I Quit Facebook (...sort of)

I’ve been considering deleting my Facebook account for some time now.  And this isn’t the first time I’ve considered it, either.  But when it comes down to it, I don’t really want to.  I like Facebook as an abstract concept, I like what it can do for me – it’s the reality of it that causes me to consider deletion.

Unlike other social media sites that I use, Facebook rarely makes me a better person, it rarely enlightens or inspires me.  When I peruse Instagram or Twitter, for example, I find not only my friends and family, but also beauty, inspiration, and knowledge.  Stunning photography and art, fascinating links, and, OKAY FINE, also super funny dick jokes. 

But not Facebook.  Facebook is filled with the sharp, ugly edges of prejudice and intolerance.  It is hateful.  It is a space polluted by incessant images.

I’m trying to sound eloquent, but the reality of it is that Facebook is anything but eloquent.  It’s filled with disgusting exhibits of racism, sexism, and classism.  Any meme worth chuckling at was already on the rest of the internet last month.  I’ve deleted (a lot of) friends but it’s just not getting any better.

(Futile Comics)

It’s not all bad though.  I really do enjoy seeing pictures and experiences that others share.  I love being invited to local events, witnessing friends’ wanderlust, and celebrating important milestones.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find Facebook Groups useful for numerous reasons.  And I’ll admit I’m a tad self-centered, in that I like having a platform to share the content that I create as well.  Sharing a new blog post or column or whatever else is so easy in the age of social media. 

Messaging is also a huge draw for me.  Facebook is my primary means of communication with my mom.  We have extremely important conversations like this:

Not to mention, Cale pulled off the biggest betrayal since the Red Wedding when he switched to an Android and turned our iMessage group chats into this:

So quitting Facebook altogether isn’t for me.  At least, not right now.  I’m not naïve enough to claim that I need Facebook, it is most certainly a want.  I have friends who don’t have Facebook and live without it and I applaud them.  Someday, I’ll get there too.

And then it dawned on me.  DELETE THE APP.

So I deleted the Facebook and Paper apps from my iPhone.  (I deleted the Groups app too, but I’m 99% certain most people never download that one in the first place.)  I still have and use Messenger though.  Because I like it and it is useful to me.  At first, I planned to check my Facebook account from my laptop daily, maybe more.  As time went on though, I began to check it less than daily, and doing so was not a conscious decision, it just …happened.  I do still log in.  I post updates now and again.  My new infrequency in doing so is ideal for me.

I’m happier.  I’m more productive.  My life is more peaceful and serene without regular doses of hateful thinking and mundane shared content that feels like it’s killing my brain cells.  I’m also not checking my phone constantly only to find out that the only reason it vibrated was because someone I don’t know is selling a textbook or someone I do know is attending an event near me (which is ALL.THE.FUCKING.TIME because I live on Broadway).

I commend those who delete their Facebook accounts completely but, for me, a moderate approach is the perfect compromise.

xoxo

Jazmin