The genesis of this post stems from the frequent conversations I have like the following (actual conversation)…

Colin: “Did you see my blog post on Tony Allen’s ridiculous tweets?”

Me: “No Colin, I didn’t have a chance to read that, but Tony is funny.”

Colin: “Come on man! That is what you said the last time.”

Me: “I know I just don’t ever think about it.”

Colin: “How can you ever know what is happening in the world without reading my blog or being on Twitter?”

This has culminated in Colin requesting I write to explain myself; because based on the exposure we all have to social media and the peer pressure to show social prowess by having the most followers, friends, and hits it is no accident that I do not actively participate in the phenomenon that is social media.

Allow me to lead by saying that it is not my intent to spew vitriol at those that value these medias. My lack of acceptance is simply a decision I have made based on how I prioritize my time and the way I desire to experience life.

Reason 1:

Constant exposure to information and breaking “news” does not interest me.   Twitter is by all accounts a reasonable avenue to learn of breaking news in the socio-political, sports, economic and entertainment fields. Unfortunately, experts claim that 93% of all tweets are crap and 76% of bloggers are pretentious. Ok, I can’t cite a source, but my exposure to most tweets has been either forgettable or worthless social commentary that the tweeter will most likely have to apologize for.

Social and Hollywood scandal seems to always get a lot of attention from people on twitter, and people seem to get really excited about it. Allow me to fill you in on a secret: unthinkable scandal is not a new phenomenon and there is no need to worry that if you miss the next scandal there will not be another one a month from now. Some coach, teacher, politician, entertainer will oblige your craving for scandalous news by stealing money, cheating on his wife with the intern, or pissing somebody off by saying something offensive. Three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and Hollywood couples divorcing after four months. I do follow actual current events fairly closely, but through traditional media like the WSJ, ESPN, Google Finance, and my local newspaper. This method of following the news may portend an archaic way of life, but seems to have served me well thus far and allows me to concentrate on activities I prefer. Bottom line: I do not enjoy sitting in front of a computer screen.

Reason 2:

I do not equate social relevancy to connectivity and feel confidant in my ability to be conversant despite being a near teetotaler of social media. Perhaps my relevancy is probably a question better suited for my friends to answer, but since this is being written anonymously I am afraid that is quite impossible. They could better tell you if I am a competent source of information and an interesting conversationalist. My gut tells me that even compared to my peers, who do not try anything without checking reviews on their favorite blog; I am still relatively well informed.

Perhaps I have cheated by surrounding myself with well informed people who fully utilize social media and share their information with me. Maybe I even pulled a Tom Sawyer and allowed my friends to white wash Aunt Polly’s fence for me while I sit in the shade and learn about Joseph Coney, restaurants, and that the new Coldplay album is coming out next week and I need to get it without lifting a finger. Alas, I do not possess that degree of persuasive guile. To be fair, as time passes I do slowly adapt. I have an iPhone 4 and frequent blogs like wiseguise.com and un-accountable.com. I really enjoy reading as well as trying new restaurants so I can glean some value from the blogging world. It can lead to interesting and humorous finds like this… primaids.com.

Reason 3:

Some of the best days of my life have been spent in back woods and on lakes where there is no cell phone reception or wi-fi. I have recently discovered that there are country clubs that do not allow members to be on the phone while on the golf course. Brilliant. There is something to be said for just enjoying where you are and who you are with. I certainly like efficiency and spending money wisely, but do I really need to rely on urbanfork.org every time I want to try a new restaurant? Sometimes it is nice to just try something for myself.

My most disappointing movie theater experiences have followed reading extensive reviews from critics or being told too often how great it is. Even word of mouth can cause me build up an idea in my mind too much. When was the last time you experienced something new without a pre-conceived opinion? It is difficult to have an authentic experience because we are so inundated with information.

Fact: I have not updated my ipod since 2008. Fact: I have not updated my facebook profile since 2009. Fact: I rarely look at blogs or listen to podcasts. Fact: the 1000 words you just read are the contents of my first (and last) blog post. Fact: I lead a very fulfilled and blessed life.

Therefore I will continue to live in ignorant bliss.

Humbly,

Art Vandelay