Unsocial Media

So, I've given up Facebook, at least for now.  I was on for a few minutes each day on 2/8 & 2/9 and not at all since 2/10.  It wasn't hard to give up, actually, but I do miss it (sort of).

I sit at a desk 90% of my work day so I would typically have Facebook open for perusing all day long.  Then in the evening and on weekends, I would check in periodically to see what people were up to.  I have a couple hundred friends, mostly relatives and people that I know irl.  I have lots of cousins and I really enjoy seeing their pictures and hearing about their lives.  We don't really speak on the phone so this is our main connection.  I see them once a year or once every few years. 

A few months ago I began feeling really stressed out about politics and social issues that mean a lot to me, but leave me feeling helpless.  In December I started unfollowing all of the political sites and many of the pages.  Going back several years, I have unfollowed friends and facebook friends who post nasty political things or other things I found offensive.  But as the presidential campaign season heats up, I began feeling irritated and stressed out by people whose opinions I generally agree with.  They would say nasty, critical things or disparage a candidate in a way I found very offensive, even if I didn't support that particular candidate.  Memes went around with nasty images and I just thought ENOUGH!  I'm tired of the sexism thinly veiled as political support.  I'm tired of the end-of-the-world thinking.  Things aren't actually going to hell in a hand basket, and they probably won't, no matter who wins or loses.

Remember when politics were taboo and practically no one talked about them?  I miss those days and I miss my Facebook friends (sort of), but I'm not planning to go back until after the election, if then.