SHARON FERRARI

Why I decided to delete my Facebook profile

Deleting my Facebook profile was the best thing I have ever done, social media-wise.
If I think about the amount of time that I have spent on my timeline, scrolling though the news feed, reading silly posts and opinions I didn't want to read, I feel sorry for not having done this earlier.
Facebook is literally an open door for all sorts of people to shout their opinion, whether is useless or not. I find shocking that a lot of people are basing their relationships on what happens on Facebook. If a guy doesn't change his status, he doesn't think your relationship is serious. If a friend deletes you, he is not your friend anymore. If you are a coward in real life, on Facebook you can be a real lion. Yes, this days all social media affect our lives the same way, but is that how it should be?
Should I be dependent from something that prevents me from having a real conversation with people? Should I base my opinion about people, depending on how they behave on social media? If something is taking hours of my life, and not giving me anything in return, should I keep it?
The answer is no. And that is what I did.

Facebook was the only social media I was using unnecessarily. I was literally on my phone for HOURS scrolling through my news feed, looking for some funny videos, some "arguments", some gossip, some break-ups, and I wasn't doing anything for myself. Often I would feel agitated after seeing someone sharing a racist photo or making an homophobic comment or just unleashing their mouth into something they had never heard before.
Ignorance is what drifts us apart and what let hate, take on. How do you share a photo you see on Facebook without knowing if it is a real photo? How do you share a news, about a black or Muslim guy doing some terrible stuff, without knowing if it's true?
I couldn't believe the amount of fake news, made to gain likes from racist people! Having studied journalism, made me pretty sensitive to those things, and at some point I had enough. I couldn't deal with it anymore, so what did I do?
I migrated my profile into a public page, where I can still share my work, without having a timeline. I do not have a personal profile, nor a Facebook app on my phone. I will never have to deal with people complaining about the cold in winter or the heat in summer. I will never have to deal with people changing their profile photos to the France flag, but not giving a damn about people in Syria.
I will still read about what happens on Facebook so I can write about it, but I just won't be a part of it anymore.

 

Am I running away? Maybe. But I want my day to be filled with constructive ideas, documented articles and intelligent comments. And you should want that too.

 

 

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2 comments on “Why I decided to delete my Facebook profile”

  1. Hi Sharon! This is David from Spain. I found your blog through your Instagram account (@davidroxie), and I think your articles are quite interesting! Moreover, your way of writing is so clear and straight that fills me up with peace, so this blog is just like an oasis amidst all the madness on the Internet. I loved the article about unsubscribing from Facebook because I feel very related to your approach. I'm very tired and agitated of all the opinions, all the hatred, all the silly posts, everybody documenting his/her life... I think my time is more valuable than that. So I'm very happy to have found a place of respite like this, a place that exudes good vibes and coolness.
    Keep the good work up and please, excuse my English.

    Kind regards,
    David

    1. Dear David,

      thank you very much for your comment.
      I feel exactly the same! The perfect word is "agitated". Since deleting my profile I feel much much better, I don't get involved in silly conversations and pointless arguments.
      Thank you again David and your English is perfect!

Proudly made with love  - Sharon Ferrari