How Facebook turns people into Gollum
Published: Wed, 04/17/19
And how, in fact, he saw his players’ hands literally shaking from withdrawals.
Kind of amusing to think about.
And reminded me of an email I wrote last November.
Specifically, about a chick who was re-reading the Lord of the Rings books, only to realize the One Ring is her smartphone, with a passage from Bilbo.
She quoted this part in particular:
“...it would be a relief in a way not to be bothered with [The Ring] any more. It has been growing on my mind lately. Sometimes I have felt it was like an eye looking at me. And I am always wanting to put it on and disappear, don’t you know; or wondering if it is safe, and pulling it out to make sure. I tried locking it up, but I found I couldn’t rest without it in my pocket. I don’t know why. And I don’t seem able to make up my mind.”
In many ways, I believe the above applies even more to Flakebook.
For example:
After you cast your FB app into the fire, then like Samwise Gamgee observing Frodo and Smeagol lusting after the Ring… you can clearly see just how Gollum-like other people are when you observe them on Flakebook. Especially when watching them incessantly and rudely checking their phones mid-conversation with someone to make sure their Facebook still is where they left it (gollum! gollum!)… to constantly open it up and "disappear" into the posts and drama (gollum! gollum!)... wondering if their ego is safe by seeing how many people liked their last animated gif, post, or comment (gollum! gollum!)… and pulling it up to always know it's safe (gollum! gollum!) And, like Gollum - who, when he had the Ring, sometimes had to put it away since it galled his body - people try to lock their accounts up by deactivating it, knowing it's galling their minds.
Even going on Facebook “fasts.”
But they don’t find rest without the app on their phone and checking messenger.
I know, I know.
This does not apply to YOU, does it, Boromir?
You’re different, of course.
And probably completely immune to the wiles of The One App — which is designed to work on your dopamine production, designed to keep you dependent to being “connected”, and designed to keep you thinking you have to have it, or your life, your business, and your network will die on the vine. (And if your business really is 100% dependent on the platform, you got even bigger problems, Smeagol.)
Or, worse:
You might miss what your family is doing.
Because, pre-Facebook, apparently nobody knew what their families were up to…
Not to mention how Flakebook is used to ho out your personal data, too. Yesterday's news report about more leaked documents showing how Zuckerberg leveraged your data to fight rivals and help friends was quite a read.
Not that the Facebook junkies care.
Afterall, what are the odds an identity thief gets his paws on someone's whored-out data being passed around like a note in study hall?
But that’s a tale for another day.
The reason I bring this up is because I’ve been talking about productivity and time management this week, and Facebook is likely one of the biggest time and productivity sucks for a lot of people that’s ever been invented.
And, if you want to instantly become more successful I recommend this:
Delete your Facebook.
Yes, Frodo, cast your account - not just the app - into the fires of Mount Doom.
You just don’t know how much it is dumbing you down until you leave it.
Until you observe the addictive behavior of those still using it.
And, until you listen to the rationalization hamsters of the usual gaggle of goo-roo fanboys on there preaching "hustle!" (gollum! gollum!) while getting hardly any real work done at all.
I fully realize nobody wants to hear this.
And, that maybe one or two people will do it.
If that...
But, I cannot possibly do a series of teachings about productivity and time management without giving this Elrond-like counsel, even while knowing it is going to be about as effective as telling a drug addict to just stop doing drugs cold turkey.
But for those who do?
Who cast the One Ring into the fires?
And, regain their minds and at least some of their privacy?
Well, the small handful of people who have taken this advice that I have heard from — whether from me or anyone else, or on their own accord not liking how Facebook is whoring out their personal data — have all seen huge increases in their sales and businesses.
It’s not even debatable what the cause of that success is, either.
Still more:
I am doing a special offer this week that can help even the Flakebook-addicted.
An offer that has helped me focus, and plow through more work than ever before for over a year now. And, that I am giving some valuable videos to those who buy from my self-righteous affiliate link below by the looming deadline.
To get the details, simply do this:
1. Pull yourself away from Flakebook for a few minutes
2. Read the letter carefully at my affiliate link and buy the 3 products mentioned together
3. Forward me your receipt before Friday at midnight (EST)
Here’s the link:
http://www.EmailPlayers.com/mind/gorilla.html
Ben Settle