I read an article the other day about Big Data and what took place last year. It plays in really nicely with all the dystopian literature I’ve been consuming lately. And I swear I am not losing my mind. I feel pretty solid as of late. But I would be lying if I didn’t say that I’m worried about the future of this country. This administration scares the shit out of me. And I feel like there is absolutely nothing I can do to slow it down. I feel totally powerless. I haven’t ever felt this politically powerless before. I always felt there were checks and balances and that “bad guys” with agendas could only go so far within the Federal Government before someone decent stepped up to say, “NOT SO FAST! You can’t do that! That is wrong.”
But that doesn’t seem to be happening anymore. And we the people, we have these voices and we can take these voices to the street and we scream and we can chant and stop traffic but it doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t change anything because the people we are asking to change, well, virtually ALL OF THEM seem to be who we’re screaming out against. They are all in charge.
I feel completely impotent.
I have always wanted us to discover extraterrestrial life, but now more so than ever. Perhaps if some third party steps in and says, “Wow, you people are right fucked up!” We’ll change. I mean, clearly we can’t rely on God stepping up and saying anything; we’ve given that dude like 200,000 years, six or so million if you want include our ancestors. It’s been idle silence from that bloke. I’ve given up on hearing from that bloke.
So, yeah. Alien invasion. Let them set our asses straight.
But that’s not what this post is about. Not yet. I have one in the works, but it requires actual research and I need to get my head in that space first.
This was about deleting Facebook.
I deleted Facebook because I found the article I linked to above deeply disturbing. And I can’t help but wonder how things would have turned out had Facebook (and Twitter) NOT played such a massive role in our recent election. (Brexit, too.) I feel like a toy, like a puppet, a pawn.
It’s all been very upsetting to me.
All those fake articles I saw being passed around all over Facebook. Total madness there. Plus, no one seems to be reading a thing anyone says anymore and instead they’re just becoming outraged or, worse, they have the opposition hidden from their timeline. (Guilty.) It’s becoming an echo chamber. So a few days ago, I re-followed every last person I had unfollowed and within a day I was thoroughly upset again.
This morning, when I stopped back by one last time to download my archives (yes, you can do that on Facebook!) and delete pictures of my kids, an extended family member was on there calling people idiots for protesting again and chanting “IMMIGRANTS ARE WELCOME HERE.” She went on to say that if we truly believe that, then we should invite them into our home. And so, I responded. One of my very last comments left on Facebook was one letting her know that I was one of the idiots chanting that very slogan on Sunday. I went on to reassure her that I absolutely would welcome a refugee/immigrant into my home. And I mean that. I am not sure if Toby would be onboard; we would have to discuss it, but I absolutely would open my home up to Syrian refugees. I have stated as much on Facebook and I am doing so here and now as well.
It’s the right thing to do. We are all in this together. Compassion and gratitude. I repeat these words to myself over and over again nowadays. I’m trying desperately to show more of both.
We aren’t idiots. And my extended family member probably wouldn’t have used the word idiot had we been sitting around a dinner table. (At least I hope not?) But Facebook has this way of allowing us to forget that there are people reading our thoughts and the more you take in, the crazier the thoughts make you feel. This is ON TOP of the fact that Facebook continues to gather information about us, information WE GIVE THEM and then uses it to manipulate us in return.
Nope.
So, I’m done. I’m gone. I did post a note saying as much and a few folks reached out to me with email addresses and phone numbers so I can keep in touch. And I plan on writing a LOT more over here because this is a safe place, more or less. My data here won’t be used against me and no one can force me to look at any ads. And I won’t force anyone who stops by to read any ads. I won’t sell you anything. And I won’t gather any of your information and use it against you.
You have my word on that.
So, here I am. Full circle. I started writing here back in 2001. Kept it strong through 2009. Then social media took over and I ran off to embrace that, just like everyone else had. Well, I’m back. My thoughts will go here. And if no one reads them, that’s OK too. Because quite honestly? At the end there? I think half of my Facebook friends had unfollowed me anyway.
Mihow 
Leave a Reply