But I just want to put it out there that I am not on facebook -- not now, not ever. I would love to be having conversations with people who might be interested in the topics I post about. C'mon over here and leave a comment if you like. I don't bite (well, most of the time).
I'm way past the point of criticizing facebook users. It's whatever. Do what makes sense for you. Personally, I got pissed off years ago when people (both friends and relatives) I used to exchange emails with regularly got on facebook and basically stopped talking to me. Not out of ill will or anything. Rather, they were just too busy on their facebook pages talking to their "friends" to exchange a personal message or two that they (or I) might not necessarily have wanted the whole world -- even just "facebook friends" -- to read (and really, the fact that "friend" has become a verb is a little unnerving in and of itself).
I get why you people like it and can appreciate some of its uses (my band used/uses it for publicity), but the way everyone just jumped on that bandwagon -- "Why are you on facebook? Duh! Everyone's on facebook!" -- gets under my skin. No thanks.
If you've been reading this blog for any little bit of time, you know that a big part of how I was able to extricate myself from academe had to do with resisting the herd impulse, doing something just because everyone else was doing it -- because "it's what you're supposed to do" if you want an academic career. I'm supposed to watch everyone else's Sisyphean adventures in academic career-land year after year, and then, when my turn comes, just DO THE SAME THING? No thanks.
Not exactly directly analogous, I know. But my point is about thinking for yourself. Whether it's facebook or academe, make your own decisions. Don't let the herd decide what makes sense and what's going to work best for you.
Link to me all you want from facebook, but I won't be meeting you there anytime soon.
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Yes, I take your point. I think that there's far too much pressure by people to be on Facebook. ...and its the same with Google+. Grr. I'm ok with FB ...but as you say its important to make your own decisions and not be swayed by others. So, I agree with you that do what's best for you and don't go with the herd mentality. After all its your life..not theirs.
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