In real life, I am completely disinterested in school-gate gossip, other people’s misfortune, physical confrontations, formal events such as Christenings and anything else I can’t wear jeans to. However, this disinterest turns on its head as soon as the elements are ‘virtually’ viewed: there’s nothing I love more than a fly-on-the-wall view of a genuine argument or fight – I love ‘You’ve Been Framed’, ‘Come Dine with Me’, and was genuinely disappointed when ‘Kirsty’s Home Videos’ stopped production.
I am no longer a Big Brother fan, but I was completely hooked in its first couple of seasons – when it was all still real; cast with real characters without the underlying celebrity connotations and overacting. I still get hooked when a genuine reality show comes on – as long as it’s fresh and not over-worked or contrived – I am fascinated by gaining insight into other people’s lives, but anonymously, secretly, indulgently. There will be many psychological suggestions that I use it as a crutch to support the belief that my life is comparatively in control; Compared to the people in these shows, it validates that I have a happy family life, a good job, my son is well behaved, we eat healthily, I’m not depressed/neurotic/unhinged/a stalker.
It’s reality-comparing in bite-sized chunks, that you can reject if you see something that you don’t want to engage with.
It is for these very same reasons that I love Social Networks – I am virtually addicted to LinkedIN, Twitter, Facebook – all for slightly different, but fundamentally the same reasons as my fascination with Reality TV – Virtual insight into other, REAL people’s lives; their jobs, their friends and their day to day musings – all of which I can reject at the click of a mouse if the insight doesn’t fit with my needs. I can have as much or as little interaction with these networks as I need in order to ensure my own needs feel met – if I’m feeling in need of social support I can reach out to one of my girlfriends over Facebook; if I need professional advice or referral I have a completely separate set of connections on LinkedIN, and Twitter enables me to follow randomly interesting people for as long as my intrigue lasts – then I can un-follow them and select another.
I had always refrained from blogging until Twitter came along – my previous attempts at publishing blog posts folded under the pressure of perceived expectations : Why would anyone read it?, Would they think I was boring? Isn’t it all a big intrusion? But maybe it’s all part of my place in my life’s journey – in the same way I can admit to my hate of Ice-Skating, Baked Beans, Horses...maybe now I am comfortable enough with myself to not worry about whether people agree with what I’m twittering about – in the knowledge that they can just un-follow if they find me an insufferable bore. It’s the final piece of the jigsaw – I can talk to people without opening my mouth, and without needing them sat next to me – I can have the best of both worlds – seclusion and interaction – all on-demand.
My Twitter experience has now lead me back to full-on blogging - thus the manifestation of ThinkerActivity...
Ultimately though, as a person who has an almost insatiable appetite for knowledge: it’s all a learning experience – ambiently absorbing thoughts, conversations and bits of information without having to find the time in my busy, and finely routined life to specifically set aside for it.Sad? Maybe. Embarrassed? Never.
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