Friday, February 13, 2009

facebook stole my brain

My mom asked me why I don't write in my blog anymore. I can only blame it on facebook, which allows me to think and communicate in one-sentence snippets rather than spending the time and thought required to construct meaningful and informative (or at least entertaining) essays.

I've had plenty of ideas for blog posts. For example, the public distrust of science and scientists continues to astound me - as evidenced by things like recent polls showing the very low percentage of Americans that "believe" in evolution, or the continued "debate" in the media over the vaccine/autism connection or global warming. (Note the word "debate" is in quotes because I hate to characterize the shrills of a minority versus the near-consensus majority of scientific opinion as anything close to a real debate).

Anyway. Rather than research and write and edit on these topics, it is so much easier for me to opine "Jen likes the ravioli she just ate for lunch" or "Jen wishes it would snow" and be done with it. It's easier but increasingly unsatisfying. Facebook seems a lot like the Jerry Springer of the internet. My brain is feeling a bit over-sugared with trivial pursuits. I think it's time to switch modes before it's too late to go back.

But it may already be too late. Yesterday, as an exercise to get back into thoughtful writing, I submitted two long comments to two of my favorite blogs, neither of which has shown up on the blogs yet. One I know for sure was never received, and I'm suspecting the second may have reached the same fate, since I can't imagine my comment was too controversial to have been posted. I suspect FB is involved somehow, in a clandestine attempt to maintain control of my brain.

In the meantime, Jen is trying.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks! I like spaghetti.

J said...

(thumbs up) "J likes this!"

Right there with ya, babe.

Snowbrush said...

You are missed.

Anonymous said...

You stole my brain! I love it whenever you have a new post. I look for it every single day, J. I comment on them some of the time and the one about breaking into the house was a real eye opener to me. I commented on it, but, it never showed up either. LOL.. You are sorely missed.

trouble

Hadass Eviatar said...

LOL, no wonder you aren't on twitter, Jen, it is even more like crack than FB.

I like spaghetti, too ;-).

Lynne Thompson said...

I know, good point. We only have so much "fool around" time and now FB is eating up some of it....I am not sure what I think of it all yet either. And don't even get me started on Twitter...:-)

Carrie S said...

What kind of sauce on the spaghetti?

Counterentropy said...

Spaghetti? Can't find it at Trader Joe's right now.

I want you to do the work for the longer blog posts, so that I can be lazy and point to your stuff and say "What she said."

I have a hard enough time keeping up with my RL and MM96 friends. That's going to have to be enough for me.

Anonymous said...

Well, what you need to do is USE FB to widen/deepen your blog readership! I know I don't remember to keep up with every blog I want to read, but when links to my friends' latest blog entries show up in my FB feed, that's a great way to get my attention. :-D

PS: Blogger has eaten my comments on more than one occasion - argh!

masterymistery said...

I know what you mean about Facebook, and I do hope you will continue writing long, complex, interesting posts to your blog.

You write on subjects that are of great interest to me, eg public distrust of science as part of an overall dumbing down of human culture.

I have to say, though, that I came to your site expecting to find content about pantheism --- which is my very hot button, has been for many years.

Anyway, I will keep coming back because I enjoy your writing style.

masterymistery at cosmic rapture

Kanga Jen said...

Thanks everyone!!

REL, you're funny. I would LOVE to read regular posts in any blog of yours, but totally understand the time issue. Just please let me know if you start writing more often!

M.M., I do occasionally write my thoughts on pantheism, but it just hasn't been forefront for me lately. Thanks for dropping by.