It’s Facebook. Get Over It.

Article first published as It’s Facebook. Get Over It. on Technorati.

Image via CrunchBase

This past week, Facebook made some changes on how people receive their news feed.  The wall page looks different and top news is highlighted.  This has upset a great many people who feel that in some way their page is being violated.  I’m the first to admit that I am not that technologically advanced, but in the whole scheme of things, is this really that big a deal?

First of all, Facebook is free.  It isn’t a service that you pay for.  Everyone who has access to a computer can have an account.  In a time where everything is increasing in cost, this is something anyone, no matter what their income level can enjoy.  There isn’t much out there that can lay the same claim.

Second, it is social media.  It is basically something people do for fun.  Yes, I can get information about my town, school district, and favorite stores in a timely matter.  I can see postings that are news related and get alerts for sites that I follow.  I have reconnected with people I knew well in my past and find messaging convenient.  But, it doesn’t run my life.

I am a generation or two removed from the young people who rely on texting, posting, and twittering as their main form of communication.  When I was young, the telephone was how you contacted people.  There was never any confusion regarding what you were saying or what you meant.  Sure, we spent hours talking, but for some reason the connection seemed more real.  I am willing to accept that time moves along and with that comes change.

Lastly, anything that takes up too much of your life is not a good thing.  I don’t have hundreds of friends, and don’t have a million likes.  I don’t add someone on who I never talked to in the past.   Maybe we went to the same school but there was never a personal connection.  I don’t follow celebrities or play games.    I am probably in the minority when it comes to that.

Facebook seems to make changes often.  To me it doesn’t really matter, and it is my decision to use or not use what they offer.   Imagine what we could accomplish if the passion that people feel for social media and entertainment could be diverted to issues of real importance.  World hunger, education, poverty, pollution are a few that come to mind.  People can live without Facebook.

Honoring Those Who Labor

 

Article first published as Honoring Those Who Labor on Technorati.

There have been interviews of Hollywood stars who lament about the hard work and long hours they put into the creation of a movie. Personally if I was making seven figures for two months of work I think I would keep my mouth shut. They don’t mention the hours they spend in a trailer doing nothing, or the staff that is at their service. Even those in their own field, the actors performing eight shows a week on the stage, the lesser known musicians who travel from venue to venue, the dancers whose feet take a beating every day, do not make the income of these fortunate few.

There are others who work much harder every day and who never see this type of wealth. Maybe they should take another look at the road crews pouring asphalt in 90 degree heat. Maybe they should wonder what it is like to clean hundreds of hotel rooms. Maybe they have forgotten that there are those who collect and manage our waste. Maybe they should try pulling multiple shifts as emergency personnel. Maybe they should try driving across the country to deliver our goods. Maybe they should consider that there are people who stand on their feet for hours working registers or bagging groceries for minimum wage. These are the people who work hard to provide all of us with a better quality of life. How many times do we ever thank them?

Everyone has times when they are exhausted and feel overworked. But the concept of what is” hard” has to be looked at realistically. This past week the northeast experienced widespread power outages. People were without electricity for days and it took its toll on the mind and body. There is a great deal of anger against the utility companies but that anger should be directed towards management. The men and women who worked to restore poles and power lines worked long shifts and long hours in dangerous conditions. They outdid themselves to get power back to most people within the week. For them and all those who work “hard”, thank you and Happy Labor Day.