Ahhh Facebook....
Instant gratification for those who don't need to work for it!
Anyone that wants to be "liked" (whether genuinely, or by reflex), or who wants to "share" the coolness of being part of the "in-crowd", can simply go to Facebook.
It is the instant panacea for our time...or at least till the next wave of social media overwhelms it.
Do not mistake me, I understand Facebook very well, and can see its' attraction. In a world of instant gratification and tiny attention spans, where it is essential to not only be a part of the game, but also AHEAD of the game, if not actually MAKING the game, (whatever the Hell "the game" is...), then Facebook can be an essential tool, especially when it comes to playing the social ladder game among your peer group. So, Yes, Facebook is the new essential in the world of our youth.
I do have a problem with some of the messages that it is disseminating amongst our gullible, and (let's face it), worldly naive youth. Oh, they may tell you they know more about the drug/sex/music/underground/gangsta/fashion/social scenes than we could ever know, because they are plugged in to a world- encompassing digital network that feeds a constant stream of information to their hand-held device/platform that is constantly updated and linked to more distasteful and possibly illegal sites than you as a parent could possibly understand, let alone control, but I question whether they could REALLY tell good guys from bad guys. The reasons I question are these;
Young people these days truly are smarter about many things than we could ever be. They know more about pirate web-sites, under-age drinking, parties and drugs than we did at their age. They are savvy when it comes to technology, how to hook-up, break-up, set-up and be smart. This generation sees technology as a part of themselves...those born prior to 1970 always regarded it as a tool. In much the same way, I regarded my car as an essential, a necessary part of life. To my parents it was a tool, an extension of their lives, and was treated accordingly.We lived to drive and explore, they drove because they had to, nothing more.
Embracing this new technology (Facebook/ Instagram/ Snapchat etc) , should therefore be a natural, if somewhat uncomfortable, and rapid progression along the road of generational change, but something concerns me about this wonderful means of spreading ideas. It's about caring. How much do we care? We say we care for the hungry, the homeless, the lost, the abused, yet when push comes to shove, how much do we care? How much do our youth, cushioned behind a keyboard, a screen, a wall of data, and a feeling of self-gratification, really care about each other?? Why do we need to bolster our youth's self-confidence, by telling them how good they are?
Which brings me to the reason I am writing this....
I have noticed that one of the recurring themes posted by various supposedly "genuine" sites on Facebook, is that of the "It doesn't matter what society thinks of you, as long as you are true to yourself, that's all that matters", or to put it another way "I don't care what you think of me, if I am happy with who I am, your opinion means nothing"
Now I realise that these are intended to build self-esteem and help people feel confident about who they are, because many among our youth are unsure and need help in this area. Rightly so, we should always help our children believe in themselves. Unfortunately, there is a downside.
Recently I employed a young man who was in need of work, and who had basically painted himself into a corner to the point where he had to get a job, or else. I needed someone to help me urgently because of my health, and I saw it as a great opportunity to give someone a break, a chance to give someone the opportunity to make a fresh start, just as one individual had given me the chance I needed many years ago. Here was my chance to "pay it forward", if you like.
He worked out pretty well, despite a few hiccups, and I thought it was going well, until about two and a half weeks in, when he said he was leaving. I was disappointed, but philosophical, you can't win every time, but on the last day, he dropped everything and left me half way through the day...basically, he bailed on me.
The next day, he rang looking for his pay, and I, feeling miffed, told him to wait till pay day.
The end result was harassing phone calls, abusive text messages and finally him confronting me at my home, kicking in my front gate, entering my yard, bashing on my front door, repeatedly head-butting my glass sliding doors, coming into my lounge room, threatening me, and leaving with threats to return for his money.
When the police arrested and interviewed him, he was quite insistent that his actions were completely justified, because he felt that he should be able to do whatever was necessary to get the money he was owed, despite the fact that the NEXT DAY was pay day. He wanted his money TODAY.
He was sure that if he felt like behaving in that way, then he was entirely justified, and it did not matter what I thought, or felt.
If we continue to foster a mind-set where instant gratification is the paramount goal of our society, and where violent and anti-social behaviour can be justified by the mantra of "This is who I am, and it doesn't matter what you think", then we can expect a generational trend toward not only shorter attention spans and greater need for self-fulfillment, but also a shorter fuse on the temper of those who do not want to wait for rewards, and a greater propensity for violence on the part of those who do not care about the well-being of those around them.
As with all things, a balance is required, but unfortunately the easy option is not self- control, nor patience.....
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