Addiction: The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice that is psychologically or physically habit forming to the extent that its cessation causes trauma.
No, thank you, I do not need an intervention. I am not not hooked on drugs, alcohol, or gambling. I do joke about being addicted to stitching, knitting, and other crafts but really these are just creative outlets. If anything, I am not addicted enough or I wouldn't have a house full of UFOs. I would describe myself better as having a marked propensity for textile acquisition. Thus the line up of endless projects that stem from the influx of sale, one of a kind hand dyed, or just plain "I want it" yarns and yardage. No, I am speaking to a matter much more serious than time spent on making useful items like socks. Dare I say it? Facebook addiction!
The news and Internet media have been giving big time coverage to the new phenomena of Facebook addiction comparing it to slot machine use. I don't get that anaology as my Facebook has never, and I repeat longingly, never paid me. If any of you out there know how I can change that please contact me immediately by posting on my wall, opening the chat, changing your status, tagging me in a photo, send me a friend request, ask me to join your cause, poke me (please limit this use to Facebook), post a new Twitter, direct email me on Facebook, Twitter, or my regular email. You can call me on my mobile, my land line, or even come to my front door! I want that Jackpot!
All the attention paid to Facebook becoming as populated as the third largest country in the world did get me thinking. The time I now stay connected reading about knitting and sewing used to be spent doing knitting and sewing. Now on Facebook, I am joining knit groups that never meet, becoming a fan of products and stores I already use in the hopes of getting information on new stuff quicker. Do I really need an alert on my phone from Facebook that a store in Maine has the first new shipment of hand dyed, fair trade, organic fiber from Peru with a low carbon footprint as it was brought here by two backpackers? There is even a page for fans of Addicted to Facebook boasting over 13,000 members. Does Crack have its own page? Or, are some addictions left in dark corners where they belong instead of being proudly proclaimed.
This week it was announced that on Facebook, the game Farmville, had 310 million VIRTUAL crops planted that people paid for with actual dollars. Let me rephrase that. People payed U.S. currency for the opportunity to plant make believe blueberries on a make believe farm in a make believe community in a virtual reality social networking setting. That leads to a whole other realm of addiction. So many interesting questions come to mind. Are there now new economic theories relating to virtual purchases versus real world economics? Are these people just trying to avoid their own UFOs in what I call real Lifeville? No matter. Even the time I spend jotting this down used to be productive time in my own game of Lifeville.
Lifeville has no instructions save what is passed down parent to child. One keeps score by keeping up with the Joneses. Lifeville pays jackpots in the form of shelter, food, security, and love. Farmville pays you with a fake golden chicken laying mystery eggs demanding to be fed. Despite the trauma of not knowing that my friend has just changed her status or hair color tonight, think I'll get on with my game of Lifeville.
:-)
ReplyDeleteHi Denise. Love the post and the sentiment behind it. I'm on facebook but rarely visit - I simply can't abide being invited to answer yet another bizarre survey to determine which one of my friends fancies me, or whether I'm a horror movie mogul vs silver screen sweetheart!
ReplyDeleteI love your phrase - Lifeville - in fact next time someone asks me if I'm on facebook I'm going to say "No, I'm on lifeville, check it out" - The interest that will generate for a few seconds until they 'get it' will be hilarious for me.
I know it can be lonely setting up a new blog so keep it up. Your writing style is very conversational and flows beautifully. You are also very amusing in an intelligent way, i.e. very subtle. I love the hidden message in your tone of writing that says "Hello! am I the only one who gets this?" Very funny, but does not detract from your message. I feel very motivated having read a couple of your posts this morning (It's 7.45am for me in the UK), so thank you.
By the way, have you always been in the U.S.? Your humour is very British - which is probably why I like it.
Keep it up and have a good day, well, sleep in your time zone I guess. Ok, have a good day tomorrow because when you read . . . . . er, ok, I think you get it. I'll leave. Bye. :-)
Andrew.
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words. I was so excited to hear from a reader that I just woke all my friends and made them read it. They want to know how much I've paid you...
I've always lived in the US but have friends in No Yorkshire. Over the years I find phrases like knackered (which I don't even know how to spell) and don't be a big girls blouse worming their way into my conversations. Haven't been over in two years though.
Thanks you again, and the check is on the way!
Hi Denise, sorry been a little busy around here, hence the delay in my reply.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, knackered is spelt beautifully.
I'm glad my reply gave you a buzz and that your friends could see you are getting hits.
I'll read a little more of your posts and leave my comments.
Andrew.