Those of you who are "friends" with me on Facebook know what a huge deal this was for me. I have spent the past eleven years of my life sharing (and oversharing!) photos, witty status updates, hopes and dreams. I've shared family gatherings, my homes, my Larry, our Tabbie Hoffman and our Banjo. I shared lost jobs, going back to college, my three-year struggle to land my job at the base, trips I've taken, devastating losses of beloved family and friends and of course, happy, happy times like the night I brought my husband home FINALLY and the day my niece made me a great-aunt (although I think I've always been a great aunt). My LIFE.
Recently, though, I've thought a lot about leaving. I really should have a year ago. Or even before, after our last election, when I had to "unfriend" 300+ people for sheer ignorance and intolerance. Trumpsters, as I call 'em. Facebook became a place that I could vent my frustration over this person we have in the White House, a person so vile and repulsive that I will never, ever put President in front of his name, neither in print nor on my tongue. I still don't understand how anyone (especially women) can continue to support this man. I don't suppose I'll ever understand. I've supported people in the past (politically and personally) but I didn't KEEP supporting them when they proved to be something I couldn't abide. Maybe that's the worst part. Some people CAN abide him. That's sad. And scary.
So when the truth came out about the Russians and the election and how they used Facebook to carry out part of their attack, I was mad. Furious. I remember just before the election all of the horrible things I saw on my news feed, stories that I KNEW were not true, I just didn't know where they were coming from. I had so many "friends" posting that crap that I unfollowed people for the very first time, just so I wouldn't have to see it. Can't they SEE that this is nonsense?? Don't they check things first before they share it?? No, they didn't. They still don't.
Recently, more Russian involvement surfaced and we found out that a company called Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm hired by the Trump campaign, acquired private data from millions (87 million, give or take) of Facebook users and used it to manipulate voters and help Trump win the election. Well, that I just can't support. Even though (as far as I know, I never got notification) my data wasn't used, I feel that Facebook deliberately jeopardized our privacy for profit and the only reason CEO Mark Zuckerberg is "sorry" is because he got caught. Little punk.
So I'm gone. Don't know if I'll be back. I might, some day. I might not. I just walked away from Myspace one day a long time ago and I can do it with Facebook, too. I downloaded all of my data (948 MB!) so I have all of my pictures and funny statuses and things I've shared. Eleven years of it.
Sometimes courage comes in the darndest packages...like a little lady I get to call my wife, who refuses to participate in the carnage and malevolence that has become Facebook, as directed by a billionaire that feels an obsessive and dark need to be a trillionaire. She treated Facebook like an old and trusted friend, and that friend turned out to be as fake as the news on Fox. So here's to you, babe, the strongest person I've ever known! LARRY
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