brave new blind faith
I’m sick and tired of the time wasting triviality of Facebook. I’ve decided to take a break from using it, which is a dilemma in some ways because it’s the only way that I communicate with several of my friends. No doubt I will get back to it some time in the future, maybe next week, but right now I need a break.
This disenchantment with Facebook was exacerbated when I read Ben Elton’s “Blind Faith” last week. If ever you feel that you are addicted to social software and need something to jerk you out of that state, read “Blind Faith”, then wonder at the fact I read this book on my Kindle for Mac after downloading it to my laptop.
Elton has created a tale that is reminiscent of Orwell’s “1984” and Huxley’s “Brave New World”. In fact it’s revealing that Elton directly refers to 1984 within this text, but nevertheless Elton’s been clever in intertwining the horrors we already have, eg reality TV, evangelists and social software into a thought provoking tale for our times.
Frighteningly, just after I finished reading the book I came across a news article about Victoria Beckham aka Posh Spice aka Queen WAG, demanding sex 5 times a day from worn out husband David aka Golden Balls, because she’s broody and wants a daughter. Seems to me we are already living in Elton’s times. All we need to complete the picture is the flood.
Those of you familiar with “Blind Faith” will understand what I mean.
Now, should I publicise this post on Facebook I wonder?
Sounds something very much like this - http://g4tv.com/videos/44277/dice-2010-design-outside-the-box-presentation/
yes you’re right, that is a very relevant presentation. I’ve never played games on Facebook, I’m just not a game person, but some of the points Schell makes were addressed in “Blind Faith”. The soda cans with digital advertising on them for instance.
I’m blown away with the amounts of money some of these games are generating, and the issue of the psychology involved is interesting (scary actually)
There’s only one game I play on facebook - poker.
The others I find quite lame, and I don’t understand people’s addiction on it.
Facebook’s poker have points and ranking systems, which I find quite addictive to try and beat.
I do spend alot of time on it when I have time, and do admit “Damn it!! I’m just wasting my time” have entered my mind on more than one frustrated sessions.
I swear, one day I’ll just disabled all my online network accounts and just be a normal person!!
Including flickr, facebook, and all blog paticupations.
aw, please don’t stop reading blogs 
