Internet blues

I'm trying something new today and going to write something from my phone.

The internet is not your friend
By Tim Harvey

Becoming more and less social in three easy steps. 1) Discover internet. 2) Obtain a device to make internet part of your body. 3) Surrender loneliness.
Follow these steps and you will never be alone. Sounds good, right? But take a moment to consider the implications of that concept. You don't want to be alone, who does, I hear you ask.
You'll never be uninformed either. All good, right? How can this be a bad thing, how can it make you less social?
Take this example and just run with it for a bit.

'What's up?' This.
This appears on your phone. On your Facebook, in your email. Somebody is asking you a question. A question that you don't want to answer. Why? I don't know. Maybe they're annoying. Maybe you're doing something else. But they asked what you're doing, tell them. Go on, be polite.
There's one sitting on your phone right now, isn't there?
Who's it from? No, don't tell me.

You don't want them to know what you're up to for whatever reason. It's as simple as that. Don't feel bad we've all been there. But what do you do about it?
Well here's the problem that our parents never had. Or maybe they do now. You could ignore the message and run the risk that you're dealing with a very paranoid person who will end up stalking your online movements and confront you about your deceit. Hopefully it isn't a drawn out bloody confrontation.

The best option is to be honest. It's a level of honesty that most of us are uncomfortable with but we have to accept it. Nobody wants to be "that" guy (or girl) who says that they're going to see the movie you suggested without inviting you.
Nobody wants to say they're seeing friends just to hide their crippling Chatroulette addiction.
But that paranoid stalker will find out. And the confrontation will be awkward for both of you. They'll have to admit they read every single tweet and status update just to catch you in a lie, and you'll have to admit online poker is more interesting than them. And they smell weird, not bad, just weird.

So you'll eventually avoid telling people what you're up to just to bypass that awkwardness. Everyone wants to share a photo, or check-in at the local erotica emporium. But somewhere along the line that person who you considered to be very cool and laid back will ask you why you didn't invite them out too.
And you'll just have sack up and tell them that you were shopping for their birthday present.

Surprise ruined, thanks internet. Sometimes it's better not to share.