T.M.I ?

(Too Much Information?)

I am addicted to my ‘favourites’ on my web browser.

I did not realise how much so until my computer decided not to wake up one morning and I had to use a different PC. It was a very stressful time in my life that I would like to share with you now.

I found myself slightly irritated at not only having to use icky Internet-Exploder, I also had to Gaggle search my much loved sites. The question did arise: “If you loved and depended on these sites so much, then shouldn’t you know them off by heart?”

The more I thought about it, the more I saw that this phenomenon also applied to my Yell Phone. I can cast my mind back to the not too distant past when I was able to recite all my best friends’ phone numbers from memory. And those were home phone numbers, mind you (do they even exist anymore?).  I know for a fact that losing my cell phone, and all my contacts, is a cause for major concern (having done so a few times now) as my memory is not what it once was.
 

 Losing a cell phone may not seem like a big deal to the older generations, but for the rest of us who conduct a large portion of our lives through the medium of phone and internet, it seems strange to call it just a phone (Tele- from the Greek meaning "afar, far off," while -phone is from Greek phōnē, "sound, voice").

These days a phone is so much more than transmission of voice – it is the primary source of organising social lives and networking; it is also our camera, email, internet access, banking, music, auction tracking, gaming/gambling, etc – all rolled into one handy pocket sized thing-a-mee. Mr Bell would find it mind bogglingly magical.

There are a few downsides I’ve noted as of late:
1) We are always connected 
2) The little thing-a-mees are easy to lose (especially if you are a woman with a giant handbag).

Not surprising, some people actually suffer from severe anxiety if they are suddenly cut off from their constant stream of information. It has also been recognised by doctors as a cause of ‘BlackBerry’ Thumb and other hand/joint disorders. Additionally, it has been identified by psychiatrists as a compulsive-impulsive spectrum disorder which can lead to further health and psychological problems. Neat!
 

Honestly, I feel sorry for those people whose decisions and actions are so heavily influenced by ‘how I will appear to the rest of the world on the net’. It must be hard to enjoy doing the fun stuff (and living life in general), if your main motivation is to constantly take photos, upload them via your $800 yell phone,  then spend time responding to the stream of comments about said photos.  “Look at me! Isn’t my life more exciting and wonderful that yours?! Hooray!” 

And the security settings: If friends of friends can view my page, there is no telling who that is and what they are seeing! I have had some shockers well documented by other people, but thankfully my friends are kind enough to leave tagging discretion up to me. I think it’s a good system – they post the photos and send me the link to the album. I then get to decide what will be tagged. If worse comes to worse, you can un-tag yourself in a picture and it cannot be re-tagged. *Whew*
 

Also, I know it sounds kind of crusty, but LinkedIn is quite good for keeping professional relationships separated from the Facebook crowd. I would rather not have my boss (although laid back and pretty groovy in general) laying eyes on the now infamous “After 3am Album”. An added bonus of LinkedIn: you can post your CV/Resume and get the inside scoop on un-advertised or upcoming jobs! Super.

Rules and etiquette: Do they exist on FB? Is there a mutually agreed upon social norm by the collective users about what is o.k. to display?  Personally, I think that social media is developing so quickly that things like rules and etiquette are slow off the mark. Anything and everything goes, and the implications of this down the track may only just be beginning to surface.

Going for a really high flying job in 10 years time? Failed to get it? Hmmm. Perhaps it had something to do with the video you posted on BoobTube five years previously that features you doing an epic keg stand at a party, followed by a round of vomiting all over the crowd....  “Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce our next CEO!" – Yeah that might be it.
 

To be safe, the ‘less is more’ approach to content might be the way to go, in particular with colourful language.  I personally do not like the F-Word or other swear words on my page. My family has access to my account and I don’t feel like I should have to put them on a limited profile because of what is posted about me. I keep it clean, so as my friend, can you respect me enough to do the same? If you need to express a naughty word, #@%!%’s are F*cking great for doing so.

 
“With all of these multipurpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use the [F] word? We say use this unique, flexible word more often in your daily speech. It will identify the quality of your character immediately...” - From Monty Python’s “The Many Uses of the Word F*ck”

Also while I am on the subject, I am not a huge fan of people pulling fingers in photos. Seriously – you are not a ‘gangsta bad @ss', you are not cute, and essentially you are telling everyone and the photographer to “F-off” - Nice and polite.
 

Lets think this through: ‘Flipping the bird’ is not done so on a whim; it is pre-meditated. If you did ‘the fingers’ thinking you were being hilarious/ironic/clever/original etc, I am probably not the first to tell you that its time you get a new signature pose, poser. Perhaps you might experiment with a silly face, crossed eyes or rabbit ears instead? Besides, if your primary motivation was that you really didn’t want to be in a photo in the first place, I say it would be just as easy (if not more effective) to simply put up a hand or turn away from the camera. You can however blame fingers on intoxication, like most things.

In closing:  Clifford Stoll best captures my sentiments on the matter; “Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?”

Personally, I think switching off is a very healthy habit that we should actively attempt to do, even if it is only for an hour. My mom always used to say (as we dashed through the house at break-neck speed to pick up a call), “Life is not regulated by the ringing of the telephone. If it’s important, they will call back or leave a message.”