I write today as as a man who has no friends, but before you feel too sorry for me, I should clarify context. Specifically, I have no Facebook Friends, not even a Twitter account, though that has more appeal to me than Facebook. Yes, I have access to a computer, even an iPhone, no iPad yet. So I’m stuck in the ancient world of email and regular web searches.
But because my wife is on Facebook and has lots of friends, I vicariously participate through her. I see the relational value of Facebook. I’ve gained a lot of useful information about dear friends. The stronger connections are wonderful. But I am mystified by many of you who feel the need to share what you had for breakfast, every thought you’ve had all day long, and various other details that I really don’t need or want to know. Most of it is harmless, I suppose, but it is taking up useful time that I just wonder if it could be better spent. But that’s a dangerous alley for me to walk into as you could easily identify numerous areas of poor time stewardship on my part, such as following the St. Louis Cardinals on my ESPN Score Center app.
But I want to address something more serious. What about the danger of too much self-revelation? If you are a parent, how do you guide your children’s use of social media? How do you protect them from making tragic choices in self-revelation or in risky relationships? But, taking another step back, what are you modeling for them by what you post? What are you modeling for them by what you say on Facebook about them, the pictures you post of them? How will they feel when they are older?
I commend a post I just read on the Gospel Coalition site by Jen Wilkin, Parents, Do You Think Before You Post?
After you’ve considered Jen Wilkin’s perspective, I’d love to hear your comments.
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Tom Macy 
I appreciate most of your caveat’s and caution, especially the part about following the St. Louis Cardinals, being of waste of time. If you were following the The Tampa Bay Rays that would be a productive use of your time.
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Okay Glenn, if you want to compare the Rays and the Cards, Game On! We’ll see who is playing in October. Both teams look good this year, both in the best divisions of their respective leagues – maybe they will meet in October, but it will be a tough climb for the Rays to get past the Yanks, Sox and Orioles. St. Louis will have its own challenge to hold off the Reds and Pirates! Nothing like baseball – more interesting to watch the Cards and Reds on Sunday night than the Spurs and Heat.
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