I know I may be sounding like a broken record, but it's actually thought provoking, how it seems to have such an impact on our lives. It's become such a way of life that one has to reflect on it.
A lot of people seem to base their lives around it. And quite often, it appears to be all about making everything seem rosy and hunky-dory. Posting party pictures so that everyone can see how popular you are. Having a really rosy, upbeat status with lots of smileys and exclamation marks.
I went to a pizza restaurant for dinner today and while we were eating, this obviously separated, single dad came in with his young son to have dinner. They sat a few tables away from us and the entire time the dad had a headset on. It looked like he had a large bug growing out of his ear. His son couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 and he was chattering on the entire time, while the dad muttered out incoherent answers and seemed like he wasn't really there. It was probably his day with his son.
I bet tonight, his Facebook status will say something like "Quality time and pizza with my beloved son". Making it sound so perfect.
We're all guilty of that I bet. Few people will tell the truth, since the truth is often too imperfect and bland to suffice. Maybe sometimes it actually is perfect, but there's no way it can be all the time. If I were to judge solely from my Facebook friends' status', I'd have to say that they are all the happiest, most well adjusted people in the whole world, especially the Swedes. Well, there are those few screwed up cases that do the opposite and spill their most intimate thoughts and problems in their status for everyone to see, but that's rare and it tends to be very confused and emotionally needy people who do that.
Apart from that, most people seem to have great lives, if I were to believe their status. I almost feel inadequate in comparison. And here I thought other people had neurotic moments too. Or perhaps they do but they just don't share it.
I don't meet most people on my FB, but when I actually do I'm always a bit surprised because the only news of them I have had has been on Facebook and judging from that they seem utterly on top of the world. Then when I actually meet them in the flesh I'm always surprised to see that their life isn't as picture perfect as it seems on FB.
In a way, it's kind of neat to read some of these upbeat status'. I like the ones that are about kids, since I like children. In a way, hunky-dorey status' can also get a little bit too much, especially if they're repetitive, which they so often are. Sometimes, when I'm in a particularly crappy mood, I feel like reaching out and smacking someone. I'm one of those awful people who actually enjoys the gloomy stuff. Not because I gloat at other people's unfortune, well maybe sometimes I do if it's someone who deserves it, I'm not perfect, but because life isn't perfect. Of course we should try to be positive and well adjusted and do the best we can to be successful and healthy and all that, but unfortunately life isn't free of shitty moments. I find the shitty moments just as interesting, if not more, as the good ones. Life is not so one-dimensional as that. It can't all be good. It'd be boring if it was wouldn't it. Then again, the answer may be that these people do have shitty times, they just don't share them in their status. Like it or not, we all have a dark side. The bad stuff is a part of life, and I think it's interesting to explore it.
1 comment:
I don't have much time right now (have been busy, though, strangely enough, cheerfully! training..perhaps because they are not dumb thank god!) so I may comment more later. But for now, I'll say that most statuses are probably upbeat because most people know that sad/depressed/anxious statuses would just make people uncomfortable. There are so many times when I wanted to share how I felt about my mom, or even simply just say I miss her. But I know that will just make people feel awkward or embarassed or make me seem like I'm asking for attention simply by wanting to express it publicly. So I just say nothing about that at all, instead focusing on the positive things in my life, which, when one stops to look, are indeed plentiful. But yeah, that is also one reason why I shut down my blog. I don't want to burden my friends with what I'm going through. Now of course, when we talk about it in person or on msn, that's entirely a different matter and I can open up depending on the person. Though I may start a new blog (private or anonymously) to help me cope while not burdening anyone. Ack! now back to work!
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