FUREY: The decade social media turned into social mania - Toronto Sun

Media

FUREY: The decade social media turned into social mania – Toronto Sun

Published

5 years ago

December 22, 2019

I remember the moment I first joined social media. Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook back in 2004 to make new friends. It was limited to Harvard students only and you needed a school email to sign up. Then it expanded to other schools.

The University of Toronto, where I was enrolled at the time, was an early entrant. I was in a dorm room with a classmate of mine – a girl – and she showed me this Facebook thing I’d never heard of before. It looked kind of silly and she only had 10 friends. She told me to join right then and there and I didn’t really want to but when you’re in a dorm room alone with a girl and she tells you to do something you do it.

Fifteen years later, I’m still on the damn thing. I hardly check it and I don’t really understand how it works anymore. But I just can’t say goodbye.

For the first few months after enrolling, I didn’t use Facebook at all. Then more people joined and it soon became the place to receive invitations to house parties. That’s when the activity really increased. You could see who was invited to the party, who was going and who was a maybe.

Every guy around my age knows that magic moment when a girl you’d been talking to earlier in the night later says to you “Find me on Facebook” as she passes you on her way out the door. And the great part about it is you could and you did. No number exchange required.

Back then, social media was pure fun. It was social. It started to grow and so did our uses for it.

People in the arts scene promoted their plays and gigs and fundraisers. We all came out. It brought people together.

For a brief period of time I was a club night promoter – 80s music theme nights, of course – and we packed a few places in Kensington Market and the Annex. The best of times. It was all through Facebook and word of mouth.

Then Facebook changed in ways we weren’t all crazy about. The rules opened up and our parents’ generation joined and all of a sudden it was like someone had burst in on our party. We all thought they’d ruined it by doing non-ironic old people things like reconnecting with friends and posting pictures of their kids. The ironic part being that those are the things my age group uses it for now.

It also no longer felt like a cozy little corner. Facebook became global – a giant public space where there was no privacy. I was tagged in a couple of pictures that, to make a long story short, were not flattering. That was when I began to ghost away from it all and realized earlier than some others that social media could be a force for bad as much as for good.

Speaking of bad: Enter Twitter. My timeline tells me I joined in 2010. It’s hard to believe it’s been a decade. Ten years of people hurling single-sentence mean-spirited abuse at each other. Why do we subject ourselves to it?

To be fair, there are those rare moments when we all pause to watch a cute animal video or a beautiful clip of a child with a disability triumphing against the odds. Those are the exceptions though, glimpses through frosted glass of the social media world humans could have had but apparently don’t deserve due to some flaw in our nature.

The 2000s were the decade we first experimented with social media. Looking back now, it all seems very quaint. A sort of “before the fall” era.

Then the 2010s came along and that was the decade that saw social media devolve into social mania. Online mobs gang up to get public figures and even regular people shamed and fired for their imperfect remarks. Terrorists and extremists easily connect with thousands of willing recruits.

That Zuckerberg guy who just wanted friends? He’s now a billionaire behind a big tech behemoth that governments try and fail to contain. That girl who signed me up? I couldn’t find her just now when I searched her out. Maybe she unfriended me. I hope she’s doing well.

Social media could get even crazier in the next decade. Or perhaps we’ll all give our heads a shake and rein it in.

The first column I wrote in 2019 was about putting down the devices and taking a break from the online world. I’d spent a couple of weeks in rural Ontario without high speed internet. It was days offline and I was happy and content.

I received the most earnest and heartfelt reader emails from that column that I’ve ever had in my career. Turns out I wasn’t the only one who felt something wasn’t quite right about the way we live now.

While writing this it dawned on me that I don’t think I went to a single 80s party night throughout all of the 2010s. Some cruel punishment. If you hear of one coming up, please flip me the link.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Source link

Media

Mélanie Maynard Hosts Sophie Bourgeois on Sucré Salé: A Heartfelt Conversation

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

Harry Miller

This Wednesday evening, Mélanie Maynard welcomed actress Sophie Bourgeois as a guest on the popular show Sucré Salé. The conversation touched on various aspects of Bourgeois’ career, including her role in the renovation show Ma maison cassée.

Mélanie Maynard was effusive in her praise for Bourgeois and her captivating presence on Ma maison cassée, sharing her personal enthusiasm for the show. “It’s so captivating, I stayed up late… I watched the episodes one after the other,” Maynard confessed, highlighting the compelling nature of Bourgeois’ work on the show.

Early in the interview, Mélanie Maynard posed a poignant question to Sophie Bourgeois: “We don’t see you much on television anymore, is that by choice?” Bourgeois responded candidly, “Absolutely not, and that makes me sad,” expressing her disappointment over her reduced visibility on television.

The heartfelt exchange between Maynard and Bourgeois provided a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs faced by actors in the ever-evolving television industry.

Media

Ryan Reynolds Jokes About Taylor Swift’s Astronomical Babysitting Rates

Published

4 days ago

July 22, 2024

Harry Miller

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are a Hollywood power couple with four adorable children. But juggling busy careers and a growing family can be a challenge, even for A-listers. Enter their close friend, pop icon Taylor Swift, who, according to Reynolds, might be their go-to babysitter. However, her services come with a hefty price tag (at least according to Reynolds‘ playful exaggeration).

During a recent E! News interview promoting their upcoming movie “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Hugh Jackman playfully suggested that Swift was the real nanny for Reynolds and Lively’s four children. This lighthearted jab sparked a humorous response from Reynolds.

Known for his sharp wit, Reynolds responded to Jackman’s comment with a hilarious quip. He stated that the cost of having Taylor Swift babysit would be “cost-prohibitive,” implying that her rates would be astronomically high. He even playfully added, “But I think what he meant was, ‘Cost-insane-what-are-you-doing-I’m-no-longer-you’re-accountant.'”

Reynolds and Lively, who tied the knot in 2012, share four children: James (9), Inez (7), Betty (4), and a one-year-old whose name and gender remain private. The couple has maintained a close friendship with Swift over the years. This strong bond is evident in their recent attendance at a stop of her Eras Tour in Spain, along with their three eldest children.

Swift’s friendship with the Reynolds family extends beyond casual hangouts. During the concert in Spain, she gave a heartwarming shout-out to the couple’s daughters. While introducing her album “Folklore,” she mentioned the names James, Inez, and Betty, sending the audience into a frenzy. This sweet gesture further highlights the special bond between the singer and the Reynolds children.

This isn’t the first time Swift has incorporated the girls’ names into her music. Her 2020 album “Folklore” features a song titled “Betty” that tells a story of a love triangle involving characters named James, Inez, and Betty. Additionally, her 2017 album “Reputation” included a voice recording of James on the song “Gorgeous.”

Whether Swift truly babysits for the Reynolds family or not remains a playful mystery. However, one thing is certain: the singer holds a special place in the hearts of the Reynolds children and their parents.

Media

The Simmering Feud Between Eva Mendes and Rachel McAdams

Published

5 days ago

July 22, 2024

Harry Miller

The 2004 romantic drama “The Notebook” continues to be a pop culture phenomenon, captivating audiences with its passionate love story between Noah and Allie, played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. But beyond the on-screen romance, rumours of tension between the actors and Gosling’s current partner, Eva Mendes, have added a layer of intrigue to the film’s legacy.

From Clashing Personalities to Real-Life Romance

While their undeniable on-screen chemistry led to a blockbuster performance, Gosling and McAdams reportedly had a tumultuous time during filming. “We inspired the worst in each other,” Gosling admitted to The Guardian. However, their initial animosity blossomed into a real-life romance in 2005, sending shivers down the spines of fans who had rooted for Noah and Allie.

Love Found, Love Lost

Their off-screen love story, however, wasn’t a fairytale. After two years, the couple went their separate ways. McAdams found happiness and a family with screenwriter Jamie Linden, while Gosling met his current partner, Eva Mendes, on the set of “The Place Beyond the Pines” in 2011. Together, they have built a life and share two daughters.

A Post-Breakup Conundrum: Maintaining a Friendship

While McAdams and Gosling’s romantic flame fizzled out, reports suggest they remained amicable post-breakup. This friendly dynamic, however, is said to have shifted when Mendes entered the picture.

A Shadow of Jealousy? Unconfirmed Rumors of Tension

Unverified reports claim that Mendes is allegedly uncomfortable with McAdams being around Gosling. Unnamed sources allege that Mendes discourages any interaction between the former co-stars, fearing it might upset her. This has reportedly limited Gosling’s ability to maintain a casual friendship with McAdams.

The validity of these claims remains shrouded in mystery. Mendes and Gosling are known for their privacy, making it difficult to separate truth from speculation.

Beyond the Rumors: The Power of “The Notebook” Endures

While the rumors of off-screen tension add another chapter to the “The Notebook” narrative, the film’s enduring power lies in its timeless portrayal of love and loss. Whether Gosling and McAdams remained friends or not doesn’t diminish the on-screen magic they created. The film’s ability to resonate with audiences continues, reminding us of the intensity of first love, the pain of heartbreak, and the enduring power of memories.

The Notebook’s legacy is a complex one, weaving together a captivating on-screen love story, rumored off-screen tension, and a reminder of the film’s lasting impact on pop culture.