BY KRISTIN BRITTAIN
Lions’ Pride Editor in Chief

Dear students, faculty, parents, and all other Facebook users. Yes, I said parents too. Thank you for making the world that is Facebook, pathetic.

Facebook is a social networking empire with billions of people logging on every day. Countless hours are spent facilitating pseudo conversations that could be taking place in the real world, during real time. But instead of delighting in an actual conversation, here we are snickering behind a computer screen. I say “we” because I am guilty of spending way too much time on Facebook as well. I virtual stalk people just like the rest of the world.

Now, I am not denying the fact that Facebook does have its good points. It has come in handy for me on countless occasions. For example, the night before a big paper is due I can always count on being able to log onto Facebook to find someone to commiserate with, thus slightly alleviating my stress during that dire moment, but however, leaving my paper undone until the last minute. Plus, Facebook always allotted me the enjoyment of checking up on ex-boyfriends and old friends. Thus, giving me the ability to judge their lives, current love interest, and to see how awful or wonderful they look in their new pictures. It makes me wonder if I was always this critical with stalkerish qualities or did Facebook allow me to think in this pathetic way?

Facebook is literally disconnecting their users from the real world, which is ironic because the idea behind Facebook is to keep people connected. With all of the advancements in technology there is less of a need to socially interact anymore. Exhibit A: I was put on a group project with a fellow classmate and instead of discussing our project face to face the other person actually said, “Well, why don’t you just Facebook me.” Really? You can’t speak to me face to face but you want me to send you a Facebook message?

Not only are social networking sites ridding our need for physical interaction but they are also ruining grammar and vocabulary. A lot of users do not care if words are misspelled or shortened. A great example of what I am talking about comes from a friend’s Facebook status. It reads “Brandon Dion Black Dear Internet : That’s real gangsta the way u made books go extinct like that. Take that, libararies!/ HA! Lol”

Perhaps what is needed is a type of technological cleanse. May I propose a few radical ideas?

Instead of playing Farmville and “practicing virtual agriculture” why not buy an actual plant, water it, and watch it grow. In place of playing games on Facebook why don’t you play a real life board game with other living, breathing, human beings.

Perhaps buy a tangible aquarium with real fish rather than investing precious time on Fishville or Happy Aquarium caring for something that is not even real.

How about instead of “chatting” with people who happen to be wasting their time in a similar fashion, call them, meet up with them, talk face to face.

Instead of profusely updating your Facebook status can’t you send a mass text instead-” John Smith had a bad day. Mood- sad : (“ Now if that doesn’t grab your friends’ attention you don’t need the fake condolences coming from one of you 485 Facebook “friends.”

Not only can we rejoin the real world but we can also stimulate the economy by doing a few simple things. Try sending your friend a greeting card through the mail in an attempt to say, “Hey, I’m thinking about you,” instead of a “gift” on Facebook. Go out and buy a genuine round of drinks or coffee instead of sending a fake one. Interact, participate, and be part of the world in which we actually live in again.