Is Facebook making you lonely? Don't be stupid, the car and money do

[TheTibetanMonkey]

(I haven't been exactly idle the time I've been away from the this forum, but after giving up cycling in Miami Beach I came to the boondocks and this is what's going on)

This would be the counterargument to the assertion by Atlantic Magazine that Facebook makes you lonely, but I have my own argument so the raw data can be interpreted wisely. What makes you lonely is the car, then money, and last Facebook. THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE LONELY, but the reason is not so evident. The car makes you avoid people, money makes you move into the Gated Community or the boondocks. Oh the boondocks! Don't get me going. Facebook may be "mental masturbation" but it's only a symptom of the problem not the cause. But that's only my humble opinion.

My advice? Take a bike or walk and meet real people. Do it for me because I can't.

(this is the counterargument)

Is Facebook Making You Lonely? Don't Be Stupid.

So: Is Facebook making us lonely? In a word, no.

It’s clear that something is driving up levels of self-reported loneliness in America and elsewhere. That it’s not Facebook, or the broader phenomenon of social networking...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffberc...ont-be-stupid/

[Gus]

Mr. Monkey, great to hear form you. Thanks for checking in.

No, Facebook doesn't make me lonely, but I agree with you about the importance of meeting face-to-face. It's gotten too easy to just send text. I recently sent my dad a text about something I thought was trivial, but he was mad that I didn't call to give him the information.

Why can't you take a walk, bike ride, or meet real people?

Whereabouts in the boondocks are you at?

[TheTibetanMonkey]

I'm in upstate NY, where not only you can't ride a bike, but you can't walk. The road is too arrow to accommodate both cars and pedestrians. Someone said it would be "moronic"uch conditions and I agree. On top of that there's no hiking trails whatsoever to "get lost in the woods." And the noise from the road, plus the sirens going off all the time (one at noon, others in middle of the night), make it maddening. Luckily I found out my tablet's nature sounds are masking off all sound so I'm able to sleep.

As for Miami Beach, I love Lincoln Road (who can blame me for that) but my ride there became maddening as well. That ride on the sidewalk along Millionaire's Row became a constant fight with pedestrians and cars, some of them sitting on the sidewalk next to the canal or parked next to the hotels. And don't tell them because you can be punished for that.

Next is the new barricade that went up on Surfside, next to the church, making sure not even a bike can squeeze by. I'm I in the occupied Palestinian territories? I was tempted to remove the barricade myself, but then I knew it was time to quit. And last, as you may all know, the causeways and Bal Harbour are no-man's land.

And the path next to the beach (where the turtles are) is just plain insane with dogs and kids and blinding lights at night. So, so much for it. No place for a beach cruiser.

[Jess]

Facebook gives people FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out. As people look at everyone's fun perfect lives online, they could feel lonely, yes.

As all my friends know, I have no use for Facebook and have never used it. Am I less lonely? Probably!

[TheTibetanMonkey]

Facebook gives people FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out. As people look at everyone's fun perfect lives online, they could feel lonely, yes.

As all my friends know, I have no use for Facebook and have never used it. Am I less lonely? Probably!

And I may be wrong, but you don't miss the car either, right?

[Jess]

Nope, very glad to give that up! People simply cannot drive here in Miami. Plus cycling is good for the you.

[Michelle]

I feel bad that you left Mr. Monkey. Are you going to come back? Upstate NY is no place for a monkey come winter.

[Matt Meltzer]

I actually think it's quite the contrary. You can maintain a lot of relationships you wouldn't otherwise via Facebook, and if you still make a point to get out and actually see people it makes you LESS lonely. Like you can sit and chat with someone thousands of miles away even when by yourself, so I'm not really seeing the logic here.

Same with cars....makes friends who are not within biking/walking distance much more accessible. Since the majority of my older friends in SoFla have migrated to Broward and Palm Beach counties, without a car I'd probably never see them. Because clearly taking the TRI-Rail is not an option.

I think this all just depends on how you look at it.

[TheTibetanMonkey]

I actually think it's quite the contrary. You can maintain a lot of relationships you wouldn't otherwise via Facebook, and if you still make a point to get out and actually see people it makes you LESS lonely. Like you can sit and chat with someone thousands of miles away even when by yourself, so I'm not really seeing the logic here.

Same with cars....makes friends who are not within biking/walking distance much more accessible. Since the majority of my older friends in SoFla have migrated to Broward and Palm Beach counties, without a car I'd probably never see them. Because clearly taking the TRI-Rail is not an option.

I think this all just depends on how you look at it.

I think the magic word (missing in America) is B-A-L-A-N-C-E...

You can live in Holland or Germany and do both or do one, bicycling or driving. Hey, even walking is feasible in compact cities/towns like Key West/South Beach.

"Hey you, what you doing taking on my road!?" says a driver to a cyclist. "Sorry, I don't know what you mean. I'm not part of the rat race," replies the cyclist all confused.

In other words we all need different space to coexist or we'll be fighting like rats --or whatever.

Facebook is something you do when you get back home.

[GandJ]

<<<....."What makes you lonely is the car, then money, and last Facebook. "....>>




I don't think any of those things make you lonely. Sure, some people seem to "live" on Facbook, and waste away their lives there, posting trivial garbage. Some of those people might be lonely.
I find Facebook to be a useful tool to organize real face-to-face events. I have used it several times to arrange either a school reunion, a fraternity reunion, birthday party gatherings, several boating events, ... and the list goes on. The best use for Facebook seems to be to help find "lost" classmates and other you have been out of contact with, as well as being a great scheduling tool to arrange face-to-face meetings and gatherings.

As for a car, that facilitates many of the face-to-face meetings and gatherings with other people, which would not be possible, or at least not convenient, wthout a car. .... And, what's not convenient often does not get done.

As for money, you can't have a car or fuel it without money. Money allows you to travel to those school reunions, distant friends, distant dinner dates, and meet up with friends face-to-face that are not close by.



Glenn

[TheTibetanMonkey]

I feel bad that you left Mr. Monkey. Are you going to come back? Upstate NY is no place for a monkey come winter.

Yes, I'm coming back to see Lincoln Rd one more time before I die. But before I do that I want to leave one more time. I want to see a little town in Florida that boasts "32 miles of bike lane." And if that doesn't work I'll check another place real cold in Holland.

[TheTibetanMonkey]

Because clearly taking the TRI-Rail is not an option.

I think this all just depends on how you look at it.

Tri Rail not an option? I thought it was an option like riding a train to NY. I plan to go back that way.

[TheTibetanMonkey]

As for a car, that facilitates many of the face-to-face meetings and gatherings with other people, which would not be possible, or at least not convenient, wthout a car. .... And, what's not convenient often does not get done.

As for money, you can't have a car or fuel it without money. Money allows you to travel to those school reunions, distant friends, distant dinner dates, and meet up with friends face-to-face that are not close by.



Glenn

I really think that if you don't do something P-H-Y-S-I-C-A-L such as riding a bike (to get the blood pumping) and you only do the car and Facebook, your brain really goes haywire. By the way, the new tablets --I love them!-- seem to go haywire all the time. One took a bump on the road to NY and "came back from the dead."

They are great for watching movies and playing games --bypassing people. I play foursome Parcheesi by myself and have a lot of fun!

[Jess]

Yes, I'm coming back to see Lincoln Rd one more time before I die. But before I do that I want to leave one more time. I want to see a little town in Florida that boasts "32 miles of bike lane." And if that doesn't work I'll check another place real cold in Holland.

Where is this place in Florida?

[Jess]

They are great for watching movies and playing games --bypassing people. I play foursome Parcheesi by myself and have a lot of fun!

There is a parcheesi app?!

[TheTibetanMonkey]

Port Charley area. But I have to check it out. There's a video somewhere in YouTube.

[TheTibetanMonkey]

There is a parcheesi app?!

Yes! More than one. My favorite is Parcheesi Pro. You can set the number of players, which I didn't notice for a while.

[TheTibetanMonkey]

Port Charley area. But I have to check it out. There's a video somewhere in YouTube.

I got to doublecheck the name. Maybe Port Charles. Tell you later.

[Christy]

I think facebook is great for keeping up with friends! Especially checking in on foursquare...you can be out and see where your friends are.

[moltobene]

FB is great for keeping up with friends and relatives.People like my wife tend to over do though..