why I broke up with Facebook.

 

Why I broke up with Facebook: Here are five reasons why I'm not on there (not an exhaustive list)

#5 fear of missing out from We are messengers "in the image of God, I woke up with a broken heart in my chest

I couldn't sleep, couldn't get no rest

Weighed down by the heaviness of life

And I try to shake it, flipping through my phone

But all it does is make me feel more alone

How could anything that feels so wrong be right?"

Those lyrics are awesome and have a deep and digital minimalism-like meaning, what digital minimalism is, from Cal Newport:" It is a philosophy that helps you question what digital communication tools (and behaviors surrounding these tools) add the most value to your life. It is motivated by the belief that intentionally and aggressively clearing away low-value digital noise and optimizing your use of the tools that really matter can significantly improve your life.

Fear of missing out from Verywell Mind. "Teens tend to use social networking sites at a high rate. According to a 2023 Gallup survey, slightly more than half of U.S. teens report spending at least four hours per day on social media apps, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).3

They also tend to be at an age where they are particularly vulnerable to comparing themselves unfavorably to their peers.4

Samra A, Warburton WA, Collins AM. Social comparisons: A potential mechanism linking problematic social media use with depression. J Behav Addict. 2022;11(2):607-614. doi:10.1556/2006.2022.00023

 As a result, FOMO can have a powerful and often devastating impact on teenagers who spend a great deal of time on social media.

FOMO pours water on the grease fire that is my anxiety

#4. "If you're not paying for the project, you are the product."

 What does that mean?  Emphasizes that when you use free services, you are essentially paying with your data. This means that companies collect vast amounts of information about your behavior and preferences, which they use to generate revenue through advertising and data sales.

There are tons of ads on Facebook. "Because Facebook is one of the largest advertising platforms in the world, hosting millions of ads daily. The exact number of ads can vary depending on various factors such as user activity, regional events, and advertiser demand. However, it is estimated that Facebook runs millions of ads every day, targeting specific demographics and interests to maximize engagement and conversions."

#3 makes it too easy to cyberstalk crushes

I'm ashamed to admit this, but when I was younger, I used to be obsessed with a girl that I liked. If you must be on Facebook, please think twice before adding anyone you're romantically interested in from afar.

#2 Politics, religion, and Facebook don't mix well at ALL

Oh boy, I had gotten into trouble with this one from both the left and right wings of US politics, from memes of your favorite politician at the time, in the year of our lord 2016 AD, to trashing them just a few years later. Just because your opinion of them has changed. Never mind that they are human too. And Facebook isn't a Christian website; as a Christian, the church has been around a lot longer than Facebook. I think we're going to be okay if a few of us aren't on there anymore.

#1 Facebook can devalue Friendship

Having friends is very important, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. We as humans need to be social. And I understand I used to ask people to friend me on Facebook, it's easy as a man with Mild cerebral palsy (Mild cerebral palsy is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects movement and posture, often resulting in subtle motor challenges without significant mobility issues. (CP) To not type many phone numbers on my phone, I understand this temptation. However, I would argue it's not worth it in the end, and it's not good for my mental health.

What to do now? There are many ways to talk to people: phone calls, texts, and FaceTime in real life. We humans have our limits. Dunbar's number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships—relationships in which an individual knows who each person is and how each person relates to every other person. It is about 150 close friends, I think it's too easy to have friendship overload on Facebook.  

Facebook is not for everyone, and I hope my friends and family will understand why I'm not on there anymore.

Song mentioned: https://youtu.be/rAbgiNpxgWw.

Cal Newport's book https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Minimalism-Choosing-Focused-Noisy/dp/0525536515