A Halfway Hiatus

A couple of weeks ago, I decided I needed a hiatus from Facebook. It wouldn't have been Facebook specifically, but social media in general, except Facebook is the only social medium I use with any kind of regularity. I found that I was feeling angry and frustrated. Most of the time I would log on specifically to interact with my writing group on our closed page, and then before I could even get into the page I would be confronted with an image or a remark that would make my blood boil.

At first I thought it was people with specific opinions that I didn't necessarily agree with, and I supposed that would be a bit childish. Then I realized it didn't matter what anyone's opinion was. Trump or Hilary haters and supporters; Colin Kaepernick and other non-national anthem singers; police shootings and anti-police garbage; racists and Black Lives Matter; 2nd amendment rights and accidental shootings; how we should and should not remember 9/11; teachers suck and parents are no better. I could go on and on, both sides of every issue were flooding my news feed and I decided I couldn't take it anymore.

I never comment on any of the posts, whether I agree with them or not. I just choose not to put my beliefs about everything out on social media for online arguments. I wouldn't have most of the arguments face to face, why would I spend my time doing it online? For awhile I tried cruising by and ignoring the inflammatory posts. Scroll right on by to the adorable photos of my friends' kids or an interesting essay from the The New Yorker, I'd tell myself. Then I stopped looking completely. I left my computer open to my writing group's page and I quickly navigated there when I was on the phone version. I simply could not take it anymore.

A few days went by and I had to remind myself not to get on. Don't do it, I told myself. I had to remind myself of the reason I decided to take a break in the first place. Within a week I didn't miss it. Within a couple, I still didn't miss it. And within the third week, I found I was better able to log in to see my writing group and just spend a minute or two here or there to see if there was anything of quick interest. And I think I'm back to a healthier habit.

I'm not hung up on whether someone knows I missed their birthday on FB. I'm not worried about posting every little thing me and my family do. I'm not worried I'm missing anything. If I'm on and I catch it, great. If not, oh well. And to be clear, this isn't some holier than thou preachy thing about FB being a waste of time. For me it never really was. It was a way to use downtime and catch up. A way to share and interact informally with friends and family.

For me, cutting my FB time has resulted in one intended consequence: I do not find myself needlessly angry or frustrated about other people's opinions or rants, especially those I care so very little about.

Less time on Facebook has made me happier!