Recently, I've had several friends trying to encourage me to join Facebook. Due to my profession, I've decided that it is in my best interest not to do so. I don't want current or former students, or employers for that matter, looking to see what I'm up to. I like to keep my private life private. I've heard too many stories of employers looking up potential employees on the net to determine their suitability for hiring. I also don't want to be stalked by exes or would be suitors, as I have a bizarre propensity to do in both my real and cyber life. Nor do I want to give in to the temptation to stalk said persons myself. So I say nay to Facebook.
My more persuasive friends have kicked their pitches into high gear, relying on their sales and marketing experience to tell me that I can restrict what information others see about me and simply ignore those with who I do not want to interact. My response is, "Isn't that what I'm already doing by not joining Facebook?" If you know me and I want to be in contact with you then we are in touch. If not, it's just as well. Then you don't try and reach out to me only to have me subtly reject your advances by ignoring you. I have a phone and email and a street address. All of those are means by which you can reach me. If you don't have any of that information about me, then chances are that I don't actually want to know you anymore and that's ok. Why should I have to go through the trouble of re-rejecting you after we lost touch the first time?
Speaking of time, I'm a slow reader. It takes me ages to sort through information on line and I have, on several occasions, wasted entire 12-16 hour days sitting in front of my computer surfing the net. Facebook would be just another time sponge in my life that would take me away from actually living. I like to go out dancing. I need to work out more. I want to actually spend time with my friends. Facebook will take away from all of that as I read and respond to superfluous stimuli like pokes, drinks, and friend requests from all of the 12 year olds I teach who have too much time on their hands. I already struggle to update this blog on a monthly basis. Having to maintain a Facebook page too would kill me.
You may be thinking, "Michelle, what the hell are you talking about? You maintain this blog that anyone can read." True, but no one does. This blog has a readership in the single digits. How do I know? Spy ware! I have a counter that tracks hits. I know who visits, where they log on from, which posts they look at, and how many times they come back. Consequently, I know that most people besides you will never read what I say here. Only about 10 people on the earth even know I have a blog. The sporadic frequency with which I update it prevents people from coming back for more, so I think I'm safe.
For now, I'm listening to Nancy Regan and I just say NO to Facebook.
*Cue friends voices saying, "You know you want to. Every body's doing it. It'll make you feel good. What are you a chicken?"
Yes, cluck, cluck.
