A Facebook Departure

It's been an interesting week, but one thing that has struck me is the negative aspects of social media in personal relations.  So many of the people on Facebook are more along the lines of acquaintances rather than close friends.  Facebook, in particular, seems to have a way of bringing out the claws--even between relatively close friends.  (Reminds me of Lorde's song "The Love Club," which includes the line, "And the girls get their claws out...")  Reflecting on my own interactions, I'm definitely not blameless.  Of course, neither is the other person in this particular social media soap opera.

Facebook is a strange animal in that it can facilitate the dismantling of good relationships while fostering superficial ones in their place. It also offers a strange dynamic regarding personal boundaries.  For instance, I may steer clear of constantly checking Facebook in the evening while other people do precisely that.  I may assume people avoid sleeping with their phone when, in fact, it's never out of reach--emitting its treasured tones all night.  This connectedness--or, really a lack thereof--creates a strange dynamic between friends, for instance, who use Facebook in different ways.  It also encourages a certain disregarding of the pleasantries that seems to have a way of directly going to a topic; this may come across as pushy or intense.

Anyway, it's not the first time I've voiced concerns about Facebook, but I think this time I've decided what to do about it.  I think my plan will also facilitate my planned professional move towards public affairs for the state.  After all, I've noticed that those within public affairs have less of a personal profile readily available to the public; I think I'm starting to see why.  So, my plan is to leave Facebook behind for a while.  I may be back next year--in time to discuss daughter's wedding, for instance.  We will see.

In my absence, Kimberly Erickson will be the lead on our Facebook page for the books and art.  Our Christmas sale, started initially as a way of helping to offset the costs of oral surgery, will likely stay up at least through January.  In fact, I'm thinking the photographs will stay available into 2019.  If you want to check out my newest release, you'll find Darkness and Fractured Shadows online.  While reviews are important, I think it's also critical that I write what I enjoy writing.  The genres I seem to enjoy writing the most these days are mystery, fantasy, and science fiction.  New releases will be shared on the website and/or Facebook page.  Also, don't forget me over on Twitter.

Of course, you can always reach me via e-mail too!  

UPDATE:

I found a good way of cutting my Facebook time was removing it from my iPhone.  This allows me to stay in contact with people, yet it feels a bit less personal than having it on my phone.

Facing the Truth About Facebook

(This essay first appeared in Oregon Catholics, a private group from Facebook.)


It's not that I have anything against Facebook...  On second thought, maybe I do have a little something against it.  In many ways, I think it encourages some of the poorest dimensions of our culture: shallowness, pettiness, inauthenticity, and meaningless busyness--the antitheses of reflection and substantive work.  So much of Facebook to me really boils down to pettiness and silly acts of pointless reciprocation.  I'm friends with many who seem unaffected by its message, always upbeat and positive.  With me, though, it seems less than a positive influence, encouraging an unhealthy dynamic and distracting me from the important things, the eternal things.  For instance, why should we be encouraged to seek affirmations in the forms of “likes” or congratulatory observations?  If we are running the good race, what concern should we really have with what others think of us?  A young Catholic singer named Alanna Marie-Boudreau recently described social media with the following wise words. “We are fain not to admit that we've made God into a presence as vapid and illusory as the happy surge of emotion we feel when we see those little red notifications assuring us of our position in virtual society.”

 

If you examine social media as it may particularly relate to what the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to as “the formation of conscience,” it raises several serious concerns.  What influence may social media platforms like Facebook have upon the young, for instance?  In books like What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, The Shallows by Nicholas Carr, the reader discovers some astonishing and frightening realities and statistics associated with the time spent within virtual reality; our minds, our very levels of concentration, are changing for the worse.  These changes may prove to be permanent in both a personal and cultural sense.  While the formation of one’s conscience is (probably) altogether different than our dwindling attention spans, it’s hard to imagine that the cause of social media, our virtual lives, won’t have an effect upon the way people interact and view each other.  Most of us have likely found ourselves sharing a particular item in hopes that its sharing would be well-received, eliciting those exciting “little red notifications.”  If this becomes a Pavlovian feature in any larger sense, then our very moral identities are at risk. 

The following Catechism passage, for instance, reminds us that “the education of conscience is a lifelong task.”

1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.

1784 The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.

It is instructive to briefly examine three particular dimensions of the social media phenomenon as it stands before the blazing light of Holy Scripture and tradition.  The first dimension is humility.  In Luke 14:10, Christ teaches us to seek the lowest place of honor at the table.  What kind of teaching could be more diametrically opposed to the “me first” mantra echoed across social media?  Look at what I have is at the root of its purpose: see me, and not see Him.

The second explored dimension of social media for readers’ consideration is the evidence of moral decay and sin: moral entropy, if you will.  Isaiah 5:20-21, for instance, puts the reality of good and evil in perfect clarity and perspective within our daily lives.

20 

Woe to those who call evil good

    and good evil,

who put darkness for light

    and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

    and sweet for bitter.

21 

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

    and clever in their own sight.

In how many different ways do we see good called evil and evil called good within today’s culture?  From churches to the media, books could be written about these examples alone.  It’s one of the many reasons that led my own family away from the Episcopal tradition and into the Catholic Church.  Even across Catholic institutions of higher education, however, we see an Orwellian Newspeak taking root and beginning to flourish.  If you disagree with the administrative powers that be, you are likely to be isolated and ostracized—placing even your livelihood at risk.  A particular Catholic professor and friend just recently voiced serious concerns along these lines, and he’s by no means alone.  In this sense in particular, there are a multitude of ways that social media may both encourage and enable the muzzling and silencing of those critical, free-thinking voices.  After all, as C.S. Lewis wrote within his essay entitled “Equality” from Present Concerns, “when equality is treated not as medicine or a safety-gadget but as an ideal we begin to breed that stunted and envious sort of mind that hates all superiority.”

The third point to bear in mind is that we are not of this world (John 18:36).  We shouldn’t be endeavoring to be loved or admired, but to show the world what an authentic life lived for Christ looks like.  We’re all fallen creatures, requiring the redemptive sacrifice of Christ.  Yet, the social media mantra is that it’s all good; if it feels good, do it.  This suggests a person at ease with the world, rather than an individual moving on an entirely different course.  If our minds are set on the eternal, then we can’t be at peace with the world.   Christianity is not about bringing harmony between everyone, but about declaring the truth and salvation of Christ.  The tenth chapter of Matthew reminds us that the Gospel will pit father against son, family member against family member.  In a dizzying plethora of ways, Facebook reinforces the lie that belonging to the world is the most important thing, encouraging us to forget the price at which we were bought (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Facebook offers tremendously exciting ways to improve and facilitate communication, but it also comes with a unique set of potential dangers for the Christian.  While the mature follower of Christ may be able to successfully navigate this new moral territory, I am particularly concerned with the young users who rely daily upon social media platforms such as Facebook.  If the young person is not vigilant and informed, it may injure the education and formation of his conscience in profound ways.  If Facebook could be distilled to a moral code, the closest would seem to be moral relativism.  For this reason and others, I am seeking to disentangle my own personal life from social media one strand at a time, but this is easier said than done.  Rather than embrace the created, let’s endeavor to embrace the Creator with every word we say and…type. 

Links of interest:

Connection Illusion

Is Technology Making Us Rude

Living in the Present

Does the Media Give Murderers What They Want? (Updated)

I have always been interested in the media and broadcasting.  Back in the late 1980s, when I transferred to the University of Kansas from Seattle Pacific University, I had intended to major in journalism.  Unfortunately, life kind of got in the way, and I never had chance to do much beyond one broadcasting class at KU--taught be a teacher who made little attempt to conceal her sexual relationship with one of her young broadcasting students.  (Truth be known, I also couldn't stand living in the Midwest.  An hour from the ocean and mountains is too far for me now.)


One area of interest has been the interaction between law enforcement and the media.  Back when I was spending a lot of time with the police (for career development reasons), I quickly realized that officers tend not to think too highly of the press; they're right up there with defense attorneys, I suppose.  Law enforcement often seems to view the press as a hurdle to be overcome rather than a partner to help keep society safe and free.  More and more, I am coming to the conclusion that the sensationalistic way crimes and tragedies are reported does encourage and promote more of the same.  From focusing on murderers' background to using words that carry a positive connotation--e.g. brazenly--rather than words that really describe the cowardice of crime.  


Back in the 1970s, I remember reporting was somewhat different.  In fact, I remember this especially the way crimes concerning children were reported--or not reported.  I remember when I was really young, my mother called the local television station in Yakima to scold them for going too quickly from a story on a lost child to a more routine piece; standards and expectations were a little different then.


After the tragic Aurora, Colorado shooting, I suggest we take a long and hard look at the way the media reports.  Are they, for example, giving the shooter the notoriety he so craves?  (Remember, revenge doesn't work if one doesn't know the name of the attacker.)  If other sick minds see this notoriety, aren't they perhaps encouraged to do the same?  I am no psychologist, but the copycat phenomenon does seem to be a legitimate concern.  Addressing the problem becomes terribly complicated, however.  


When I raised this general concern with a Statesman Journal editor last year, or so, his response was to essentially agree that it was a problem, but he went on to say that the newspaper had no intention of changing its approach in any way.  The public, he said, had a right to know the truth.  And they do.


Is there a way perhaps to make the information available, but not as immediately consumable?  In other words, the mass murderer could be referred to as only by his first name in a piece, then the complete name footnoted elsewhere?  I suggest it is terribly important to dissect the backgrounds of killers, but this doesn't necessarily have to be done in such a way that they are immediately and clearly identified.  


I don't know what the answer is...but the media should take a degree of responsibility for the culture of violence it has helped shape.


Updates:

Shared Accountability and Militant Atheism 

49 Reasons Redux

Morgan Freeman Hoax

Adaptive Communication Strategies for State Government

The short article below was written primarily for an Oregon state employee audience.  As I understand, it will be appearing within newsletter sometime in the near future.  I thought I'd offer a sneak peek, since most of my readers won't catch the internal newsletter.  Here is an additional academic resource.

When I started work at the Oregon Department of Revenue, the Internet was largely an unknown territory.  A lot has changed since the late 1990s.  Today, more than perhaps ever before, we need to adapt our communication to the audience at hand.  Sometimes, we do this without thinking, but other times a conscious effort is necessary.  What is adaptive communication, and how can we utilize it with greater efficiency?  

The first thing to keep in mind is that adaptive communication actually is a fairly broad term. This umbrella covers everything from sign language to simplified letters or online chats.  In the context of the work we do on a daily basis within state government, I’d like to offer a few suggestions for improving our communication strategy from internal to external customers, but with particular focus on individuals between 17 and 24 years-old.  For our purposes, adaptive communications covers the multitude of ways we communicate with colleagues and the public.

Different communication approaches are needed to reach diverse audiences, and this especially holds true for young adults.  Since Generation Y (or “Millennials”) relies so much upon the Internet for its news and information, efforts to reach this group as a whole will only be successful if the Internet is an integral part of the strategy--and if it is used correctly. The 2005 Pew Internet & American Life Project Teens and Technology demonstrates this with a vivid statistical snapshot of young peoples’ reliance upon technology.  Nearly 90% of 12-17 year-olds, for example, report daily use of the Internet.  Instant messaging is also beginning to replace e-mail within this group.  Due to income and educational disparities, however, more than ten percent of 12-17 year-olds do not have regular access to the Internet--highlighting the importance of public availability of Internet access sites for educational and employment-seeking purposes.

What are some real-world techniques that may help us better connect with our audience—no matter the age?  When it comes to external communications, it’s particularly helpful if our written and verbal content is clear and concise.  What does this mean?  It means the communicated message should avoid unnecessary acronyms, jargon, or unclear or inconsistently-applied abbreviations.  This also holds true for internal communication—for example, between different divisions of the same agency.  

It’s easy to forget that what we’re saying may be as clear as mud because of reliance upon acronyms or office jargon.  Keeping it simple, clear, and concise will help keep the audience happy.  As food for thought, perhaps more state agencies should abandon the old letter templates of years past and embrace more user-friendly formats?  After all, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to conveying our message to the public.  Are we informing, or are we telling?  Word processors may have replaced typewriters in our offices, but sometimes we seem to be having a more difficult time when it comes to tailoring our content for the modern audience while keeping it clear and courteous.

Why I Left Facebook

Well, I haven't completely removed myself from Facebook, but I, at least temporarily, deactivated my primary account late this afternoon.  It's not that I have anything against social media...  On second thought, maybe I do have a little something against social media.  In many ways, I think it encourages some of the poorest dimensions of our already bankrupt modern culture: shallowness, pettiness, and meaningless busyness--the antitheses of reflection and substantive work.  So much of Facebook to me really boils down to pettiness and silly acts of pointless reciprocation.  I'm friends with some authors who seem unaffected by it, always upbeat and positive.  With my particular personality, though, it seems less than a positive focus, encouraging an unhealthy dynamic and distracting from the important things, the eternal things.

I found, for instance, that I was talking about writing more than I was actually writing--a sure sign of trouble for an author.  Yes, marketing is a necessary evil when it comes to writing, but I think the correct balance between timing and saturation is critical.  Not that I was over marketing or promoting myself (well, maybe sometimes...a little), but the content has to come first.   If the content becomes secondary to the marketing, you might as well be selling air.  While it can certainly bring people together, Facebook also has a way of focusing us far too much upon ourselves.

That's why I thought it'd be good just to step back from a lot of that stuff and concentrate on what I'm good at: writing fiction.  When I've finished the final page of revisions of the novel, I'll consider giving it another crack.  Until then, please pardon my absence on Facebook for a while.  Now, be sure to "like" this post....

Update: Yes..., it is true.  I did grudgingly return to Facebook in January 2012.  I still dislike it for all the reasons I mentioned above (and more), but, for the time being, it seemed an important way to connect with my readers.  There may, however, come a point when I can't stand it anymore.  So, don't be too surprised should I vanish someday soon from social media--Facebook, at least.     


Jill Kransy's recent piece brought this issue to my attention again.  Hope you can check out her article on this fascinating topic!

(Two of my other reflections on social media (and its dysfunctional relatives) may be found at Connection Illusion and Internet Ramblings.)