Digital Anxiety

Prompted by comments by another artist, I had another (regretful) look at Facebook last night.

Social networking sites just don't appeal to me... I see their practicality for people with masses of real friends (sigh)... but between strangers?

I mean, who wants (people always say 'has' but it really is 'wants') to spend time having meaningful conversations one-to-one with people via 'traditional' means?

Just as I wouldn't run up to a stranger in the street, I find the idea of 'poking' (or whatever it's called) someone I don't know 'well' equally off. On top of that, this whole idea of sending a 'friend request' feels like the schoolyard ... how meaningful is it really?

Admittedly I find myself copying and pasting bits of an email that I'd written to one person to another. That said, I actually find 'rewriting' helps clear my head.

The irony of it all is that when I looked at the artists page, I noticed 'I' was already her friend, rather 'masculine' and heavily tattooed. Such things always make me extremely nervous as I then wonder if a dialogue has been going on with one party not aware that who they are talking to is not really who they think it is.

The anxiety comes from the thought that maybe Facebook is where the 'action' is... is that where the arts community gets their info now? Were my analogue invites 'unusual' and archaic? That last point might actually be to my benefit but it's close to impossible to actually gauge.

Update: apparently not ironic... she knows two of me... sigh... not sure which feels worse.