This past week, I found out that my grandmother had passed away. She had been ill for some time, in and out of hospice care. Her death wasn’t really a surprise, but it was an incredible shock. You see, she had actually died the week before. And no one told me.
It was posted on Facebook and Instagram for hundreds of “friends” and “followers” but no one actually called me to let me know. She was gone for almost a full week before I found out and therein lies the shock. Most everyone knows that my social media usage is slight at best.
I’m appalled. I think we should all be horrified by this usage of social media. I can’t think of a clearer way to demonstrate how our so called “connectedness” has in fact made us more disconnected than ever.
The knowledge that hundreds of “friends” and “followers” who had no real connection to my family outside of a Facebook group or casual scrolling were offering their condolences for days before I had even been made aware of my loss is disturbing at best.
I spent the week in tears of sadness and utter disbelief. As I sit typing this, I’ve never been more disgusted by social media and the way people use it. For all it’s possibilities, it seems to more often than not bring out the worst in people. From comparison to bullying to stalking to offering a false idea of real relationship, the cons far outweigh the pros in my book.
No, thank you. I’m done.
Lea & Lens 