How Is Social Media, Like Facebook, Affecting Your Self-actualization Or Enlighntement?

[PretentiousHuman]

I cannot see any positive effect on me of my facebook account other than looking negative on people sometimes. 

[egoeimai]

Yeah thats true. I absolutely hate facebook.

I deleted my account in 2014. It was absolutely waste of time and energy. But the saddest part was that habit I use to have,like looking what others do in their lives,absolutely nonsense effing annoying. Thats just me tho. I know people at my age they still have their account like from 2009 the same account but they're never around. Some are still there and not very active. Some they have forgotten their passwords,for me it was the need to delete it. I didnt want people to search me there,at all. Social media is bad for me. Better talk with strangers and never meet each other or get to know them.

[Natalya]

Depends on what you use social media for. I never post anymore, I've unfollowed most of my friends, except for some that post some really awesome stuff. But I'm subscribed to many useful pages that show up in my newsfeed, like cooking, art, professional development, etc. I've also joined many groups of interest on FB. Besides, it's a good filter for the important news, since I don't have the time to keep up with what's going on in the world. If it's important, you'll see it posted multiple times. Twitter is best for professional/career development and for keeping up with the latest trends in the areas of your interest. Facebook is more for keeping in touch with old friends and making new friends through FB groups and friends of friends. 

[Guest Annetta]

I have one but I am not attached to it and rarely use it.

[PetarKa]

I have an account. Never use it and turned off the notifications. I use messenger for logistic purposes.

Why don't I use Facebook?

Here's the core reason: FB and almost any other other social media forces you to be in a reactive environtment (not a proactive). You're always responding to some message, invite, notification, request etc.

This is killing my mental energy,  focus, and also wastes a lot of time. Plus, for me it's useless.

[street19]

If I could use facebook as a tool to reconnect with old friends, learn about new events and places.. then I totally would.. but honestly I just end up scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling then boom its 3am...

Instagram is OK depending on your level of self control. I use it to follow pages that can give me ideas about things im currently working on in my life. I don't have any friends on there, otherwise it turns into a picture version of facebook for me.

They're just tools... Unfortunately most people don't know how/have the ability to use them correctly.

[Sevi]

I have an account, and I didn't check it for quite sometime right now, and I'm kind of forcing myself to check it?

It's definitely a very efficient and effective communication tool, it helps me to understand where the common conciseness is and to see the differences in different groups. To observe modern conditionings is interesting. I don't a tv and I don't watch news, but I like to follow happenings through citizens' filters, that's a quite interesting experience.

And there is this strong resistance to it in general, like a kind of 'evilization' of it, makes me ask why. Why would we reacting back to that tool this much while in some format almost all of us are connected to it? Might it be because its mirroring effect of our habits of escape, or our way of ignorance.. because having the chance of seeing a visual evidence of a disaster or unlawful activities in an instant from a first hand observer, clearly doesn't live any space for us to ignore what's happening in the world.

 

And happened recently was entertaining too, while I was watching some videos on YouTube, I started to have some facebook commercials? I didn't know that they were doing that, so interesting: commercials go like this: 'sevi, go connect with your friends! ' 'find your friends!' And I'm like: soo this is your motto guys, ha?! and you are really tracking the ones who are not involved...

So they also work to keep people connected to it. Business is business, can I blame them??

Edited May 24, 2017 by Sevi

[stevegan928]

facebook has almost a scary effect on me. i deleted my account long ago because of my obsessive lurking of a girl i had a crush on but i made another almost a year ago to reconnect with friends again but just didn't add the particular girl i was obsessive about. but about the scary effect, i'll go on real quick just to check my messages and then i'll see an interesting looking gif on the home feed. i'll check it out and then unconsciously scroll down and that very moment it starts, the moment i scroll down an inch, i'll start mindlessly scrolling through the feed in some sort of trance for like 5 minutes before i realize whats happening. it's a drug, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. the worst part is that it seems to be this way by design. 

[Harikrishnan]

I have a account and was active till 2 months back. Then deactivated it, yesterday i again activated it and after an hour deactivated it. We are having an On and off relationship?. There are some good spiritual people in my account and they post some serious stuff and many good pages feeds that makes me activate it once in a while. Like every technology Social media is good only if you know how to use it effectively.

[PretentiousHuman]

@egoeimai That's true. Most of the time I'm just wandering around Facebook to see what's hot and not and next time you know you have wasted a lot of your time you supposed to use on more meaningful ways like meditation and mindfulness. I guess I just need to be more aware of what has been occupying my time. And I just deactivated my Facebook account hoping I wound never lurk back in it again doing the same stupid things. Thanks!

[PretentiousHuman]

@Natalya I totally agree with your point and I did my best in subscribing to pages that were very conscious and I still ending up in following my friend's whats up. I just deactivated my facebook account and decided to concentrate all my time in following my dreams and purposes and facebook is not one of them. Thanks!

[Natalya]

@PretentiousHuman Despite all the useful information the internet throws at you, it's perfectly fine to take breaks from it. It's ok to take a break from TV, news, books, music, people, forums (including this one!) etc. I periodically deactivate my FB account when I need to focus on my job or studies. Take the time you need, then come back when you miss it.

[PretentiousHuman]

@Natalya Yup. I guess everyone needs to have some rest/breaks sometimes. 

[egoeimai]

3 hours ago, PretentiousHuman said:

@egoeimai That's true. Most of the time I'm just wandering around Facebook to see what's hot and not and next time you know you have wasted a lot of your time you supposed to use on more meaningful ways like meditation and mindfulness. I guess I just need to be more aware of what has been occupying my time. And I just deactivated my Facebook account hoping I wound never lurk back in it again doing the same stupid things. Thanks!

May the universe bless you man ! ?

I'm so happy seeing people delete their account on Facebook. Now wait approximately 240+ days for this to be fully deleted.? the first days/months would be difficult If you were addicted to it like I was but you can do this ?????? 

Have fun with your.time.!!! 

Edited May 26, 2017 by egoeimai

[PretentiousHuman]

@egoeimai Thanks! I have some relapses but with consciousness, I was able to bounce back!

[PretentiousHuman]

@Annetta Same here, been using my time on consciousness more often.

 

[PretentiousHuman]

@PetarKa We have the same feeling about FB! We just needed a lot of awareness to be conscious of this!