Social Media and My Old School Ways

This post is certainly not original in any way.  It's probable that nothing that I have to say will be fabulously enlightening because I'm sure it's all been said before in one way or another.  However, it's been on my mind lately so I thought I would just put it down on paper--or in the form of a blog post.

I've been thinking about this massive influx of social media that is apparently here to stay--like it or not.  I know I am terribly old school, but I am one of those people who has never even liked talking on the phone.  If I'm going to have a conversation with someone I would much rather do it in person.  So much of our communication is non-verbal and I would rather be face-to-face than over the phone.  The one huge exception to that was when Lindy and I were in the long distance phase of our relationship and we would talk for HOOOOOOURS on the phone.  Those were the days before free long distance on cell phones or home phones but that was the only option we had.  You take what you can get.  It was also before e-mail.  :)  Wow, we're old!!

Now, we have MySpace (which is old news) and Facebook (which is fun but can be a huge time-sucker), texting, Twitter, etc.  I'm sure there are other newer forms of social media which I haven't even started to learn about.  It took me a while to catch the texting wave but I've found that I really enjoy it.  One thing that I can't seem to get the hang of is all of the texting abbreviations.  In fact, I've made the choice not to get the hang of it and I have such an aversion to it that I try to text with my, typically, correct grammar.  I try to do this even when I'm sending out mass texts at work from my computer.  The only time I abbreviate is when I have to in order to fit in my message in 140 characters.  I'm not the first one to say that all of these short cuts have provided our younger generation with a serious disservice.  Not only do they not communicate as well verbally, they can't write their way out of a paper bag.  Of course, I'm making generalizations here.

I think what it boils down to in my mind is that our lives have gotten so busy that we can't even take the time to text in proper grammar.  We don't have time to see each other in person or even pick up the phone to have a conversation.  We're so busy that we even have to abbreviate the little blips that we send back and forth to each other.  What kind of message, figuratively, are we sending to each other?  Maybe I'm really over thinking this and I certainly don't want to offend anyone out there who could school me on all the texting shortcuts but I just feel that time is one of the greatest commodities we can give one another.  Communication has become so stilted that we've really lost sight of what is important.

This brings to mind the annual birthday tradition that my friend, Deanna, and I have together.  She's very busy, as am I, and it's really difficult for us to make the time to get together with each other.  But, once a year I treat her to dinner and a movie.  The gift I'm really giving her is time because the time we give each other is more precious than any gift that can be purchased.  Likewise, she's giving me the gift of her time since she's definitely no less busy than me.

Maybe all of this social media has allowed us to connect with more people--around the globe, long-lost friends from the past, etc. but much of it is so shallow that even though we've made our world smaller we've also found a convenient way to put up walls and only communicate when and how we want.  We've lost sight of sharing our thoughts and feelings with each other and maybe being there to see the tears on a friend's face and to give a pat on the shoulder or a comforting hug. 

I do like to communicate via e-mail but I proofread every one that I send out to make sure it has the right grammar, tone, content, etc.  I'm really weird that way.  E-mail is a huge time saver but it can be impersonal as well since it falls far short of face-to-face communication.

As far as Twitter is concerned I don't have a Twitter account, don't know how to get one, and don't care to get one.  I don't think anyone has a desire to know what I'm doing minute by minute and I, frankly, don't have the time or energy to read Tweets about what friends and strangers alike are doing at any given time.  Call me crazy, call me old school, call me whatever you want.  I may eat these words one day but I doubt it.

Of course, there is a deeper meaning in my mind related to all that has transpired in our "microwave society."  For many of us who have a relationship with God it has affected the time we are willing to give to Him.  I think if we could we would just send him a text with our needs and hope he's up there somewhere reading it.  We read a verse a day on our Facebook accounts or say a quick prayer and we think that's enough.  God hasn't changed.  He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Our time, along with our heart, is the most valuable commodity we can give to Him.  We get out of any relationship what we put into it.  I don't want to give God my shortcuts.  I want to give Him my very best.  I don't want the pace at which our lives move to affect what I'm willing to give to Him.  He's given everything to me.  That's the least I can do.

I have to admit that as I close this post I am feeling a little hypocritical because as I was typing I was flashing back and forth between instant messaging with my cousin on Facebook and writing this post.  I haven't seen her for many years and we've been able to reconnect through Facebook, but alas, it's still not as good as seeing Cara in the flesh.  I guess I'll still take what I can get...and I'll use proper grammar and no shortcuts while I'm doing it.  :)