Thursday, April 21, 2011

Social Media Overload?

So as you all know I jumped on the Twitter train yesterday. It got me thinking about just how much social media has taken over my life and so many others.

Obviously I've got this blog which documents pretty much all the important (and not so important) events in my family's life.

I've got Facebook to keep up with all my IRL friends (all 400+ of them, can we say a serious purge is in order?) I also have a FB page for the blog so you can conveniently read from your newsfeed.

I have Kodakgallery to share all the million pictures I take of E with my family.

I now have twitter where I can share every mundane though I have if I so choose.

The only thing I'm missing is FourSquare (or whatever it's called) so you could see my exact location at anytime of the day!

It's getting a bit ridiculous no?

I'm not condemning it. Obviously I participate. But it did get me thinking....where do we draw the line and why is there such a need for it all?

I can answer the second question pretty easily.

I blog because I feel the need to document. I want to leave something behind for future family members and my children who might want to know more about me. I also want something to look back on when this time in my life has passed so I can remember who I was and how I got to wherever I am going.

I tweet and FB because I feel the need to connect with people. Being a stay at home mom can be lonely sometimes. The people who comment and the other bloggers out there who also share their lives are like my co-workers. Most are fellow moms and it feels great to know that I'm not alone and that I'm not the only one having happy hour locked in the bathroom. Somewhere out there....you're there too.

As far as where I draw the line? I'm still working on that.

I obviously keep some things private, but I've always been a very honest person. If I think it or do it....I'm really not scared to tell you about it. It is what it is. I won't do it at the expense of others...that line is completely drawn...but I am okay with doing it at the expense of myself.

So here I am. Out there in the social media world. Completely exposed. Am I scared? Not really. You may know what I look like, what I eat for dinner, all of my thoughts, but my exact location is kept secret.......for now.

Bahahahaha!

What about you? Do you have social media overload? Where do you draw the line?


9 comments :

  1. I so know what you mean, I have all those (not kodak) and I find myself becoming obsessed and starting yesterday I'm not letting myself check them once I get home bc family time is so precious that I don't need tweets & fb alerts interrupting! I got the iPhone in feb & that's only made it worse!

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  2. I have all of it, except the Kodak page (if we have a baby, I'm SURE that will change) and FourSquare. I'm willing to be an open book, but people don't need to know I'm at Target (again). And I don't really care where they are either....

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  3. I completely agree. I just joined twitter the other day too and I have had the same exact thoughts go through my head since I joined. Is there a line that must be made and not crossed. I am not sure I have found that yet but I still do wonder if there is such a line. I don't know, I am with you though and agree with everything you wrote here. And yes, it does connect you to others you may not have otherwise been connected to so to me, that's pretty cool. But then I also wonder okay but are ALL those things combined getting out of hand. So, im stumpped and on the fence becasue I don't have an answer...Wow talk about a big old ramble of a comment. Sorry I just am totally on board with you.

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  4. With the exception of Foursquare, I have all of them also! I find it ironic because before I started blogging or using twitter I never understood the need for it or the obsession with it. Now that I jumped in myself, I can completely understand! As a SAHM I love the feeling of being connected to other people. I love the friendships that have formed because of it.

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  5. Wait? What is foursquare? Why should people always know our location? Is that creepy?

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  6. I refuse to join Foursquare. I don't turn on my location detector on Twitter or Facebook. I hate to be paranoid, but no one needs to know my whereabouts all day, every day. That's just kind of creepy. :)

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  7. I like blogging for the same reasons as you, although my husband and I slightly differ on how much to share. I have FB, and I can totally relate to the SAHM/need-to-connect thing!! sheesh it can be so boring! lol I have yet to join twitter. I was actually thinking of writing a post about it... on whether i should join or not.

    But I say, keep doing what you're doing, mama! I like what you have to say :)

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  8. Very good thoughts you brought up. I often feel the social media overload. I handle it by taking breaks or fasts from social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. And often times I find these breaks surprisingly refreshing. because I find more time and focus to do things that make me really happy...like blogging! :)

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  9. I totally hear you on this - its taking over the world!! Blogging is all I do - no FB, no twitter...for now ;) Hope you had a great Thursday!!

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