Merry Christmas month to you!
How've ya been?
Hi, meant to post this a week ago...
A lot has happened lately, hasn't it.
I've started and stopped at least five posts since the last one.
Stuff happens. And keeps happening.
In fact, I was going to Israel early next year. Not so much now! I nearly bought the ticket. Was researching airlines and times and then all heck broke loose over there.
Also had a loved one pass away recently, but thanks be to God, I saw him Thanksgiving weekend. We had a great time. It's a long trip, but imagine how it'd feel if I did what's easy and didn't go. And did a zoom or FaceTime instead. There were other responsibilities I should have been doing, but I made the effort to go anyway. He wasn't even sick. That's a lesson I ended up on the right side of...this time. It's a huge loss, but I got one last chance to be with my incredibly giving and humorous uncle and his family. There's no regrets, is what I'm saying. He will be missed!
Been very busy lately. So much so, I've been living practically free of the internet and TV for at least a month and it's been the best! Before that, I'd given up nearly all social media for most of 2023 and I don't even want to go back to any of it now. Living a mostly "analog" life now, or as the internet ppl say: IRL. Have been living In Real Life, instead of maintaining an online self/persona/Avatar. Which brings to mind something.
Substack is social media, too. In a way. So do I give that up too? Maybe. Or maybe dial down the frequency. I don't even read anything on Substack anymore. Have had a change in mentality this year. So I feel guilty writing, when I'm not even reading anyone else's Substack. Know what I mean?
There's something I can't quite place my finger on or put into words, which makes this seemingly impossible to write about, but...
I don't want to be online anymore.
No, that's not quite it. Internet is helpful for learning useful things. Like how to do something new or a reminder of the best way to tackle a do it yourself project you haven't done in a while.
But socially, I don't like the Internet.
I don't want to be online for social stuff. It's gotten weird. Let's be real, it got weird years ago. I don't want an online persona or profile at all for the most part. It's kind of vain. Yet, here I am writing. Yeah, you got me. No, what I really mean is something not good has happened, overall.
The whole concept of "followers" is a bit creepy. People have become followers, rather than leaders. Following feeds, celebs, public people, or gurus, diets, and exercise routines and God help us... we're in the hands of (Social) engineers. Because people actually follow "influencers" on Social Media, most of whom are ignorant or trolling. Some of them have no idea what they are even talking about and yet they say stupid, untrue things with complete confidence.
And then there's the whole in-your-face bickering, humble bragging, and I don't know it's all merely material. We're living in a material world and I am a material girl. Just kidding. But not really. All the constant reacting, influencing, and marketing. Social media has become a never-ending ocean of tedious emptiness...and that time spent in virtuality doesn't compare to talking to a human being or better yet, your Maker.
I get it. Socializing can be fun, but there's a lot of content on social media that's not even real or fun! So much of the news and views out there are flat out false. Just Fairy tales and propaganda not worth anyone's time. And it's not really social media anymore. It's Marketing media. The last time I signed into Facebook (last year maybe?)...I kid you not... every post on my Facebook feed by a person was immediately followed by an advertisement and once in a while it was two ads back to back, never two friends or more in a row. It's unreal! Literally 😉
Just having these thoughts at the end of 2023. About how much socializing on the internet repulses me. Pushes me away from all that digital dilly-dally. But I'm not here to complain. Wanted to warn anyone out there who feels like listening.
Social media isn't what it seems and certainly isn't what it used to be. And it's light years away from what it could have been.
Another warning: 2024 is going to get even worse with the lies, rumors and nonsense because the political season will be in full swing.
If you're one of the lucky ones who doesn't see much of that then cool! I hope that keeps up for you. Imo politics makes people worse than they otherwise would be and the point of this post is that Social Media on the internet has also possibly made people and society worse, in general, than they would be without it.
Maybe it's where I'm at now, maybe it's who I'm with. Maybe it's God's plan. But real life is an abundant life. Like the one Jesus promised. Social Media life and being addicted to Internet as a social outlet is quite the opposite. And if any of you think you are the exception, then you're either in denial or you're the exception that proves the rule. 😄
I wish you all well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!