Why I've Shut Down Facebook

Ok so that is a lie.  I haven't shut down Facebook.  I have, however, pulled the shutters down.  Let me explain some more.

Over the past few weeks I've been thinking about my personal use of facebook and how it impacts on my life.  I use my facebook for different reasons; to keep in touch with family who live in Ireland and share family photos, to keep contact with old school friends, to share the usual updates with friends that I see often and to have contact with other people on my course.  My friends list was never completely out of control with lots of people I don't really know or strangers but there where plenty of people on there that don't need to have such a big window into my life.

I am quite an open person but with that comes naivety and I am very guilty of believing the best of everyone.  This is something I don't want to lose yet I know that I need to be more aware of what I share within each circle of trust.

I've removed nearly all of my uni peers from my facebook page with the exception of a small handful of friends.  I do have an alternative facebook account that I have set up to use professionally and if other students want to have me on their page they can follow me on that account although I'm not entirely convinced that this is the right decision.  Facebook is a wonderful tool and it could be incorporated very successfully in education but in my opinion the fatal flaw in this idea is that facebook is already corrupt.  I'm not saying this in a bad way.  We are creatures of habit and the use of social media is no different, we use it in a certain way and while new ways to use these tools can be introduced the old habits will still be there.  Every time that you log into facebook you are presented with updates on your newsfeed and the temptation to click that link is too easy.  This leads you into the cycle of exploration that leaves you wondering where the past hour has disappeared to.

Personally I have not so much had my fingers burned with facebook use but I have experienced incidents that have left me uncomfortable.  There have been many occasions where coursework has been discussed or issues have been raised that have impacted on me.  I have had times where facebook has led to me doing extra work and stress.  Everyone goes on facebook and has a moan, which everyone is entitled to and I moan just as much as anyone else, but the problem comes when people start giving advice and offering solutions when they are not completely clear of the bigger picture or when people give the wrong advice or information that is not entirely appropriate.  I always end up getting into a tizzy about this as I get worked up and to be honest at the start of third year I am going to have enough work to get on with without the distraction and confusion that surfaces on facebook.

The voice of enthusiasm is very easy to confuse with the voice of experience.  I am going to focus on listening to the experience because I have the enthusiasm and without the guidance that experience can offer enthusiasm won't get me very far.