I don’t like referring to myself as a Facebook addict, but the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? Well, I have a problem. Facebook is my primary means of procrastination. Anytime I’m on the computer I find myself on Facebook. It is habitually the first page I visit when getting online. It’s pathetic, I know, but everyone has a weakness.
At some point a couple weeks ago, reality slapped me in the face. Finals were approaching quickly and my workload was growing rapidly. I knew I was going to have to give Facebook a break if I wanted to get it all done. Right then and there I banned myself from Facebook until the coming up Friday (about 5 days away). This impulsive goal allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. My English class had previously been assigned the task of going a full day without using a piece of digital technology that was significant in our lives.
Anyone who knows me would be surprised to hear that I was excited to hear about our English assignment. I was interested in seeing how going a full day without it would not only make me feel, but how it would affect my productivity throughout the day. I had forgotten all about it until a few days into my week without Facebook. When I remembered the assignment, I realized how perfectly my goal fit with it and began to make note of the rest of the week.
Those first few days were hard, about as hard as I expected them to be. Having an iPhone makes it even worse because of the constant temptation to just pick it up and tap the internet icon. I did delete the Facebook app though, I was proud of myself for that. I think the hardest time for me to resist Facebook was when I got to class early and had to sit there and stare at the wall until class started, and I’m usually early to my classes. That may not really sound like a problem, but I’m one of those people who always has to be doing something with their hands or I feel awkward, so it was a problem. The first few days consisted of constantly picking up my phone out of habit and putting it right back down after realizing what I had picked it up for.
By the time I had begun paying more attention to how my Facebook-less week was tying into my assignment, I could see how drastically my productivity had increased. I noticed that I was getting things done more quickly than usual and concentrating better. Any other week I would have been worried about whether or not I could get everything done in time but that week I didn’t seem to worry so much. I knew I didn’t even have the option of distracting myself. I was surprised to find myself getting ready for class more quickly than normal – In the mornings I log into Facebook and have it up on my computer so I can chat with any friends that happen to be on. Without that morning ritual, I wasn’t even rushing to my classes. One other time of the day I had problems was at night when I was going to bed. I have had sleeping problems since I was born and the majority of the time it takes me ages to fall asleep, so I Facebook to pass the time. Fortunately, iPhones are loaded with other things to do. iPhone was bitter-sweet that week.
I began feeling less and less anxious throughout the week. I only ran into one big problem the whole time. When I’m tagged in a picture on Facebook I get an email informing me of it. I set it up that way so I could automatically check the pictures out to see if I need to un-tag myself in them due to my un-photogenic nature. I got 4 of these emails on Wednesday and it killed me to know the world could see 4 pictures of me that could potentially be embarrassing and I had no idea if they were. Even though I felt disconnected from the world and powerless from preventing my own potential humiliation, it felt good to focus on things that were actually important. I had been on track all week with my assignments and they were done more effectively than previous ones. I have to admit, I did re-download the Facebook app at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, but I had not failed my goal and I was proud of myself for sticking to it.
We were also told to read “Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer” by Wendell Berry, a writer and former English professor at the University of Kentucky, to give us some points to think about during our assignment. He feels that computers and technology in general are completely unnecessary for success, and that they have replaced valuable things that should be cherished. One great point I think he makes is his ninth standard for technological innovation. He states that “it should not replace or disrupt anything good that already exists, and this includes family and community relationships.” His opinion really made me think about how much Facebook, although helping me keep in touch with some people, at the same time is replacing others. Facebook has become somewhat of a friend to me because it entertains me, holds my attention, I go to it for gossip, and when I’m bored. I was really repelled by that thought because it showed me that it’s causing me to become somewhat anti-social. The last thing I need is to get rid of my friends and replace them with pixels.
At some point a couple weeks ago, reality slapped me in the face. Finals were approaching quickly and my workload was growing rapidly. I knew I was going to have to give Facebook a break if I wanted to get it all done. Right then and there I banned myself from Facebook until the coming up Friday (about 5 days away). This impulsive goal allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. My English class had previously been assigned the task of going a full day without using a piece of digital technology that was significant in our lives.
Anyone who knows me would be surprised to hear that I was excited to hear about our English assignment. I was interested in seeing how going a full day without it would not only make me feel, but how it would affect my productivity throughout the day. I had forgotten all about it until a few days into my week without Facebook. When I remembered the assignment, I realized how perfectly my goal fit with it and began to make note of the rest of the week.
Those first few days were hard, about as hard as I expected them to be. Having an iPhone makes it even worse because of the constant temptation to just pick it up and tap the internet icon. I did delete the Facebook app though, I was proud of myself for that. I think the hardest time for me to resist Facebook was when I got to class early and had to sit there and stare at the wall until class started, and I’m usually early to my classes. That may not really sound like a problem, but I’m one of those people who always has to be doing something with their hands or I feel awkward, so it was a problem. The first few days consisted of constantly picking up my phone out of habit and putting it right back down after realizing what I had picked it up for.
By the time I had begun paying more attention to how my Facebook-less week was tying into my assignment, I could see how drastically my productivity had increased. I noticed that I was getting things done more quickly than usual and concentrating better. Any other week I would have been worried about whether or not I could get everything done in time but that week I didn’t seem to worry so much. I knew I didn’t even have the option of distracting myself. I was surprised to find myself getting ready for class more quickly than normal – In the mornings I log into Facebook and have it up on my computer so I can chat with any friends that happen to be on. Without that morning ritual, I wasn’t even rushing to my classes. One other time of the day I had problems was at night when I was going to bed. I have had sleeping problems since I was born and the majority of the time it takes me ages to fall asleep, so I Facebook to pass the time. Fortunately, iPhones are loaded with other things to do. iPhone was bitter-sweet that week.
I began feeling less and less anxious throughout the week. I only ran into one big problem the whole time. When I’m tagged in a picture on Facebook I get an email informing me of it. I set it up that way so I could automatically check the pictures out to see if I need to un-tag myself in them due to my un-photogenic nature. I got 4 of these emails on Wednesday and it killed me to know the world could see 4 pictures of me that could potentially be embarrassing and I had no idea if they were. Even though I felt disconnected from the world and powerless from preventing my own potential humiliation, it felt good to focus on things that were actually important. I had been on track all week with my assignments and they were done more effectively than previous ones. I have to admit, I did re-download the Facebook app at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, but I had not failed my goal and I was proud of myself for sticking to it.
We were also told to read “Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer” by Wendell Berry, a writer and former English professor at the University of Kentucky, to give us some points to think about during our assignment. He feels that computers and technology in general are completely unnecessary for success, and that they have replaced valuable things that should be cherished. One great point I think he makes is his ninth standard for technological innovation. He states that “it should not replace or disrupt anything good that already exists, and this includes family and community relationships.” His opinion really made me think about how much Facebook, although helping me keep in touch with some people, at the same time is replacing others. Facebook has become somewhat of a friend to me because it entertains me, holds my attention, I go to it for gossip, and when I’m bored. I was really repelled by that thought because it showed me that it’s causing me to become somewhat anti-social. The last thing I need is to get rid of my friends and replace them with pixels.
I think we all feel the same way you feel. Facebook is aking us anit-social, which is not ok. Facebook runs our lives and we don't even know it. We have the apps on our phones, we have the apps on our iPods, we have facebook everywhere. It is taking over our lives. I like how you put that we use facebook to do everything, therefore quitting is way too hard especially in college. And I really liked your closing sentence, it rings true to us all.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with you too, and the sad thing is that Facebook was started (I believe at Harvard or Hartford) as a means on communication for college students to do their work. Clearly, the creator has far and above his job. We have taken something that was supposed to help college students do work and transformed it into something entirely different. A site which we procrastinate our work. Do you remember the days where you had to be invited to join Facebook you couldn't just join? I do. Thats how i was first invited by one of my college friends and all of my friends at that time were ones who were in college. Yet, we have turned this into something that kids, teens, adults, and grandparents use for recreation. Look how we have transformed this website to fit our needs/wants. Does anyone see this as positive? Or am I alone in feeling that this was a negative outcome?
ReplyDeleteI feel the negative outcome Smith is talking about. I was invited to Facebook while everyone was still networking through MySpace.
ReplyDeleteA recent South Park episode really showed the world (or atleast to me they did) how far-fetched some people are with Facebook. If someone does not talk to someone or is not friends with them on Facebook they think you aren't friends with them in real life.
It has almost become a competition to some people to be tagged in the most photos and have the most friends.
My advice? Get off the computer and go outside or read a book!
Abslide made a good point about how Facebook has become an illusion of reality. I think that may be the problem with the Facebook addiction. Since we can still talk to people through facebook and "see" them through pictures,and then go to the homepage and read the current status of 30 different people all at once, it feels somewhat like we are actually with these people in reality. I know that sounds a little far-fetched, but I think some people just feel like sitting looking at Facebook all day is not a problem because it comes across to them as if they really are being social, when honestly they're not. I hope that makes sense.
ReplyDelete