[lit-ideas] Re: The Medium is the Message
- From: Ursula Stange <ursula@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:35:07 -0400
Well, Andy did begin by saying her assessment was based only on vicarious
experience. If not misrepresented, this kind of "here's what I think" isn't
wrong on the face of it. On top of that, she's not entirely wrong anyway.
Facebook doesn't really lend itself to engaged discussion. It's more like
meeting people on the street, sharing a joke or a book review or a comment on
current affairs and then moseying along. (Very enjoyable if you choose your
street wisely.)
Another part of the Facebook experience I like is the eavesdropping aspect.
Some of my best former students have become Facebook friends and, while they
talk mainly to their contemporaries, I get to listen in and stay informed about
their grad school experiences, their travels and their engagement with the
wider world, all without any obligation to comment or acknowledge.
My own children are opposed to Facebook, but there is a whole subgroup of
farther-afield relatives who keep me informed of family doings and post
pictures of their children and their travels and, here also, I find enjoyment
with no obligation to comment or acknowledge. Additionally, I get to learn
something about their interests In and opinions about the social, economic and
political currents swirling around us. I'm their distant (they're mostly
American) aunt or aunt-in-law and most would never write more to me than a
Christmas card. So this Facebook connection is a real treat.
For the past fifteen years, the four of us in my immediate family have had an
email group to which we sometimes write longish letters about our doings or
announcements of upcoming personal events but, just as often, send links to
articles or web pages that have amused us or outraged us or informed us (kind
of like leaving a magazine folded out to a great article for others in the
household). It's informal and there is no obligation to respond to everything
but I wouldn't trade that fifteen year archive for anything. It's a part of
who we all are, indivdually and together.
After all these years, my Lit-ideas archive feels kind of like that. Among the
Lit-ideas friends now on Facebook, I continue to find a wealth of good notions,
stimulating music, intriguing literary craftsmanship, sane political and social
commentary and just plain fun.
Sent from my kitchen...where my iPad lives,
Ursula
On 2011-10-25, at 8:45 AM, John McCreery <john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> There you go again, Andy, pontificating about something you know, at best,
> second hand. And in this case, the fault is particularly egregious, since
> trying out Facebook for a week or two to see how people actually use it is
> free. All it costs is a little time. Why, pray tell, do you think that anyone
> should pay the slightest attention to what you say? Except, of course, for
> the irritation felt on encountering mindless babble?
>
> Grumpy in Yokohama,
>
> John
>
> On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:31 PM, Andy <mimi.erva@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I understand that Facebook seems to be absorbing a lot of conversational
> energy. Just some thoughts, but first a disclaimer. I don't have a Facebook
> account, have never had one, and don't participate as a 'friend' on any other
> Facebook account, including those of relatives. For what it's worth, my
> understanding of Facebook is that it's all about posting pictures of how much
> fun you're having. It's not about having fun, it's about proving you're
> having fun, especially for the younger crowd. Based on my vicarious
> understanding, I can't imagine having an intelligent conversation on
> Facebook. Certainly I couldn't have one with my relatives (and that's with
> two nephews in med school), or for that matter with most of my flesh and
> blood friends. Lit ideas people who have Facebook accounts are certainly
> excepted, but generally Facebook to me is a pure pomo experience, reality as
> if. Worse, it's a reflection of the general dumbing down of everything, a
> great big huge Twitter with pictures. 'Reality as if' requires no depth of
> understanding, which would make Facebook and Twitter the media for the times.
> A vicarious understanding, yes, but I think unfortunately accurate.
>
> Andy
>
>
>
> --
> John McCreery
> The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN
> Tel. +81-45-314-9324
> jlm@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.wordworks.jp/
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