Tag Archives: Facebook

Breaking Up with Facebook

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It’s not you, it’s me. No, actually it is you.

Breaking up with Facebook

I did something amazing this weekend – I quit Facebook! I finally deleted my account. Well, technically I deactivated it which means I shut it down for an indeterminate amount of time – hopefully forever. Deactivating puts your account on hold but keeps all your stuff (photos, contacts, etc.) if you ever need to go back and it keeps other people from taking your name and impersonating you – another one of my great fears.

I had a long chat with my sister at brunch on Saturday and I realized during our conversation that deleting Facebook was the right move for me. And while I was at it, I also abandoned my Instagram account.

I’ve thought about deleting Facebook for a long time. It has been on my list of New Year’s Resolutions for ages and I am so happy I finally did it. I love reading The Minimalists blog and their ideas have stuck with me for a long time, and I can’t wait to read Essentialism by Greg McKeown. I realize that the only things I want in my life are the things that make me happy and I really believe that I already have everything I want and need. And, Facebook and Instagram are really doing nothing for me.

Why Did I Quit Facebook?

1) I hate Facebook.

2) Facebook adds absolutely no value to my life in any way.

3) Facebook is a colossal waste of time and energy that could be better spent on other things I actually like and find interesting.

4) I am too interested in my own life to care what anyone else is up to.

Facebook and  Instagram are both perfect examples of what I like to call Fake Life. That carefully curated collection that you put on display for friends, family, strangers, etc. Everything you put on there is fake. I can see what you’re doing and you’re not fooling me. So, I’d rather just step away and not engage any more.

Friends?

It took me a long time to get to this point. I’ve been on Facebook for over nine years. Are you kidding me?! If something is going to occupy almost a decade in your life, it better be worth it.

So that is that. I truly feel like an incredible weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am so looking forward to this newfound freedom.

What about you guys? Do you think you’ll let Facebook take up space in your life for much longer? Let me know!!

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Big Thoughts Hurt My Brain

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When Free Association meets Stream of Consciousness.

I was lying in bed last night and I had one of those moments when you start thinking something simple like “I wonder if there are any good movies playing this weekend.” and it mutates into “I wonder if I should buy my own website domain.” 

My mind just started to wander through all the things I have to do and things I want to do and two hours later I was still thinking. What kind of leaders will my generation be when we are all grown up? We live our lives on Facebook and YouTube and have no concept of privacy but a great understanding of popularity and the power of view counts. What will we do in 30 years when somebody pulls out a cached store of Facebook photos of the next Prime Minister? What is wrong with us? I could go on. Uhh the internet. It freaks me out sometimes.

Things I was thinking about last night that I still remembered when I woke up this morning:

  1. I sold a textbook at Haven!! I was cleaning my room earlier this spring and I was just transfering my big textbooks from my side table to my bookshelf to my desk to the floor. After a while you just have to be honest with yourself and admit that as much as you loved your Intro to Archaeology class there is no way that you will ever pick up that thousand-page book for a little light reading any time soon. So I put them all up for sale and now when I get back to Ottawa I will have a little surprise waiting for me in the form of a cheque. Money in the bank.
  2. I want to start a podcast. I get about this far into starting in and then I get distracted. I won’t think about that now. I’ll think about that tomorrow.
  3. I want to try Tumblr. They say it’s “the easiest way to blog.” And they give you 21 reasons why you will love it. They make a convincing argument, but then again, I am easily impressed. What is up with Tumblr and Flickr and why don’t they want to buy a vowel? Ahh! Ok I just did it. I feel like I am spreading myself too thin. I would rather be really good at a few things than mediocre at a lot of things. I am going to justify this venture by saying that I want to try out a new blogging platform.  (I’m sorry WordPress. Don’t cast me out just yet. This is field research. Archaeology remember?)

CUSA Elections 2009

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Please Don’t Vote

Do. Not. Vote.

That’s the message that some Carleton students want to spread through their viral video that has caused quite a bit of controversy during election week.

Elections for the Carleton University Student’s Association (CUSA) are held this week, February 11th and 12th.

The “Don’t Vote” video went up on DC++, the filesharing network on campus, as well as on YouTube last week. It was pulled down in about a day. The Chief Electoral Officer banned all audio/video campaign material. The “Don’t Vote” video doesn’t mention either slate, Demand Better or Because It Matters , and it doesn’t feature any candidates from the two sides. It’s in the style of the celebrity-filled “Don’t Vote” video that was popular during the U.S election.

New media is a fantastic way to reach out to important groups of students: first year students, off-campus students, international students, and the students who brush past volunteers in the tunnels because they’ve heard it all before and have lost faith in CUSA.

I’ve been handing out flyers in the tunnels. Instead of wasting paper, a more efficient way of spreading the word would be to use audio and video material to introduce candidates and their platforms to the student population.

New media is the key to increasing voter turn out. If audio and video campaigning is ruled out, I say eliminate Facebook campaigning as well. That would be fair.

If the candidates can use Facebook to campaign, then they should be able to use YouTube. Period.

The “Don’t Vote” video was pulled early on, but some internet savvy individuals have duplicated it and put it right back online.

I love the video. I’ve watched it more than once. I even sent the link to my mom.

Check it out below.

I don’t know how long this will stay online, so watch while you still can.

And don’t forget to vote on February 11th and 12th! You can vote all over campus: the Atrium, the Loeb tunnel, Residence Commons, the tunnel level of MacOdrum Library, the tunnel junction between Staecie and Herzberg, the St. Patrick’s Building, Minto Centre and even in Athletics. All you need is your student card.