This blog contains thoughts, ideas, and links to various projects and media that I create. I've also carried over relevant content from years of blogging and continue to provide content relative to Sociology.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Why I deleted my Facebook friends
Earlier this week I exercised what I call the "nuclear option" on my friends' list on Facebook. I have not completely stopped using Facebook, but as of this date I have one friend on Facebook: my wife Susan.
This is something I have thought about doing for quite some time. I suppose the final decision came as a result of the consideration of trust, friendship, and connection that I had, thought I had, and/or that I never really had.
I wanted to write this blog post sooner, much like a lot of blog posts/writings that never get made. My friend Kevin Brown asked me why I deleted all of my Facebook friends, and he was one of a few that I felt needed further explanation. Of the 211 friends I deleted, six days after he has been the only one to ask why.
While the intent here is certainly not to be dramatic, you must understand that I've been a believer in the potential of Facebook. In my sphere of influence I've come to be known as someone at least knowledgeable and perhaps thoughtful about Facebook and social networking in general. I've done a number of trainings on social networking, and I've recently been asked to organize a panel at a national Sociology conference on teaching and social media. My approach to Facebook has been both a personal and professional approach.
I've just completed covering the chapter in my Introduction to Sociology class on groups and organizations. This is a very important chapter in the field and an area of consideration that I always enjoy teaching about and exchanging with students. In such a short period of time our society has moved from online interaction as being anonymous and almost fantasy like to now a complex interplay of social networks in the physical and online world.
Now I'll cut to the chase. I've tried to be careful with my nurturing of my Facebook experience. It became apparent over time though that far too many of my Facebook friends viewed Facebook more as a tool for entertainment than as a tool for nurturing personal connections. I wanted more from friends than very casual interaction obtained through commenting and liking on status updates. I like to think that most of my life I've sought deeper connections with others. I was hopeful that Facebook could support my personal efforts of connecting more meaningful with others. It just didn't turn out that way.
In the process of deleting my Facebook friends I came to realize there were only about 25 that I had any type of semi regular interaction. I can see in the not too distant future going back to Facebook and narrowing my experience to those that truly want to connect, interact, and nurture one another.
What I have found in this short time since I've pretty much left Facebook is that I'm more at ease, and frankly I find myself being nicer to others. I've come to realize my daily use of Facebook came to be a crutch for my need for social interaction. Now that Facebook is not there, I believe I'm gravitating more to interaction in the physical world. And I like that.
Thoughts? Opinions? Comment below.
This is something I have thought about doing for quite some time. I suppose the final decision came as a result of the consideration of trust, friendship, and connection that I had, thought I had, and/or that I never really had.
I wanted to write this blog post sooner, much like a lot of blog posts/writings that never get made. My friend Kevin Brown asked me why I deleted all of my Facebook friends, and he was one of a few that I felt needed further explanation. Of the 211 friends I deleted, six days after he has been the only one to ask why.
While the intent here is certainly not to be dramatic, you must understand that I've been a believer in the potential of Facebook. In my sphere of influence I've come to be known as someone at least knowledgeable and perhaps thoughtful about Facebook and social networking in general. I've done a number of trainings on social networking, and I've recently been asked to organize a panel at a national Sociology conference on teaching and social media. My approach to Facebook has been both a personal and professional approach.
I've just completed covering the chapter in my Introduction to Sociology class on groups and organizations. This is a very important chapter in the field and an area of consideration that I always enjoy teaching about and exchanging with students. In such a short period of time our society has moved from online interaction as being anonymous and almost fantasy like to now a complex interplay of social networks in the physical and online world.
Now I'll cut to the chase. I've tried to be careful with my nurturing of my Facebook experience. It became apparent over time though that far too many of my Facebook friends viewed Facebook more as a tool for entertainment than as a tool for nurturing personal connections. I wanted more from friends than very casual interaction obtained through commenting and liking on status updates. I like to think that most of my life I've sought deeper connections with others. I was hopeful that Facebook could support my personal efforts of connecting more meaningful with others. It just didn't turn out that way.
In the process of deleting my Facebook friends I came to realize there were only about 25 that I had any type of semi regular interaction. I can see in the not too distant future going back to Facebook and narrowing my experience to those that truly want to connect, interact, and nurture one another.
What I have found in this short time since I've pretty much left Facebook is that I'm more at ease, and frankly I find myself being nicer to others. I've come to realize my daily use of Facebook came to be a crutch for my need for social interaction. Now that Facebook is not there, I believe I'm gravitating more to interaction in the physical world. And I like that.
Thoughts? Opinions? Comment below.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Sociology Chat
UPDATE 4/6/20: This projected has ended
Happy to introduce a new little project/endeavor: it's the Sociology Chat. This will be a live twitter chat occurring twice on Wednesdays, twice a month.
The first scheduled live chat will occur February 22nd at 9:30am CST and again at 7pm CST.
Happy to introduce a new little project/endeavor: it's the Sociology Chat. This will be a live twitter chat occurring twice on Wednesdays, twice a month.
The first scheduled live chat will occur February 22nd at 9:30am CST and again at 7pm CST.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Spring 2012 is here!
Minor updates: November 2019
It's funny. I looked at my last post here at The Sociology Blog (see directly below). It mentioned my intent to grow the blog. The fact of the matter is that the Fall 2011 was nothing short of beastly for me.
What I've also realized is that not everything I do or like to do has to flow only through this blog space. I have many services I maintain, and most all of that can be accessed now through my homepage. Click here or visit the "My Website" link above.
Just as in the past, I'm using the following quite a bit. I'm including these as links directly to content that I've made available to everyone.
In short, as the revised introduction at the top of this page says, I'm going to use this blog for the meantime as historical record. With my family life (married with three young children), school work and other interests, I just don't find the time and perhaps not the interest to regularly maintain this blog; at least for now.
Again, I curate and am very active with the following services. You'll see some things when you click them. Feel free to engage with me. I'm a regular Twitter user.
Google Reader
Twitter
The Sociology Interest Links
YouTube
Presentations and other resources
It's funny. I looked at my last post here at The Sociology Blog (see directly below). It mentioned my intent to grow the blog. The fact of the matter is that the Fall 2011 was nothing short of beastly for me.
What I've also realized is that not everything I do or like to do has to flow only through this blog space. I have many services I maintain, and most all of that can be accessed now through my homepage. Click here or visit the "My Website" link above.
Just as in the past, I'm using the following quite a bit. I'm including these as links directly to content that I've made available to everyone.
In short, as the revised introduction at the top of this page says, I'm going to use this blog for the meantime as historical record. With my family life (married with three young children), school work and other interests, I just don't find the time and perhaps not the interest to regularly maintain this blog; at least for now.
Again, I curate and am very active with the following services. You'll see some things when you click them. Feel free to engage with me. I'm a regular Twitter user.
Google Reader
The Sociology Interest Links
YouTube
Presentations and other resources
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