Facebook - Connecting or Disconnecting?

Facebook - Connecting or Disconnecting…

Knowing the fact that I have taken the immense blessed decision of being a “Software Engineer”, its my moral duty to spread the pros of technology… But somewhere I feel sad to say that technology has not brought people close, but has driven them far away…

The major Criminal of all times being – “Facebook”

I am no exception, recently have become like an addict to this site… But this site has just drawn me to the fact that how much we friends in the same city are getting disconnected… All emotions we see these days on Facebook.... “I miss you”… “I love you”… even the smallest detail that one is having lunch in Taj or is currently waiting for his flight in the business class lounge of Singapore Airlines (mind you … don’t miss the fancy word “BUSINESS” class) or is at a particular airport boarding a flight… all the details are up there for all to see… I wonder… while having lunch with friends… how can one bother to notify this info on Facebook… makes me feel maybe he/she is so bored having lunch that he/she got all the time to write that on his/her wall ;)

But one message that truly left me strangled was this one… My apologies but this one just blew me off ;)

A "Good bye"; Thank you Kiss" to my lovely Toyota Camry... Feeling sad n emotional... Had a great time with her... Lots of memories... Thank you Camry!... You'll always remain very close to my heart... M gonna miss u...

Imagine how emotional one can get while parting from his "Rented" Camry Car ;)… Gosh… Wish the car also had a Facebook profile to reply – “I will miss you too buddy”…. Hahaha

Usually we used to meet people face to face first and then maybe later pictures on Orkut…. Oops Facebook… But now we see the pics on facebook first and then later meet them face to face…. And say…. “Ya I saw you on facebook already” … Lol…

It totally surprises me that emotions like “I love you” which used to be oh so personal to be said face to face or over the phone is right there for the world to see… I mean c’mon… leave something’s to be said at least personally…

Best part is new year resolutions seen on everyone’s walls…New Year is the time when the world goes high on making resolutions.

I read somewhere that “A new year’s resolution lasts as long as the first week of January. Truer words were never spoken”

While Facebook is replete with updates from people who resolve to lose weight, be tolerant to fellow-desis from the Bay Area, spend less time Facebooking (ironically announcing it on Facebook), strive to find a higher truth (whatever that means), cut down on spending in shopping, or waste less time listening to Kolaveri di, I wonder how many of these resolutions actually attain fruition. This gives an interesting glimpse into human behavior, where some invisible force throughout the world not only makes us guilty for our actions (or the lack of it), but also makes us announce publicly a list of all the things we will probably never do.

I had abided with Robin Sharma’s words very aptly when he said “Always have a camera with you… you never know when you would wanna click moments with your loved ones…” …. But I guess I applied one more rule to upload those memories onto Facebook… no… I know its not a bad deed or something… But it just reminded me of my good friend – Guru (Name has been kept confidential for security reasons) telling me just last week

Guru: Rashmi, you are so mean… you don’t care about someone else’s job…

Me: What are you talking about…

Guru: DBAs in Facebook department are fired…

Me: Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :P

Guru: Each time your friend gets married or engaged… you upload so many pics that the Facebook server crashes :P…

Funny… but just made me think… yes mann… I have become faster than the “Aaaj Tak” news reporter when it comes to uploading pics ;) …. Phew….

Jokes apart…. But truly speaking…. On a serious note I do feel that Facebook is just taking us away from real life… Real friends… everything seems so virtual…

So whats your take on it…. Facebook – Connecting or Disconnecting?

___________________________Rashmi (8th January, 2012)