Facebook Anonymous - the 12 step reflection programmeI value Facebook and Social media as a platform and opportunity to be informed, promote, communicate, share and express, and it's also very humorous and tragic - I am sure you can relate:
(1) It's highly addictive
(2) I wait for the jackpot that never comes - 3000 likes, 1500 shares, 1000 positive comments and 180,000 friends
(3) Validation and self worth is based on how many likes and shares
I receive. A click of the mouse and 'like' - very intimate connection ?
(4) I feel some validation and recognition when a small win happens -1 like and 1 share
(5) I feel unrecognized, and insecure when nothing happens - 0 likes and 0 shares. A feeling of disappointed and confusion when a picture of someone's breakfast cereal scored 1500 likes, and a profound quote that I posted by a respected teacher scored 0 ?
(6) I am addicted to keep putting more time and emotional money into the 'posting poker machine', in the hope of winning the jackpot.
(7) It usually ends up in disappointment and feeling invalidated, unrecognized and emotionally short changed.
(8) Small validation and recognition wins, keep me coming back.- a clear case of addiction and obsessive compulsive disorder.
(9) What is my deepest underlying motivation ,what am I ultimately hoping to find by endlessly scrolling down the newsfeed?
(10) What motivates me to post and share on Facebook? Its a medium that can keep me endlessly busy, and I feel justified doing it, it's the perfect format to express and keep busy and engaged. Maybe any experiences and revelations I have, are a precious gift for me to absorb and integrate, and to not share on Facebook ?
(11) It's naïve to think that what I post on Facebook has any real importance to anyone in the grand scheme of things, it's possibly the most narcissistic pastime that's emerged in the last decade.
(12) The bottom line is that so much time, energy and emotional money is lost on Facebook. For me the question isn't so much why am I on Facebook, but WHAT AM I AVOIDING BY BEING ON FACEBOOK?
CONCLUSION – I have passion, commitment, dedication and focus to spend hours of time scrolling down the newsfeed, and posting about love, peace and any other topic that interests me.
If this same energy, focus, passion and commitment was directed away from the computer screen, and into sitting quietly and inquiring into 'who is the person that's on 'Facebook' - 'Who am I' ?
It would create a personal and world wide revolution, more powerful than social media could ever bring about.
Kunda FA (Facebook Anonymous)
