This post is also available in: Spanish
Connecting to Family on Facebook
How much can social networks change cultures? I wonder. For the longest time I didn’t get around to create a Facebook account. This year, when my first niece was born, my sister told me that the only way she was showing baby’s pictures was through Facebook so I decided to create an account. I was very surprised with the amount of friends that invited me to their network, most of them I hardly remember. I was happy to see pictures of the new addition to my family and I was excited to be in touch with my close friends.
We were all happy until my interest in Facebook made me worry about the time I was spending looking at people’s updates, I never cared for them back in the day and now I couldn’t stop reading their comments, I had to stop. I am busy with my own busy life, I cant keep up with others’. I don’t understand how can people spend so much time on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Don’t they have jobs? kids? laundry?
I remember my father complaining about how my sisters communicate via Facebook when they are at home, each in their own computer. When I was living at home and we didn’t even have a computer, my sisters and I talked, giggled, cried, screamed and kissed. I know how much Latinos we care about music, dance, family and friends. Today I wonder, how much is this changing our Latino culture and lifestyle?
The benefits of having my family and close friends “a click away” are invaluable. However, I still prefer talking to them on the phone or better yet, in person, specially when we are in the same house! For now, I decided to log on to Facebook only to see my baby niece. I am not spending time reading what people do, or online shopping, I can’t afford it. Besides, I’d rather talk, giggle, cry, scream and kiss in real time and in person.
Read Also
