Believe it or not, this Saturday ramble was my Facebook status and not the beginning or end of a post to my blog. But as it directly relates to this week's SXSW festival, the seeds of germination coming from the artists, publicists, label people and other human instruments of the process and promotional aspects of commerce, I thought I'd throw it up here. Weary and tired...that would best describe me at this moment. I'm just exhausted with the endless self-promotional aspects of what was once heralded as the new dynamic of the social networking explosion. And in all fairness, blogging is somewhat an extension of this...although in a long form, and more of an optional invitation to engage rather than the roll of the news "force" feed on Facebook or Twitter. 

But here I go again....pontificating in the week of the pontiff. Shut up Ed, and just cut and paste the damn thing.

Here is my stattus update on this Saturday morning:

"Rethinking Facebook. Don't panic. But it comes to me this morning, after going through yesterday's news feed, that my dear friends and occasional acquaintances (as well as me, myself and I) are much more interesting and multi-dimensional in real time. Aside from the time-sucking aspect, Facebook rewires how we communicate with each other and redefines the notion of connectivity and relationship; things we would never speak out aloud just easily rolls off our fingers to this screen. Things we inherently know that are insignificant, become defining moments. I joke about those who post their dinners and put up blurry pictures of concerts that scream "I am here. This is whom I am", but it makes me wonder...is this an enhancement to our quality of life and relationships? And lately, the apps that allow us to track your every restaurant visit, hair cut, hotel check-in, airport, Spotify listen, book read and visit to the post office screams out "I am important, I am significant, my actions are essential not only to me, but to you too". Actually, they are not. What they are, beyond just feeling sad and desperate, are a magnification of the societal isolation and narcissistic tendencies we each feel. Sorry if this observation or rant is becoming a little too much, but like I said, I'm rethinking. And what better way and better place to do it than here on Facebook? I'll leave you with this link...scroll down to "traits and signs". Feel familiar? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism"

Traits and Signs:

• An obvious self-focus in interpersonal exchanges
• Problems in sustaining satisfying relationships
• A lack of psychological awareness (see insight in psychology and psychiatry, egosyntonic)
• Difficulty with empathy
• Problems distinguishing the self from others (see narcissism and boundaries)
• Hypersensitivity to any insults or imagined insults (see criticism and narcissists, narcissistic rage and narcissistic injury)
• Vulnerability to shame rather than guilt
• Haughty body language
• Flattery towards people who admire and affirm them (narcissistic supply)
• Detesting those who do not admire them (narcissistic abuse)
• Using other people without considering the cost of doing so
• Pretending to be more important than they really are
• Bragging (subtly but persistently) and exaggerating their achievements
• Claiming to be an "expert" at many things
• Inability to view the world from the perspective of other people
• Denial of remorse and gratitude