I thought this might be a good light-weight subject to talk about. Anyway -- I'll try to keep it light-weight! Mostly. Kinda... :)
Ah, Facebook. If one has never experienced what it's like to both love and hate something on the Internet at the same time, you most likely are not caught up in Facebook.
Ah, Facebook. If one has never experienced what it's like to both love and hate something on the Internet at the same time, you most likely are not caught up in Facebook.
I have what I consider to be a 'good bunch' --nice, intelligent, small group of Facebook friends with good senses of humor-only around 60 or so.. I think those who gather up thousands of 'friends' on FB are in need of something they are not gonna get from Facebook!
For the most part, as in life itself, water usually finds its own comfortable level. Most of the friends you keep on FB are the ones you share a certain commonality with....which may include similar philosophies and personal beliefs... and ...even if you don't have 'that much' in common, you find it easy to be tolerant and allowing, a have respect for your differences because this 'friend' is a real decent sort.
For the most part, as in life itself, water usually finds its own comfortable level. Most of the friends you keep on FB are the ones you share a certain commonality with....which may include similar philosophies and personal beliefs... and ...even if you don't have 'that much' in common, you find it easy to be tolerant and allowing, a have respect for your differences because this 'friend' is a real decent sort.
Facebook has made it wonderfully possible to get acquainted with people from all over the Earth! That still thrills me! Far less than a hundred years ago, the majority of people were fairly provincial. If you knew people from long distances away, chances are they were relatives. But how things have changed! To me, it's fun getting differing perspectives on subjects from people who live in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa... even New Jersey! (bad joke... ;)
It still fascinates me that I can be chatting with someone waaaaaaay over on the other side of the world!
Facebook is unquestionably the best vacuum for 'profiling' the government has ever taken advantage of (or maybe instigated! :) ...and basically nothing is secret. Is that so bad? Maybe. Maybe not. It's always our choice as to whether or not we want to stay under the radar on FB...
It still fascinates me that I can be chatting with someone waaaaaaay over on the other side of the world!
Facebook is unquestionably the best vacuum for 'profiling' the government has ever taken advantage of (or maybe instigated! :) ...and basically nothing is secret. Is that so bad? Maybe. Maybe not. It's always our choice as to whether or not we want to stay under the radar on FB...
Probably the 'worst' thing about Facebook is that it is so addictive. I am doing better! :) I have 'cut the dose in half' so to speak.
Everything in life is a 'mirror'...in one way or another..although we may not like to see it as such...(usually when we disagree with 'what we see in the mirror.' ;) Sometimes our FB friends provide us with a better mirror than some of our 'in person' friends do. During some of my exchanges with FB friends I have experienced many more emotions than I thought one could with someone that one doesn't really 'know in person.' You learn a LOT about yourself.
Sometimes this reflecting can be rather uncomfortable...even painful for us.
Other times it's just pure joy, because FB friends can give us opportunities to reach out and 'help' in ways that some of our 'in person' friends do not.
I think we can do best if we intend to learn more patience, more tolerance, and be willing to take a look at those places within us that really challenge our 'comfort zones.'
Sometimes the 'comments' from not just FB friends but anyone who responds to certain posts or comments, can teach us a lot about ourselves. I am always annoyed by those, especially on sites having to do with spirituality, who seem to always appear having a perfect understanding, no problems because they have become SO enlightened, and others want confirmation by having the wisdom to always agree. :) It took me awhile to learn to be blunt and totally honest (MPOV) without being unkind. I am not beyond pointing a few arrows back at ones who are cruel or needlessly insulting to my FB friends. This, too, needs to be self-examined. I am not implying that FB should be taken as seriously as a monastery or school of theology....only saying that there are always opportunities to learn...especially learn to Let Go. We all need to keep re-learning how to detach, step back, breathe, and THEN...maybe delete...backspace, etc... and post something we will not regret. We all forget this at times --so we get over it! Forgive others and ourselves.
FB also provides a way for us to further learn how to discern just WHAT we believe--and also how to say NO... and that includes un-friending people not only on FB but in so called 'real life.' Life (even on FB) is not about 'having' to learn to accept belief systems and attitudes that are contrary to our own... but to use these situations to help clarify what WE need, what do "I" believe... and to be able to then say NO... _click_...done. BUT (another one of those big but's :) --none of it has to be done with hate... because we will most likely be presented with yet another 'opportunity' to repeat some similar situation or occasion...until we learn to say no...without screaming it while throwing verbal rocks. :)
As in every corner of life, FB is just another corner where we learn that we are Creating It All.
As in all phases of life, it's necessary to keep a Balance... and not be constantly plugged in to our electronic technology. As the P's told us: If your spirituality does not remain on the same level as your technology, you will soon find yourself losing your humanity.
I think we will be discovering, more and more, the vast importance of being connected with the Earth... in order to keep that Balance.
Nearly every teacher of any importance is telling us the same thing... the same thing that Buddhism has taught for thousands of years: SIMPLIFY. We can't keep burying ourselves in our TVs, DVD players, the computer and the Internet just to 'escape.' We can 'feel' this lesson if we really try... no one has to outwardly 'teach' us this...
With FB as with everything else: Everything in moderation. Best advice ever.
Namaste'
_/]\_
Sometimes this reflecting can be rather uncomfortable...even painful for us.
Other times it's just pure joy, because FB friends can give us opportunities to reach out and 'help' in ways that some of our 'in person' friends do not.
I think we can do best if we intend to learn more patience, more tolerance, and be willing to take a look at those places within us that really challenge our 'comfort zones.'
Sometimes the 'comments' from not just FB friends but anyone who responds to certain posts or comments, can teach us a lot about ourselves. I am always annoyed by those, especially on sites having to do with spirituality, who seem to always appear having a perfect understanding, no problems because they have become SO enlightened, and others want confirmation by having the wisdom to always agree. :) It took me awhile to learn to be blunt and totally honest (MPOV) without being unkind. I am not beyond pointing a few arrows back at ones who are cruel or needlessly insulting to my FB friends. This, too, needs to be self-examined. I am not implying that FB should be taken as seriously as a monastery or school of theology....only saying that there are always opportunities to learn...especially learn to Let Go. We all need to keep re-learning how to detach, step back, breathe, and THEN...maybe delete...backspace, etc... and post something we will not regret. We all forget this at times --so we get over it! Forgive others and ourselves.
FB also provides a way for us to further learn how to discern just WHAT we believe--and also how to say NO... and that includes un-friending people not only on FB but in so called 'real life.' Life (even on FB) is not about 'having' to learn to accept belief systems and attitudes that are contrary to our own... but to use these situations to help clarify what WE need, what do "I" believe... and to be able to then say NO... _click_...done. BUT (another one of those big but's :) --none of it has to be done with hate... because we will most likely be presented with yet another 'opportunity' to repeat some similar situation or occasion...until we learn to say no...without screaming it while throwing verbal rocks. :)
As in every corner of life, FB is just another corner where we learn that we are Creating It All.
As in all phases of life, it's necessary to keep a Balance... and not be constantly plugged in to our electronic technology. As the P's told us: If your spirituality does not remain on the same level as your technology, you will soon find yourself losing your humanity.
I think we will be discovering, more and more, the vast importance of being connected with the Earth... in order to keep that Balance.
Nearly every teacher of any importance is telling us the same thing... the same thing that Buddhism has taught for thousands of years: SIMPLIFY. We can't keep burying ourselves in our TVs, DVD players, the computer and the Internet just to 'escape.' We can 'feel' this lesson if we really try... no one has to outwardly 'teach' us this...
With FB as with everything else: Everything in moderation. Best advice ever.
Namaste'
_/]\_
