Facebook, Solo Para Elegidos

"Facebook isn't for everyone" es la ultima columna de Jenny Sokol (el articulo completo esta mas abajo en este post). En el articulo, Jenny explica que no tiene tiempo para todas sus obligaciones de la vida real, mucho menos tiene tiempo para las de la vida virtual. Y menos que menos para seguir la vida virtual de los demas.

La ocupadisima Jenny es una columnista del Orange County Register y es otro claro ejemplo de mi teoria "No importa que, sino quien".

Facebook es una red social a la que cualquier persona puede adherirse. Te sumas o no. Y si te sumas, podes borrar tu perfil sin dejar rastro en el momento que quieras. Es bastante democratico el tema. (Si, es cierto, roban tus datos y despues los venden, pero bueno, Google tambien lo hace, que se le va a hacer?)

Lo que nunca voy a lograr entender es a la gente, como Jenny, que toma como logro personal no tener un Facebook. Es como que yo me ponga contento por no usar nunca Yahoo! Cual es el merito de no tipear un URL? Son solo clicks Jenny, no necesitas un diploma de Ivy League para eso.

Lo mas triste de toda la situacion es que, segun su pagina oficial, Jenny tiene unos 500mil lectores. Me parece demasiado... pero en el caso de Jenny, mas de 20 serian demasiados.

Related: Facebook Narcisista

Articulo Completo

Facebook isn't for everyone
JENNY SOKOL
23 February 2009
The Orange County Register
English
© 2009 Orange County Register. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights reserved.

More than a decade into my personal relationship with e-mail, I'm content with my level of connectedness. I can send a message or photo to the people I know and love in an instant.

While I work, should a thought cross my mind, I'm empowered to pursue it. Could this pain in my wrist be carpal tunnel syndrome? What could I make for dinner with the leftover chicken and black beans? Moments later, due to search engines, I have both a diagnosis and a meal plan.

Between hysterical clips on YouTube, bizarre chain letters, Microsoft payout alerts, and that guy from Angola who desperately wants to wire his grandfather's estate money, I can hardly get any actual work done. Working at a computer is like trying to read a book at a circus.

"Why aren't you on Facebook?" friends want to know. I offer an array of excuses: I'm uncool. I'm behind the technology power curve. I'm busy.

Here's the truth: I can barely keep up with my own life. How am I supposed to not only record it, but keep up with yours?

Yes, I care that little Timmy just poo-pooed in the potty seat. I just don't need to see a video clip of it. Similarly, I'd be intrigued to hear that an old high school acquaintance recently traveled to Fiji, but I don't need to read her blog detailing the exquisite texture of the island's sand.

Life in the 21st century is a fire hose in the face. I need to hold it away from me, lean in and take one gulp at a time.

But when you commit to filtering relationships, you suffer consequences. Family members, friends and acquaintances connect without me. They, along with 280 million MySpace and Facebook users, chose to go to the party; I chose to stay home and pop some corn. The repercussions? 1) I'm a virtual loser and, 2) My friends are miffed.

Another truth is that I'm too wimpy for social networking. I shudder at the thought of denying a "friend request," but that nutty second cousin doesn't need to know that I prefer the shrimp fajitas to the bean burrito at my local Mexican joint. I imagine reuniting with creepy acquaintances that took too long to ditch the first time around. Why volunteer for that type of stress?

Beyond the networking sites are blogs. Everyone seems to blog. I know military families overseas who blog in order to keep in touch with Grandma. Unfortunately, their blogs can also potentially be viewed by anyone with Internet access. Hundreds of millions of them, every day.

A quick perusal of these blogs reveals pictures, names, even movie clips of the bloggers' children. In minutes, one can gather information ranging from the children's schools to where they take karate lessons. Maybe these are the kind of details that the 90,000 sex offenders recently removed from MySpace were looking for. Blocks can be put on Web sites and permission is required to gain access to MySpace and Facebook pages, but - as a victim of identity theft - when it comes to cyberspace, you can never be sure.

Someday, I might climb out of the virtual Dark Ages. Until then, I'll enjoy my bowl of popcorn in peace.

JSokol@kc.rr.com