Facebook, the Beloved Community?

Recently, a friend of mine, who I'd only just found again since college, left Facebook--in order, he said, to get his life back. Hmm... that doesn't sound good.

I remember that I used to throw parties where I'd invite all my friends--absolutely everyone--to my house and hope they'd all get along, or at least talk to each other. After all, if I liked all of them, and they liked me, why wouldn't they like each other? In reality, this rarely worked, despite my best efforts. I usually just ended up as the exhausted hostess.

Unfortunately, this also rarely works in the seminary classroom. Every day, I feel forced to make social decisions. I have groups of international student friends and groups of American friends. I have groups of older friends, and groups of younger friends. I have groups of black friends, and groups of white friends, and groups of friends from other races. I have groups of queer friends, and groups of straight friends. I have groups of evangelical friends, and groups of mainline friends, and groups of friends that are other religions entirely. I can move among each of these groups; but, rarely can I get friends of one group to come over and hang out with another group. I end up feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, torn. That's where I feel like I need to get my life back...

And, of course I know that's not just limited to seminary life, but other places as well. It's still frustrating. Before I start whining, "Can't we all just get along?" perhaps I have to admit, Facebook is the closest thing I've found yet in my own life to building the Beloved Community. At least the people in my 'Friends' box can see each other, and know that I value each of them. And maybe by association, they'll figure out that each of the others ain't so bad.

So, I dunno. I'm not usually one to offer such praise to a piece of technology. But for the time being, it does help. And for my poor friend from the first paragraph: I changed my 'privacy settings' so the site doesn't bother me twenty times a day; technology is supposed to serve us and not us serve technology, right? Or something like that.

peace,

Le Anne