Tuesday, December 8, 2009

my generation

i heard from several people i know who think i'm brave for writing this blog. "no way" they say could they do something like this - exposing themselves this way. as i planned when i started writing this - i would not write anything that would embarrass me, my family or friends. of course i have things in my past that are embarrassing - probably in my present too, but i don't feel that what i write about it so personal. i tell everyday stories. i read other blogs and facebook posts and am dumbstruck at the total lack of judgement and inhibitions.

several years ago i introduced a speaker who led a discussion about internet safety. in preparation for this, i opened a facebook account and learned what i could in a short period of time.  what i realized and what i focused on in my introduction was the lack of modesty and embarrassment this generation seems to have. i told my story of growing up and having a diary where i used to write my most secret thoughts. it had a lock and key. i locked it and hid the key. today there are no keys. no one even wants a key.

i worry about some of these kids (ages 12 to, well i know 50 year olds who say too much) who need to live every moment and emotion online. they're up, they're down. they broke up with their boyfriend, they found a new girlfriend. their friend betrayed them, they have a new best friend. they got drunk at a party, they posted the pictures online in case you weren't there. they say too much, they're mean, they're angry, they love each other. if you don't check facebook every day you can miss an entire relationship.

wwcd:  there's definitely a place for this amazing technology, but why do you want me to know what's happening in your life every minute of every day

1 comment:

  1. There's a fascinating story on the Motherlode blog today exploring the controversy over a mother/blogger who tweeted about her child's drowning death within a half hour of its occurrence. http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/tweeting-about-a-childs-death/

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