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1. I am thinking the same things you are thinking….I had a friend who always said she was going to have her tombstone say, “I told you something was wrong.” And so now we have the chance to tell everyone when something is wrong, or right, or stuck in neutral, but does it really matter? I am strongly questioning all of it and where it is all going….as I sort of say in my most recent post!

   1. I’ve actually seen that tombstone, in Rehobeth, Delaware. Obviously a sense of humor til the end. That would be my preference (as I indicate by my tongue-in-cheek post), but who knows where it all goes . . . and that’s for the best, too. Your recent post’s theme is a great echo of this. Thanks, as always, for some extra insights.

2. A very dear friend of ours died in 2011 and her Facebook page has been left up as a memorial. I look at it several times a year, most notably around her birthday, Christmas and time of death. At first I was creeped out, feeling voyeuristic/opportunistic, but over the years it has been a way to reconnect with her much like visiting a gravesite.

   Can we really have “live updates” while we are dying? Is “live streaming” more like “just in time” reporting? Perhaps Google Glass will be the saving grace in this conundrum.

   I like Woody Allen’s view of death the best: I’m not scared to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.

   Your post speaks an often overlooked truth: All we have is the present moment, let’s make the most of it.

   1. You’ve captured such a poignant element of our social media lives–that they live on after us, and sometimes for the best, sometimes not. Thanks for commenting. Yes, we have just this moment. So we must do that.

3. I think that the promise of social media–that we would all feel more “connected”–is turning out to be false hope. As evidence, I give you the fact that we have the phrase “Facebook friend” to distinguish it from a “real” friend.

   I don’t know if you saw my other comment about what a pain Twitter is turning out to be for me. So much for empowering the little guy.

   I guess that once the novelty wears off, the question will become–like telephones and cars–how do we use this technology to accomplish something meaningful?

   1. I’m finding the ability offered by social media to connect with my “community” to be its most valuable characteristic, and one that makes it worth putting up with its very real annoyances. Define community however you like to, and in my case, I’ve found people with creative interests to learn from, interact with, support and gain wisdom. I’ve found it quite valuable to sort through advice and news topics. I’m pretty comfortable with it, but I’m like the rest of us, exhausted by the many channels necessary to get these benefits.

      Twitter’s worked out fine for me, but not after a long while and various efforts and attempts. Sorry you’ve had trouble with it. I hope you’ll try again. And my passion for blogging is another fantastic avenue that’s supported and enhanced by social media.

      As for more meaning than all of that–not sure what that might be! But we can always hope. Nice to get your always thoughtful insights, Matthew, thanks.

4. I play the game of Facebook, and Twitter on an occasional basis. I have times when I’m really in to it, and other times where I’m fed up with it all. I find it crazy sometimes that I sit here and read for a long time (ok, hours) tweets and posts. And don’t even get me started on those idiotic Facebook “shares” of dumb cartoon cards/sayings; it seems everyone just copies quotes and other people’s stuff, and it goes round and round. It took awhile to not really care if anybody followed me, or was my Facebook friend. I need to pull the plug more often and read an actual book.

   1. Completely agree with your version of willingness to play on occasion with Facebook; it’s not something I’m even interested in now, though I have been in the past. I’m pretty focused on Twitter, which I enjoy a lot. But that’s because of the topics I can follow there, and my interest in what’s shared. So I’m pretty active there, with three different accounts (each has a different focus). I’ll be on the lookout for your tweets! Thanks for your comments. Reading a book and calling a friend are great antidotes to the love-hate social media response. 😀

5. We live an increasing amount of our lives on-line with social networks. Have you asked yourself the quesions: What’s to happen to my Facebook and Twitter accounts? What about my YouTube videos,

   1. Personally I’ll be thrilled for them to be someone else’s problem! How about you?

6. I totally agree with you – Your topic is informative!!

7. So maybe the answer to the questions posed above is to simply relax, unplug and hide the phone and tablet. Or if that’s too difficult maybe use the phone to actually reach out and talk to someone you miss or someone you have been thinking about lately.