Facebook lazy and intellectual demise

I must admit that I've become "Facebook lazy." When I first started blogging on MySpace in 2006, it was a personal challenge to see how much I could communicate publicly between random thoughts and personal insights. It was also a tad bit reaching out to a woman of interest, but that's neither here nor there.

I'll be the first to admit that I've become a Facebook addict over the past year. After I quit my residence life job and my closest professional and personal companion became my research, I clung to Facebook as a way to maintain contact with people. To a certain extent, that situation still exists. I am grateful for this technology--it has allowed me to develop some relationships that would not have existed otherwise, and it has helped me to maintain a few relationships as well. It is not preferred to face-to-face interaction by a long shot, but it sure is nice during a period of many life transitions.

Here's the thing, though. As I stated, I've become "Facebook lazy." Since attaching to Facebook as an on-line communication portal, I've nearly abandoned blog posts. Even though I come up with stuff to write at least weekly, I settle for Facebook "status updates." Some would argue that my use of that feature resembles "tweeting" more than status updating, but I really don't want to get into yet another form of electronic communication. At least with Facebook, I can connect with other people. Twitter really is like a tweeting bird--"look at me! look at me!" Anyway, the point is that I've gotten lazy. I've limited my public commentary to 420 characters at time (with the occasional "reply" to my own status update).

What's the point? On the surface, this is about how I choose to communicate. At a deeper level, it's a commentary regarding technology. I'm a fan of technological advances; I have been for as long as I can remember. However, technology has always been comprised of "tools" for human work and living. The plow really started it all, and the plow still required a great bit of effort to work effectively. I don't really think the plow challenged the future of humanity or "humanness" the way computer technology does. Technological advances of the modern age (television, satellite, internet, e-mail, social networking, mp3 shuffle, wifi) empower us to communicate and learn in ways far surpassing historical methods, but they also empower us to be lazy and complacent. Whereas the plow empowered humanity to grow more and grow more efficiently, modern technology empowers us to limit or even turn off our intellect.

As I write these words, I encounter abundant thoughts not making their way to the screen. A thought I cannot shake, though, is the thought of family. My perspective is that of a professional single--a bachelor who is overly connected to technology and lacking human contact beyond my work and limited social life. For me, the choices presented by technology are serious. With so much of my personal life being "wired," I must truly choose between intellectual empowerment or social networking autopilot. For so many people out there with families--with spouses, children, significant others, etc.--I hope this is less of a concern. I hope that daily human interactions with loved ones empowers human intellect enough that all of this e-chatter is simply extra, perhaps bearing substance and the potential for growth as persons, but always second to familial interactions.

I'm not pledging to blog more, but I am pledging to not have my communications and writings limited to Facebook posts. I am pledging to keep my mind active, my soul nourished, and not survive on hyper-auto-pilot.

In other news, I'm a big fan of Lady Gaga's new album Born This Way.