addiction (plural addictions)
- The state of being addicted; devotion; inclination.
- A habit or practice that damages, jeopardizes or shortens one's life but when ceased causes trauma.
- A pathological relationship to mood altering experience that has life damaging consequences.
Oh my! I hope that my participation in facebook will not damage, jeopardize, nor shorten my life! %-0
I have arrived at point where it is difficult not to log into facebook each day. When I don't, then I wonder what I've missed!
Mostly it's mushy, silly stuff. Like friends sending me virtual flowers, symbols, food, plants, and other gifts--though some of those things are meant to help save rainforests, feed a starving child in a war-torn area of the world, or help raise awareness and money for causes such as cancer research. Just click and go: you've done your good deed for the day! ;-0
Sometimes it's a friend request--someone who found me in the mass of people on that worldwide social network. Someone whom I've never met before. In fact, most of my facebook friends are people I've never met! But that's the benefit of a social network site: you can get to know people around the world who share similar interests. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world!
What I like best is the personal messages from friends. Out of a long list of friends, you're bound to get to know a few pretty well and become as close as you allow. Words can go a long way: traveling through distance and time. Why else do we still read literary classics during our school years and beyond?
Some people have a whopping amount of friends: hundreds! Or hundreds and hundreds! Olympic champion Michael Phelps has 1,745,206 fans on fb...as of today!
Or friends?
At what point does it become ridiculous? I don't need THAT many friends! %-0
Do I?
friend (plural friends)
- A person other than a family member, spouse or lover whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection.
- A boyfriend or girlfriend.
- An associate who provides assistance.
- The Automobile Association is every motorist’s friend.
- The police is every law abiding citizen’s friend.
- A person with whom one is vaguely or indirectly acquainted
- a friend of a friend
- A person who backs something.
- I’m not a friend of cheap wine.
- An object or idea that can be used for good.
- Google is your friend.
- (colloquial, ironic, used only in the vocative) Used as a form of address when warning someone. You’d better watch it, friend.
- Sales pitch from a preacher or presidential candidate (my addition!) My friends....!
I have many good friends, some closer than others. I don't like to categorize, but it's true: I do feel genuinely closer to some than others. That in no way means the ones I'm less close to are not good-- not at all! %-0 Some friends are better communicators than others. Or want to keep in touch more often. ;-)
Much of that I attribute to WRITING. Exchanging thoughts. Picking each others' brains. Baring and sharing souls, your innermost thoughts. Communication does not always have to be verbal! Words are powerful!
Lately, I am finding myself closer to some new friends on facebook than people I've known most of my life. I daresay some would even understand me better than "older" friends, even though we have never met. Is it a crime to say some are more perceptive than others? I don't think so! Everyone has different gifts to offer. :-)
Living in the sticks has compelled me to become addicted to facebook. My pals are scattered across the country and the world. You know who you are if you're reading this! ;-)
How did people meet people from around the globe before computers where a common household item? I bet a lot of it started through pen pal clubs. After all, that's how I met the love of my life. :-) When I was little, I heard about a pen pal club on a kid's show called, "The Big Blue Marble". I was fascinated! I wanted to meet someone from somewhere else! I got a pen pal from Australia. I don't remember her name, but I think I have her old letter and photo in my temporary pen friend file (a.k.a. "flake file"!). I save all my written correspondence! Well, I saved most of it.
That's another story, which I shared last year (2/14/07) on my blog: I want to beat Napoleon. :-)
Going back to the top: if an addiction is a "pathological relationship to mood altering experience that has life damaging consequences", then am I in danger of being involved in facebook? Hey, it wouldn't be just me--it'd be millions of people! %-0 Doped up on a social networking site!
All I can say is that I enjoy it very much. And I've met some very cool people on there as well. Fb may very well have it's own problems, I don't know what (being connected to Uncle Bill Gates, for one?), and I am aware I am exposing facts about myself everytime I add a new application to my profile.
If fb suddenly shut down, I'm sure another social networking website will arrive in its place. But as my email is on my profile page, I'm quite certain a few friends will find me!
Be A Friend
Be a friend. You don't need money:
Just a disposition sunny;
Just the wish to help another
Get along some way or other;
Just a kindly hand extended
Out to one who's unbefriended;
Just the will to give or lend,
This will make you someone's friend.
Be a friend. You don't need glory.
Friendship is a simple story.
Pass by trifling errors blindly,
Gaze on honest effort kindly,
Cheer the youth who's bravely trying,
Pity him who's sadly sighing;
Just a little labor spend
On the duties of a friend.
Be a friend. The pay is bigger
(Though not written by a figure)
Than is earned by people clever
In what's merely self-endeavor.
You'll have friends instead of neighbors
For the profits of your labors;
You'll be richer in the end
Than a prince, if you're a friend
