starr67's Blog

So much for my blog – I thought it might be infrequent but this is ridiculous! Anyway, today I have something to say.

Facebook – love it or hate it, it is here to stay. It’s great for letting people know news – good or bad – for discussing things with friends and having a laugh, meeting up with old friends after 20+ years and maybe even finding the love of your life! I myself have loved using Facebook since 2008, but not without mixed feelings at times – and today is one of those times. Having recently had my life discussed in a Facebook group I have been left questioning whether my mother might not be right when she declares that Facebook is a totally unnecessary evil. It is hurtful to read about oneself on a public forum and be subsequently “unfriended” when one brings this to light. It can only happen on Facebook, right? Well no, not really – this has happened since time immemorial. People were people even before Facebook came along. I know I myself have all too often said something about someone “in confidence” only to find that half the world knows about it the next day. This was happening long before Facebook was even a glint in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye. I think the main difference has to be the sheer number of strangers that can be privy to your information if somebody decides to unscrupulously put it out there. If I myself decide to use Facebook to divulge my information that is my choice – it is not my choice when another person does it for me without my permission and my business can be read by all and sundry. But this is not Facebook’s fault – this is human nature – it’s been that way since Eve ate that apple (ok so there was no apple and no Eve either, but you get what I mean!)  So, I shall continue using Facebook and maybe be more vigilant as to whom I tell my business to. Twas ever thus!

Having had a session on Blogging at my Creative Writing class I felt inspired to start my own blog. I will no doubt feel uninspired in a couple of weeks and give it up – but I’ll give it a go anyway! I’m aiming for it to be a kind of reflection on life’s little happenings as I come across them. What finally decided me to do this was this morning seeing a couple of people outside the local shopping centre surrounded by posters asking the question “What does the Bible really mean? ” or something like that! They were giving out little booklets to interested passers by but as far as I could see were not forcing anything on anyone. I went out of my way to take a little booklet and they seemed very happy I had done so – so at least I brightened up someone’s day! I realised from the booklet that they were – as I had suspected – Jehovah’s Witnesses. I know lots of people have no time for them at all because of their tendency to knock on people’s doors with their religious teachings, which is fair enough, but these two weren’t doing this – they were merely offering a booklet with no pressure at all. This seemed ok to me – I don’t share their religious views but I would argue their right to have those views and to make them available to any who might find them helpful. My reason for taking their booklet was an academic one – religion interests me – but maybe someone might have been helped by it? Was what they were doing harmful or weird? What do others think?