A rant about social networks posted on my blog.
Sometimes I wish that I had come to Paris without a computer. I mean, being able to stay connected with my friends and family from home have definitely kept me sane these past 4 months but I am growing increasingly disgusted with my obsession with social networks. I’m ashamed to say that I check my facebook, twitter, and tumblr every day, multiple times a day. And yet, how many times a day do I pick up a book? If I read a status as often as I read a news article, I could probably help fix the euro debt crisis.
Part of what has sparked this sudden awareness of my 21st century problem is my lack of cellphone usage these past 4 months. Well technically, I guess I have a cellphone but it’s this pathetic pre-paid thing whose only mildly entertaining feature is the french version of ‘bejeweled’. I’ve probably sent about 90 text messages my entire time here, whereas I used to go through that same amount in a day or two back home. For the first time in a long time, I can go days without looking at my phone. I didn’t think not having a cellphone could do that much for me, but it’s been such a bigger relief than I thought it would ever be. I don’t worry about “social obligations” like returning a text, a missed call, using my iCal to keep track of office hours and meetings, etc. It’s going to be a trip to have my regular cellphone functions back again and I’m not going to pretend that I won’t welcome them back like a fat kid on his first trip to the Sizzler after a summer at fat camp, but I just think it might do me some good to try a round of the same thing with my facebook (for starters).
