What’s on my mind is that people whined about Facebook taking over “normal” communication. Well it has. As have many other social sites replaced the telephone, in person visits etc and people prefer convenience over inconvenience, we quickly succumb to electronic socializing without question. So when real life bites us in the ass and we say so on these sites, why all the whining about negativity. WTF Is it happy happy only – that is NOT real anyway but ponder this: what if the person who posted something they are going through has a concoction they know will let them sleep forever, they have no one to call, no one to talk to because everybody is so fucking busy “socializing” on gadgets they won’t pick up until it’s convenient for themselves – leaving this person with NOBODY to actually TALK to so they post their REAL life experience on Facebook or wherever and people whine about it because it isn’t “fun,” they didn’t post what time they took a crap today or how full their gut is tonight or what their plans for tomorrow are. Inglorious assholes with nothing meaningful to share judge others too harshly. God help us if “socializing” is so conditional thanks to the internet that we are no longer allowed to be REAL human beings who share our struggles and our joys equally. Imagine just one kind word from a stranger, okay, Facebook or other social site friend, stopped them from ending their lives altogether. Because it has. Maybe if someone had really “listened” to some of the “bullied into suicide” teens or others, theyi might still be here. Reality can really suck the big one. But in my opinion, insensitivity and too much sunshiny positivity invalidates a person just as it desensitizes us as compassionate human beings and it must stop. We are not goddamn machines. There, I feel better. My apologies to my religious friends for the swearing. But tonight, as usual, I have NOBODY to talk to. So I get the people who rant/vent/share here. I am one of them. I am REAL. So are they and may I always be sensitive enough to care about them, even if I’ve never met them. Amen. And goodnight 
This was my rant on Facebook tonight, not usually given to such long posts on there, I am just sickened by people’s attitudes toward the suffering. If it isn’t big, happy shiny bullshit creating a virtual reality for everyone to envy or compete with, it’s, apparently, socially unacceptable. Since when is sharing your sorrows as well as your joys conditional? So what if it’s Facebook or elsewhere? It’s REAL life. Shit happens to good people every day and I don’t give a crap about the new car or vacation, I want to know HOW people are, how they FEEL and if they are OKAY. But then, I have an old-fashioned concept of socializing and human relationships. Maybe it is really me who is behind the times. But I simply cannot picture myself as a robotic voice issuing pre-programmed monotone messages. Lord help us if that’s what we are destined for. Going to resist all the way if so. Loud and louder, LOL
YES i pick PEOPLE too !!!!!!
Not On FB
was ………………
not now …….
Love Your passionate Voice xx
it’s just what i need these days -
you write so well xx
Thanks, Cat, you are good for my ego xo Will keep aiming to please
I feel as though I should ask you to coffee to properly comment, but I suppose I am forced to let social electronic communication suffice when I say you make a very good point and I concur
Love the way your brain “weathers” our world. For sure, coffee if we lived close enough, that would be such fun xo Appreciate your feedback, thank you.
Count me in. OTOH without WP you and I wouldn’t ever meet, which would be a shame. Even digitally we can at least try to stay real. First though, one has to understand the difference.
Yes! That is what I missed in my piece/rant. Your point is, as usual, very sharp and well taken. Should have spoken with you before I went off, Ben, lol. Ah, well. I agree, I have met so many wonderful minds in this blogging community who inspire me as they free their thoughts to share with me. Onward we go. Being REAL
I totally agree. I share nothing on facebook except pictures, the few “”having a good day” and occasionally cryptic status meaning I’m having a hard time. My facebook “friends” are mostly not my real friends. I have some on there but I tend to do my communicating with them via phone, text message, in person or some more private avenue. Here on wordpress I be me, most no one is real life has had a chance to see it and unfortunately I think if they did I wouldn’t be so brave. But I have found a supportive blogging community to adjunct my small support system in real life.
So true! Esp. this part: “But I have found a supportive blogging community to adjunct my small support system in real life.” I feel the same way and you are part of the reason why. It’s amazing how anonymous you can feel on here to simply share everything because I know for sure most of my friends and family just say, I don’t read blogs, I don’t have time. So I never think of them reading. I actually don’t think much of anyone reading. I just cut loose and let my mind fly. So glad you could swing by and remind me that we are part of something very valuable, so valuable we may not even yet know how much so. Thanks for being part of my community, your courage always inspires me to be braver than I really am.
I resisted facebook, until my grown-up offspring insisted I became their friends on-line as well as in real life. LoL My husband has blocked my daughter (his stepdaughter) on his facebook, as she went through a stage of using the F-word frequently (as if he never uses the word himself–ha, hah!). My brother and mother monitor my daughter’s facebook, and then complain about her “washing her dirty linen in public” (I hate that expression). As far as I’m concerned, she’s just being her usual outspoken, honest, labile self–and I love her, whatever.
I love her and YOU too, hurrah for human honesty and being ourselves… no matter what xo
I like what you said on Facebook. Refreshing to hear honesty.
I hate Facebook because it is so shallow and or the opposite – bullying and or stalking. So, I boycott it.
Nice idea, I’m thinking if it weren’t for some aged and geographically distant relatives, I might too. Boycott, I mean. There is a horrible amount of bullying on there, I have endured some. Never again. Going public with it every time it happens, are you reading this now, bullies??? LOL Thanks, Genie, for swinging by my pages
I phone geographically distant relatives and or e-mail them, as well as use Skype.
As far as I see, there is not one substantial reason to be on Facebook.
If some people won’t stay in touch except via Facebook (and that does happen) I don’t care, their loss.
Good point
Well Said!
Thanks! I think I was a tad ticked off, lol.
I love my bike more than I love some people. There. I’ve said it.
And I’ve just published it on my pages, lol lol
This follower would never have you stop being you. I’m a follower because of your candid honesty & writing talents, both prose & poetry. This is your blog. You have reiterated the reason everybody is here, whether admitted or not. Thank you for being here…
Be still mine heart. Lindy, your message moved me to tears. I can only say thank you, thank you, thank you for being a bright presence on my life journey. Much love.
Janice
I was kind of born in a suicide chat room and who knows, maybe someday I feel called to write something about that, but what I will say is this. In those places – the internet version of “someone to call” – not only is there not a lot of help, but the rooms are often full of sadistic bullies looking for someone they can provoke to suicide!
The insulation of electronic media has pushed some of us far beyond insensitive drones who don’t want you to be real. I read some interesting stuff on Freshly Pressed once about how the insulation brings introverts, such as myself, out of our closets, so it’s not all bad, but we really do get a mask we think we can hide behind here, that turns many of us from bad people to worse. And it obscures the real feelings of the people we attack.
I’m all for getting the most out of the things we have available to us in life, and that means the internet too. But sometimes you get the most out of something by putting it down for awhile. So a big AMEN to you, sister! Let’s get real!
Anne! That first line is a first line for a story, book or something. OMG. I was IN it. Thank you for having the courage to share here. So many shame the REAL among us, an irony considering the FALSE personas they project among us.God Bless the reality of YOU. Yes I have read much as you have, on the effects of cyber socialization. Sadness in motion. Not that I don’t get the greatness of it for without it, we would not have connected. However, balance in all things is a good thing, and most importantly, REALITY. Always keeping it as REAL as I can
If I learn a new way (and I hope I never do, lol), you are sure to read about that, too, lol. Big hugs. REALLY. 
