Big Brother IS Watching

I use this blogging platform to write about loss and grief. Most of my readers (and clients in real life) have experienced either the death of a loved one, or the end of a relationship. These are tangible losses that involve no longer having a living, breathing person in your life who once was. The loss and subsequent absence is physical. There was someone who occupied space in your world, who made eye contact with you, and their physical presence in your life has ceased.

There are intangible losses as well. Sometimes these losses can be as profound as the tangible ones. Loss of health, for instance. Getting the diagnosis of a long-term or terminal illness can be as much of a shock as the death of a loved one. There is still the roller-coastering of emotions. There is still the dramatically altered sense of identity and one’s role in the world. There is still grief.

An intangible loss I’ve been wrestling with lately is what I refer to as “the loss of control over and privacy of my personal data.” It’s something I kind of took for granted. The reality is that “Big Brother” has been watching us in one way or another since probably before I was born. Today we carry Big Brother with us on our smart phones, in our purses and pockets 24/7 and it has made us vulnerable to those who would have our way of life crushed into dust. Facebook (and others) have knowingly allowed it to happen and are doing precious little to correct it. Why would they? They are corporate monoliths, and often monopolies, and they’re raking in the dough.

I’m not leaving Facebook because of the political insanity I find there every day. Free speech and all that. I’m not leaving because people post photos of their meals. That either makes me giggle or hungry. I’m not leaving because everyone else’s life/job/relationship/children/garden/wardrobe/pet appear to be brighter and shinier than mine. I like my life just fine and do not begrudge others their happiness.

I am leaving Facebook because of the utter and contemptible violation of my rights to my private and personal data, and the hijacking and use of that data to harm me AND our way of life. My leaving may not thwart those who wish to do me/us harm, but I feel I need to take a stand, and this is my way.

This will be my last A NEW NORMAL post accessible through Facebook. If you want to continue to read my posts – and I hope you do! – you will need to sign up ON my website (if you clicked into the link on Facebook to read this post, you’re already there). Just “Follow” me and provide your email address – yes, that’s the catch* – and you will automatically receive my posts in your inbox whenever I post something new.

Thank you for your interest in my blog thus far. I hope my leaving Facebook does not end our connection. Don’t let it! Sign up on my blog today! And please, if you know of someone who is struggling with a loss, who is ready to step into A NEW NORMAL, and who would benefit from compassionate encouragement and support while grieving, I’m here.

*I will not share your email address with anyone else, and I will use it solely for the purpose of sending my blog posts directly to you via email.