checking on the phone. They were checking the updates and emails and something else. I zipped my mouth because I was doing the same. Last month I happened to travel to Connecticut for a business meet. I happened to drop at Starbucks for a coffee and I saw that 90% of people were poking their phone and 10% were reading. Now a days, if you see a person not looking at phone then he is not having any friends or missing case.

Did any of you ever felt the same?

In the early days Facebook was introduced to connect with long distant friends , but Mark Zuckerberg had redefined it. He created the illusion and made even near friends as virtual and then Face to Face communication to Chat/Status updates. He added spices with videos, Ads and clips.

If you search definition of Facebook in google- the result gives us "spend time using the social networking website Facebook." 

So, why to spent time? Isn't that a catch?

What are we giving up unknowingly for this illusion;

1. Reluctant and losing confidence to speak over the face to face. We are good and comfortable in sharing thru status updates or messages or photos. We are molding new generation who are good in writing than speaking. Two days back I happened to meet my neighbour and she quoted that "Few of our neighbours are comfortable in Whatsapping but not F2F. Did you ever felt this with you?

2. Giving up our Mother tongue. Hope you know that average Indian kids starting at the age between 1 to 3 year can understand more than 1 language. That is the reason why Indian kids speak little late compared to other single language kids. Learning Multilingual not only increases the brain development and faster learnings by just observing. Recently, Software architects are working on the Intuitive screens designing which is like facebook. No help menu or instruction manual required to use facebook. We (multilingual people) has already have this intuitive way of learning, understanding and presenting from our childhood. They may not have if you teach them facebooking.

3. Time we have: Do you know that Facebook, Twitter can consume your time. I was observing that every 15 to 30 mins, I used to check FB and Twitter for the updates. This impacts productivity at work. Also, checking FB/Twtr distracts our work concentration but also create mental pressure and fear whether anyone protruding our screen. Needless to say about the increase of shopping urge thru Ads and pending shopping-cart items.

4. Communication Gap: Facebook has planted us new way behaviors, Culture, relationship definition.
Eg.. For my photos or updates I expect my friends and family has to click "like" and those who give good comments will strengthen the friendship. If you didn't give "like" then you are dead meat than a person who give criticising comments.

Nearly, I was exploring FB option "See Friendship" against each friends. It show what we wished or shared each other. I tried with my best friends, my sister and my wife. Result was horrible. Friendship in facebook world mean sharing of status and tagging and comments.

Friendship is way far from this definition.

So, I decided to say goodbye to Social sites.

I want to speak F2F to my friends rather than clicking Like or Comment their updates or photos.

I thank you Mark Zuckerberg for giving me an opportunity to taste the virtual/illusion compare with reality. No Offense to you or to your great product. It is me I overutilized it.

Friend, I am not leaving this world. I am just deactivating my facebook account in few days.

Please pick up the phone or let us catch up over the coffee.

I am overwhelmed with joy in finding free time, less tensions and more actions.

Decided to Live with Real friends.

Live Love 'n Laugh

Moha N Bala

Good bye....