Well howdy-doo! I fully realize that there's a notable amount of hypocrisy by not following the rules of consistent content, but let's not dwell on that. I have some legitimate excuses, one of them being the very subject of this blog.
Just so you know, I've actually started a good dozen or so blogs that didn't pan out for some reason...
Moderation Schmoperation
A couple of days ago I had the sudden realization that my creative energy - the very energy that should be focused on song writing, video game development, and other art - is being siphoned off by some unknown source.
To summarize:
Dramatization
Josh and I discussed at great length, after a frustratingly unproductive day, why I'm having such a tough time focusing on what needs my attention. We bounced some ideas around, and once we sort of boiled everything down, it was extremely obvious: It was Facebook. Not video games, not Twitter, not my short-attention-spanned nature, not yard work - it was fucking Facebook.
The juggernaut of a social network has been slurping down my energy in all aspects of my life, not just my art. Things around the house weren't getting done. I was late on a couple of bills. I'm pretty sure it's even affecting my personal health...
So I made a simple decision right then and there: I'm quitting Facebook forever.
An Anal Analytical Analysis
Before I share with you the results of me quitting, "Chasing the F-Shaped Dragon," let's do a simple analysis of how Facebook works:
- Join Facebook, add your friends to your list
- You see their faces, mostly beaming, with tons of personal data/updates that feeds the sociable creature in you (it's an intrinsic human attribute, even to the introverted) at YOUR leisure and convenience
- You can interact with their data, see other peoples' reactions' and endlessly react to their reactions until the end of time
- Facebook notifications will always make sure you're aware of things you've commented on/reacted to
- Other features, like the ability to control what you see, will be tailored to make sure you're spending as much time on their website as possible so they can SERVE YOU ADVERTISEMENTS
- All things you see on your feed will be algorithmically calculated to stroke your dopamine glands the more you USE FACEBOOK
- Your feed will eventually be feeding off of you to appease those who have purchased Facebook shares in the stock market
- Repeat until you are dead.
Other social networks, like Twitter or Tumblr, also employ some semi-addictive methods to keep you engaged, but I feel like they tend to respect you more as a human person who has a life than Facebook does.
Facebook doesn't give a fuck. It doesn't respect your time and energy because it wants ALL of it. Facebook has invested in a tremendous amount of research and development to make sure that all you're doing with your free time (and your not-so-free-time) is scrolling down your feed, reacting and commenting.
Then it cashes in by serving you ads.
Digital crystal meth.
Lame Breaking Bad Reference
Titular
During my venting about this at Josh, he said something that blew my mind:
Whoops, wrong synapse. Here it is:
If you can at least mitigate the onslaught of social media and tidal waves of distractions nowadays, your chances of success improve astronomically. For someone like me who can easily get way too hooked on something, it's better to just leave it behind altogether.
Results!
I'm not the first to notice this Facebook nonsense, obviously. South Park had an episode about it which was eerily accurate. I'm pretty sure there are several documentaries about Facebook addiction as well as nerdy scientific research papers, so you don't need to take my word for it.
Anyway, it's been several days since I stopped checking my personal Facebook page. Now I don't know if it actually WAS a legit mental barrier, or if it was all made up, but I haven't been this productive in years. Hell, I'm writing a goddamned BLOG. I posted a different blog recently that I had been sitting on, and before that my last blog was in 2014. It's August 2017 right now. How's that for perspective?
FUUUUUUCK.
Feels good man.
So the main issue I have is I can't actually DELETE my personal page. I have to do business stuff for Psychostick (and a few other things) on Facebook, so I vowed to stay away from my personal feed and stick to JUST my business pages.
Another fun thing I did was turn off most of my notifications on my devices. Texts, messages, e-mails - they all get put aside now for when I feel like looking. It's amazing. So amazing. And simple. SO SIMPLE.
I have my life back, and it's all because I don't scroll down a stupid, cluttered, horribly addictive feed.
If anything in this blog resonates with you, please do yourself a solid and remove yourself from Facebook. Switch off the distractions.
... except for Psychostick. Let us in. ALL THE WAY IN.
Thanks for readin'! Like, comment, and share to the saps who are addicted to crap like this. Feel the hypocrisy. FEEL IT.
