Facebook in the Golden Era...

[SGT Rocket]

Ok, now that I have your attention. I've just decided to go totally without Facebook. I've been on it for about 18 months since I returned from Iraq. It's not that I was spending too much time on Facebook, or posting anything too weird that an employer might think was weird.

It's kind of hard to put my finger on it, but for some reason, I feel anxiety with Facebook; it is almost if my life was speeding up when I logged on. Similar to how I feel about my cell phone. If I get a call from a number I don't recognize on my cell phone, I get a LOT of anxiety. Weird?

So, was there anything (low tech of course) similar to a social networking site during the golden era? I figure a party phone line would be one, but what else? I can see how pen pals would be sort of similar but what else?

Maybe it was all lodges, clubs, speakeasies, and the like? I love the idea of face to face (but not crowds). Yea, I'm weird.

 

[Tomasso]

Church and the local saloon.

 

[scottyrocks]

When I was a kid it was the local street corner or the park.

 

[Mario]

Back in the day you needn't be connected to the whole wide world out there but to the people in your local neighborhood. And that's what pubs, parks, the barbershop and street corners were for...

 

[Unlucky Berman]

Also I geuss that's what the freemason lodges and similar brotherhoods and communities were for. In kind of way they were more connected with people outside the usual club, barbershop or pub, since these circles are connected and even in a kind of way a network of lots of people with similar ideals, ideas and a way of thinking of a town, city or a region. And if you were in another town you could be sure there is somewhere a lodge nearby.

 

[Heather]

Don't feel weird! I get a lot of anxiety over the phone in general as a whole. Lots of anxiety over making calls, answering it (even though it's usually a wrong number or a telemarketer). As far as Facebook...no one usually pays any attention to my posts except maybe a couple people once and while so I'm starting to feel like "what's the point?"

 

[Propeller Planes]

Facebook was essentially a glorified address book for me, and as a cheap means of keeping track of the happening's in people's lives, like engagements, birthdays, and the like, also considering I now live far away from where most of my friends and family are.

However, I'm becoming more and more frustrated with how it's since spawned into pretty much an essential household item, particularly for the younger folks. It seems now to be more used as a tool to maintain some kinda of self-indulgent social status, a means of trying to portray an image of an individual that may not entirely reflect them. An example seems to be this 'priority' for young party goers to take pictures of themselves, rather than to keep as memories, but to be immediately uploaded to the site for whatever personal agendas they wish to fulfil. Same goes for people who go on holidays and seems to spend more time sharing the pics they take than enjoying it!

Weeknight gatherings at hobbyist clubs and weekend activities are my means of 'social networking'

 

[LizzieMaine]

The backyard fence. Housewives hanging up the washing would always pause to "update their status."

 

[SGT Rocket]

All very interesting. I'm doing well not on the facebook thingingy. I do have a new facebook account but I rarely use it. I got it because it is one way/only way I think/ that a club that I joined at school keeps in contact.

I like the idea of joining a lodge or becoming more involved with my synagogue. With a new baby on the way and school, I'm not sure I have time to join a lodge. However, I would LOVE to join one if I had the time. After new baby gets here, my wife and I are planning on moving to a neighborhood where many of our friends live within walking distance. That should be much better for socializing.

I have the same anxiety as Heather when my cell phone rings. Especially if it is a number I don't recognize. I just hate to answer the phone. I have no idea why, but I just hate to answer it.

 

[bil_maxx]

Military clubs are always great, as are alumni clubs and groups from whatever schools you went to. Church is good and of course going to other people's social events and meeting new people. It always seems to me that the type of people that go to social events and clubs are the type that are easy to be friends and acquaintances with later. That's probably the reason they go.

 

[sheeplady]

Where I went to college there used to be a "Face book" - a published "book" with faces of new undergraduate students with their names and contact information. I believe it was a tradition that went back many decades at least until the 1920s if not earlier. There was also a concept of getting "face time" which occurred mainly in the dining halls, laundry, etc. They actually still used these terms when I was student there in the late 90s and early 00s, but I don't know if this is true of other schools. (My experience was pre-facebook.com and I always thought this type of thing was the inspiration for it.)

Where I attend now (different school) there used to be a "book" of all the PhD students. The printed book stopped the year before I started, and I don't know if they called it a "facebook."

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Crikey, what a relief to hear that others have "phone anxiety"...I always have my phone on silent, and I check it maybe once or twice a day. And I find Facebook positively soporific. I can't understand those people who seem to be glued to their mobile half of their lives and on Facebook the other half.

 

[Dated Guy]

I guess I was trying to keep up with the current generational thing by signing up to the 'Bookface', it actually immediately made me wonder why I did it... It was full of people at parties with inane commentaries like "This is me with a Lemonade", or, "This is me with a sparkling wine" pictures and social comment of no particular interest to anyone but the propigater. I left it after a few nights only....!!
As for phones, I never answer it at home (landline), ever, if it is that important then they will call back until the wifely woman is in. The mobile phone is always on mute until I remember to look at it, this has now narrowed down to 5.00pm usually. I do not miss many other things believed by current society as 'must have's', Television 100% ignored, radio 75% ignored, Kindles's, computer games and their ilk and, so on.... it takes a brave man to break the brainwashed habit of a lifetime, but, it can be done...!!

 

[TimeWarpWife]

I don't "get" Facebook. But, then I don't understand texting either when it's easier and more personal to call someone. I was on FB for a very short period of time in an effort to catch up with some old school friends. Unfortunately, I found that we had little in common now and so I canceled my account. Plus, I have serious problems with FB basically "owning" your photos and content - that speaks of an invasion of privacy to me which is why I posted only a couple of photos and info that was very impersonal. Personally, and I don't mean to offend anyone who does this, I'm not narcissistic enough to think I need to be updating what I'm doing, where I am, and who I'm with umpteen times a day. In these days of identity theft, I highly prize my privacy and personal info. Unlike many young people I know who have their entire lives posted on FB for every stalker and lunatic in the world to see!

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

I enjoy my Facebook, but I am careful about what I post on there. And my friends are completely okay with me untagging any photo. It DOES get inane. And it can be a total timesuck if I'm not careful- although all of my computer use can be that. I also had a horrible moment when I re-set up my mom's account. She got off it for awhile, then decided she wanted it back. I set her up and forgot a few posts I had made that involved her. I realized my error while in the shower. I never moved so fast to my computer to change MY settings. Oy, the world we live

I do limit my "friends" to actual friends. And while the posts are basically meaningless chatter, they do provide a way to stay in contact with people I like that are scattered from Tennessee to Florida to China to Afghanistan. Sure I could write, but most of the time it's just nice to say "Hi" to someone and hear that they're doing alright. But I can definitely see that it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

Now Twitter? No thanks (subject to change on impulse of the moment)