WARNING: The entry you are about to read is full of angsty goodness from a generation that grew up on Social Media (unlike some of the rest of us).

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When did Facebook status updates and Tweets become a therapist’s couch?

Short answer: probably since forever.

I’m writing about this topic because I’m saturated in it—that is to say, I am a card carrying member of bi-polar, overly revealing, angst-ridden expression in social media. When your Twitter starts to sound like a Nine Inch Nails song, you’ve got to wonder if that’s healthy—not to mention, is it an appropriate use of the medium?

Granted, sometimes it’s funny when people share a bad day or a strange experience. But there are times where it becomes a banner ad and broadcast for every little emotional tweak a person has. You’re craving a burrito right now? That’s great, I really don’t care. I’m quoting Eminem again in a status update? That’s great, but they’ve seen it a thousand times before. I’ve been over-sharing in social media since I first put up an away message on AIM in 1998. Isn’t that the point?

That being said, sometimes I’m just trying to get a laugh. That’s valuable, too. So let me throw it on you—you are what you tweet? Your status reflects your emotional state much too often? Part of the reason I get so fired up about this topic is because I am “marching in that band.” I just happen to not like all of my band mates.

You can call me hypocritical, and you can say that I’m the worst of the bunch—I welcome it, because it doesn’t change my world. To be totally honest, I find it a lot more interesting than another line about somebody’s job, which is really just a passive brag to everyone else, or another one of those quizzes.

I’ll cut to the chase: you’re not an X-Man, everybody’s going to purposely pick Heath’s Joker for “Which Villain Are You,” and you’re probably not an angel in human form.

New quiz idea: “How Much Do Your Status Updates Suck?”

On the other hand, it’s something worth honoring when I share something meaningful to me, good or bad, and it gives somebody else inspiration or they feel like they can relate to me. That’s happened before, I’ve had friends tell me they related to whatever lyric, quote or half-truth joke I status’ed or tweeted. Yet still, I find myself getting so bored with the medium in regards to a lot of people’s expression. That’s my input, don’t let it stop you from broadcasting about anything and everything you want to. Isn’t that the point?

There’s definitely a way to positively affect your followers and friends with little blurbs throughout the day and week. Just don’t go too far in that direction either, because then you become P. Diddy.

LETS GO PEOPLE GOD IS GREAT!!!

Yes, God is great but no matter how much I pray Diddy still won’t stop yelling at me.

But back to angst–is it a cry for help thing? Is social media a good medium to express yourself in? I’ll be honest, I’m not looking for handouts and I don’t want all my friends to go into a code-red, level 4, “is he ok?” mode when I type about something I’m feeling. It just so happens that’s who I am, and what I actually like about Facebook and Twitter is that I don’t care if someone approves or disapproves of what I put on there. It’s for me, it’s not for you. Isn’t that the point?

But are there “side-effects?” Especially as younger generations begin to use these technologies at younger and younger ages, should we be concerned as to what that could mean on a developmental level?

Check out this sweet article—it’s actually the one that inspired this blog. And yes, I’ll wait while you read it…

http://www.physorg.com/news158864256.html - Rapid Fire Media and the Moral Compass

The implications of this article are, in my view, negative for social media in general. We already have issues with video games, television, and even news reports. I will go out and say that I am often desensitized to the various atrocities that occur on a daily basis, simply because it’s Lou Dobbs telling me at 6:00 PM, and I’ve already heard it from Rick Sanchez and Wolf Blitzer. I tried to hear it from Hannity and Colmes a few times, but they just kind of kept yelling and talking over everybody so I tuned out…

But let me give you my mental debrief after reading the Moral Compass article and reflecting on my use and perspective of social media. Rapid fire media can be like speed dating—and the same problems arise when you “window shop” for friendships and do what I call “drive-by intimacy.” A friend tweets a negative event, or their status reveals a certain struggle, and we pat ourselves on the back because we comment in support of our friend and write ten words before we rush off to catch “Dancing with the Stars.” We’re all guilty of it.

Am I advocating the destruction of Twitter? Are we all assholes for using Facebook to maintain relationships that may otherwise never exist or have faded away long ago?

No. I don’t think getting rid of it is a good idea (or possible for that matter) because technology and the exchange of information, now faster than ever, has made a number of things more advantageous for my generation and generations to come. Other things, however, are more difficult now—and in my view, more important, mainly the whole “not being assholes” thing. And that is just a side effect of the huge exposure and connectivity we are exposed to in 2009.

So, here’s my advice: take a bit more time.

1. Every now and then go for a hike or a walk and don’t tweet
2. Don’t bring the iPhone
3. and… if you do bring it, when somebody is talking to you for the love of J.J. Abrams put it down and look them in the eyes and listen.

Warp speed information exchange is awesome—but NOT at the expense of real human interaction and connection.

I have nightmares about my generation starting to raise their own kids, giving the “new batch” a model of technological dependence and over saturation that causes a complete transfer from hard work and respect to entitlement and shallowness—and I say complete because we are already halfway there. And even though I’m young, I’m a pretty old school guy at my core. Maybe it’s because I grew up on a farm, or maybe it’s because of the values I have, or maybe I’m just boring and lame. Either way, the best part about the real human interaction is that you get something for yourself when you give something, too.

You get inspired, and you remember that we’re all in this together and some things are more important than other things. You just have to decide where to place that importance for yourself. And then maybe your tweets are less boring, or your status is more inspiring, or you have more patience for somebody like me who pulls a little too much Tyler Durden-esque “you are not your job” when he writes blog articles.

Just don’t think I don’t mean every word I write or Tweet and that I don’t choose them carefully. Isn’t that the point?