Growing up, many of you and your mothers watched soap
operas. I and several college dorm mates even scheduled classes around All my Children
so we never missed it. Most soap operas
are a thing of the past, with only one or two still on daytime TV. Others faded
into their serial sunset or went 21st Century tech with web
broadcasts. Wonder why?
My theory is because of Facebook. Where can you get better
real life drama? We watched the relationship dramas of Erica Kane, the vengeful wrath of the Cassadines, and the mental troubles of Vicki/Nicki daily, because
it made us feel better about our own lives! We felt better knowing there were worse love relationship issues,
greater dysfunction within families, and more serious health and mental
problems than our own.
Today, Facebook has become reality’s soap opera. We post
daily, myself included (*) about whatever is going on in our lives, good or
bad. This social media connects us to each other with people we haven’t seen in
forever, but wondered about often. Instead of the drama and celebrations of Landview
or Pine Valley, we have the good, the bad and the ugly posted all over
Facebook.
How has Facebook replaced the good old days of daily soaps?
General Hospital.
You know where I’m going here – the daily postings of loved ones and friends
who are sick, who are in the hospital, asking for prayers.* Some Facebook
extremists post god-awful photos of their loved ones right out of surgery,
swollen with tubes coming out of every orifice while unconscious! We “check in”
to Urgent Care, the ER, or the doctor’s office, alerting others all is not
well. We post when we are under the weather, taken a fall*, or been in an
accident. We share news of loved ones struggling with long-term illness, and/or the loss of loved ones who pass unexpectedly. We seek empathy, sympathy, and
prayers. Facebook is often where I learn about this news for people I care
about, and in need of prayer and support. I’ve opened it up countless times to
learn a friend has passed or struggling with health issues. Facebook keeps us
informed, and this is how it’s become General Hospital.
All My Children.
Baby pics. First day of school pics. Prom pics. Graduation pics. We share our
pride and joy, our sorrows and heartbreaks, our worries about our kids on Facebook..
Those of us who don’t have two-legged children share news about our four-legged
children* with pet photos, news of their transition, health concerns, and their
antics too. On the flip side, we also
see the ugly side of parenting: the ungrateful and disrespectful kiddos by parents
who struggle with their relationships, or the choices of their offspring.
Facebook brings us news of All our Children.
One Life to Live. These Facebook posts share our successes, our
feats, and accomplishments that make us most proud of. Vacation adventures*, Iron
Man or 3K finishes, or goals achieved such as new jobs* and weight loss. Posts
also include selfies with celebrities,* or experiences of hob-nobbing. While these
posts are upbeat and fun to see, sometimes many interpret these crossing that
fine line of bragging, depending on the interpretation of the reader.
Regardless, these Facebook posts share how people seize the One Life they Live.
The Bold and the
Beautiful. Selfies of varying kinds.* Family portraits. Dress up pics. The
selfies we do for profile photos, but most take this practice to a whole new
level of mirror shots, car shots,* and modeled shots. There is the
lips-puckered selfie,* the reflective selfie, the new doo selfie,* and the mug
shot selfie. And don’t forget the group selfies* comprised of two or more
people (or pets*) out on the town, having a good time or hanging out. Family
portraits portray perfection of unity, and don’t forget the self-esteem selfies
when we are feeling good about looking good.
These are the lives of the Bold and the Beautiful.
Days of our Lives.
Check-ins at restaurants. Mood reports. Work outs at the gym. Doctor
appointments. Spiritual/Religious pats on the back. School pick-up of kids.
Work updates. We post highlights of the day, pics of our meals,* and commutes to
work. We keep people informed about how our day is going or has gone, what’s
great or not great about our day and week.* Facebook helps us connect socially with
people, and provides us a venue to vent about what is going well or not so well
in the Days of our Lives.
Facebook is the social media stage in which life and all its
dramas and joys unfolds. I didn’t address the political posts, videos shares,
memes and other such things we see daily on this social forum. Facebook has
blazed a new type of reality soap opera, and despite it’s good, bad and ugly,
it keeps us connected with people we haven’t seen in forever, barely know, and
people who know who we know.
For all its annoyances, Facebook is equally good. It is a
drama zone but we as Facebookers own responsibility in how much drama we create,
not only on social media, but in our own lives.
Let’s make the most of the days
of our lives in the one life that we live, live boldly and beautiful, unconditionally
raise all our children, and stay healthy and out of the general hospital.
*Guilty
