English practice 39

I Give Update

Everyone talks about how social networking sites like Facebook together and connect with friends 24 hours a day. To some people, however, this “connecting” is more complicated than it looks. Sometimes I’ll stare at that blank status-update box for half an hour trying to think of what to type, and usually I just give up without typing anything.

considering that I’m a professional writer. Back in school, the other kids used to beg me for help with their English papers, so why am I suddenly the only one who

After all, other people’s status updates aren’t especially brilliant or interesting, and nobody seems to mind. Sometimes, they don’t even make sense. “Sitting in Starbucks LOL?” What the heck is up with that? Are you really sitting in a Starbucks, laughing out loud?

Doesn’t insane?

It feels like I’m the only figured out that “social networking” is really just a big competition for attention, with success measured in the number of comments other people leave on your updates. nothing wrong with competition, but some people have such a big advantage in this one that it’s not even fun to play. A pretty girl can type “Bought a new swimsuit today!” and get 35 comments in about six minutes. I’m just as interested in pretty as the next guy, but come on. I didn’t get 35 comments when I announced that my first book was being published. Maybe I should have announced it from a Starbucks, in which I was laughing out loud.

depressing.

would at least give me something to type, if not for the fact that depressing status updates are looked down upon. Social networking isn’t just about about making other people I’m starting to wonder how many status updates are even true. Did that person really just have “the best day ever” or just get back from “the best party ever,” or does he just want everyone to think he did? It would certainly be ironic if a program designed to help us connect with friends has instead forced us to spend all our time lying to them. I’ve spent so much time thinking about this, I could probably write a book. Unfortunately, nobody would care, so I think instead I’ll just go buy a swimsuit.