Social Exclusivity

Student actors at a school in my town pose for a selfie with a bust of Glinda, after performing in a play.

     I don’t upload my selfie photos to social media. Facebook isn’t my thing. Even this blog—my only foray into social media—shares nothing about my family, relations, and friends.
    Self documentation turns me off. It puts people on guard during conversations. It takes away the exclusivity of face to face interactions.
     I hiked for a day with my niece in the Berkshire Mountains; they straddle the border of New York and Massachusetts. While on summits we didn’t compose selfies for uploading. Messages about our adventure were not posted on social media.
     It was our day together and nobody else's. The things we did, the conversations we shared, and the memories we created, were exclusive to us. That exclusivity strengthened our bond.
     Social media is hot. Self documentation is booming. But I’m not riding that bandwagon. What I practice—and cherish—is exclusivity in face to face interactions with relations and friends. I’m convinced they appreciate my circumspection.