Too Much Information? Is Nothing Sacred Anymore?

As the “Facebook” phenomenon continues to grow at an unbelievable speed, my amazement also grows at the amount of information people seem so willing to share. This subject has been milling around in my mind for several weeks and tonight, as I checked my FB friend’s updates and additions, I saw something that made my eyebrows move north. The question that immediately came to mind was, “Is NOTHING Sacred Anymore?”

Don’t get me wrong. I love Facebook and do not want to make it sound that I view it as something evil that will be the downfall of humanity. It is a wonderful tool for keeping in touch with friends and family. I’ve met people who knew my family when I was too small to remember, and we’ve started new friendships which have been very beneficial to me as a person. It allows me to share my faith and to encourage my friends who are on the same journey in life.

What concerns me is our eagerness to share things that may not be beneficial, in the long run, to others as well as ourselves. There are things within each family that should be kept special and sacred to that family. Sharing them with the world sometimes cheapens their meaning and worth. It is easy to hurt family members by sharing things that they might not want others to know. We must be sensitive to the needs of those whom we love. (I’ve had to learn that lesson the hard way several times.)

The latest craze is the “note” section of Facebook where one is tagged by some other friend and asked to make a list. I must admit, I fell for it once and made a list of 25 Random Facts about myself. I’ve seen lists such as 25 Random Things, 44 Odd Things about Me, ABC’s of ME, Senior Year, Bucket List, and My First Pregnancy. Does anyone really want to know that much about me? As my girls would say, “T.M.I”!

Everyone has a need to be recognized and validated, and the “lists” are ways of getting that from friends. In our quest to feel loved and appreciated, let us think carefully before sharing with the world our lists of “secrets!” It may come back to bite us.

Comments

Kimberly said…
Good thoughts, Beth...enjoying catching up on your blog tonight!
11:26 PM
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