Loving People And Using Things
How do you use social media?
To a lot of people, sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and so on represent a way to connect with others, keep up with current events and to learn new things.
Others still use these platforms to help get over feelings of loneliness, isolation and do on.
These are quite worthwhile uses of this medium, and to my mind are quite positive, provided they don’t actually replace “real life” relationships.
Unless you happen to be like one of my best friends online and met the love of your life on the internet like she did!
These thoughts started going through my mind after receiving a whole mess of marketing material on a social networking site recently.
I had actually been knocking back friend requests from certain people, simply because they looked as though all they wanted to do was market their products.
I don’t mind checking out other peoples’ products or websites, and might even recommend them to others, but if that is all they do, and don’t actually relate or interact, then I really couldn’t be bothered!
I’ve been thinking of an old song by BJ Thomas for a while, and I found a reference to it on Philosophy Of Seph
I found the song on YouTube, and thought that the whole thing flowed pretty well together!
Using Things And Loving People, The Lyrics:
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Using things and loving people
Look around and you can see
That loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Being loved is in the giving
All we have is what we share
Loving life is for the living
You have to have a heart to care
And loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
So put your hand inside my hand
I don’t know where the road will lead
We may not find the things we want
But we will find the things we need
And all we need is love
Using things and loving people
Brings you happiness I’ve found
Using things and loving people
Not the other way around
‘Cause loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
For you and me
For you and me
Written by: Hal David & Archie P. Jordan
Sung by: BJ Thomas
B. J. Thomas (Billy Joe Thomas) was born August 7, 1942, in Hugo, Oklahoma.
He’s an American singer best known for his hits in the 1960s and 1970s.
His first commercial success was with a group called the Triumphs in 1966 with a cover of Hank William’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”.
Thomas released a solo album by the same name that year, and had further success with “Hooked on a Feeling” in 1968!
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Hi Allan! Good post. Love the song.
I cannot agree more. To be “solicited from” online is one matter, and can easily be ignored.
But what about those in real life too, claiming to be your friend, and only show up when they need to meet a quota or some sort? Even taking away the $$ aspect, some are just there when they need something from you, though when they need nothing, good luck hearing a peep out of them.
Sorry to rant, but I find these characters much of a nuisance and source of toxicity in life, and much better to have detached from the mainstream of life.
Hope you have a good and toxic-free day!
pennys last blog post..POTD: 18 Jan 2009
I also have had much better experiences with my online friends, although the relationships are limited and not complete, of course. People who don’t use social sites look down on online relationships, but they can be as important as those in RL.
Thanks for the comment Penny, and a great rant!
Hi Laura, I’m finding that my online relationships are spilling offline, and actually have some friends from Canada coming to visit next week! I feel that my on line life is an extension of my ‘real’ life….
Great post! I was just introducing a real-life acquaintance to social media today, and that was one of the subjects we discussed. Just be yourself online, and people will check out your business/blog/product because they’re interested in *you*. That’s a bonus. But the important part is the relationships you build along the way. 🙂
mousewordss last blog post..Got Goal?
Precisely! Being your self is the key, though I wonder if the so called marketers who misuse social media are the same offline, and are therefore just being themselves too!
Thanks for the comments,
Allan
It’s always about interaction. I’m not interested otherwise! heh heh. And yes… real-life face-to-face I find is a lot more realistic as well. Just my 2-cents-worth 🙂
Cyalayta
Mal 🙂
Mals last blog post..But wait… there’s more!
I like using facebook I get a lot of friend requests. I haven’t run into the issue of having people try to market products to me. (well actually I do avoid one person that really pushes prepaid legal). If I okay’d someone and they tried to sell me something I would really be annoyed. Now I’ll be watching for it. Nice post, nice song.