Facebook Changes Lead to Anger...Ummm...Why?

Facebook has released changes to its software, and it turns out people are enraged by these changes, even though there is a link to the help section describing what to do.

It made me wonder...Why do we feel so wronged when something provided for free, suddenly changes, and we do not like it anymore? It is not like we ever paid for it, and most of the time we just click on the Like button because we have nothing to say. I will admit, for those doing social marketing, these changes are a pain, but still...these folks are paid to use social tools. I also wonder...Has there ever been a time in history where a service was offered for free on such a global scale? But still...it is free.

I am the grandson of a Great Depression-era Irish family, and also a former actor. I was taught that if something was offered for free, you take it, make the best of it, or turn it down if you do not want it.

While many focus on Facebook's backlash...I wonder about the backlash on a society with so many free options available that fashionably complains about services offered for free.

Well...that is just me...and not one to break up party...I thought about this speech!

This Must Not Be Forgetton While Not Forgetting

The tenth anniversary of 9/11 is approaching, and there is not one person on this planet that does not have a story from that day. Of course, no one will ever forget what happened, the people lost, and the amazing stories of heroism that day. However, I pray no one forgets to live in servitude of what people learned about themselves; not only that day, but in the weeks following. One without the other, means something has been lost or forgotten.

My story...

I was in Detroit that morning, getting ready to fly home. Detroit, a heavily Muslim-populated city became a bit of a hotbed that day as well for one reason: The day of 9/11, gas stations attempted price gouging at the pumps, and these businesses were mostly owned by people of Muslim faith. Do I say this to sound racial? No, not at all. I do remember very well that day seeing people out for revenge as they were charged $5.50-$6.00 a gallon of gas; a price hike of $4.00 in one morning. I remember the words being exchanged on the local news of hatred and anger.

I also remember when I could not get in touch with family for 12 hours following the events that morning, the business owner of a Staples let me use the computers to get on live chat for free to contact people. We only had that and email; no Facebook.

I remember my boss and co-worker at the time being afraid for my sanity. When the first tower fell, I screamed and punched an oak door in the hotel room I was staying in, cutting open my hand and splitting the door in half. I remember my co-worker, who I knew for all of two days, stayed with me at the hotel instead of going home by car. He stayed there with me for four days.

I remember seeing a couple from NYC on TV, talking about driving home from Los Angeles because they were tired of waiting for the flights to open again. I remember the boss I had with the GM Auto Show renting me a car to drive home to NYC, which was my idea, but he paid for it.

I remember driving on interstate 80 through a terrible rain storm to get home four days later, Sept 15th, and every truck stop I went to had fire fighters with their supplies and trucks with the message painted on the side, "Going to NYC". I passed fire fighters from Cleveland and Pittsburgh, mostly.

I remember driving the rental car to Newark Airport, and there was one Muslim cab driver in the whole airport, who agreed to take me home, even though I had to pay him at an ATM when I arrived. I was out of money. I also remember him waiting for me, as I made my way through the Staten Island Ferry terminal to get money from the ATM. The floors were covered with people sleeping all over the place, as the ferry was not running.

I remember getting into my apartment, which faces downtown Manhattan. It smelled like burning metal. I remember playing the answering machine, and hearing more than a dozen messages from family and friends asking if I was ok. My friend had recorded the towers falling from my apartment, which apparently was used as a meeting place for all of our friends who had to escape downtown NYC via the Staten Island Ferry.

In the following weeks, I remember seeing a NYC that bonded together to help each other in some of the most creative ways, thinking of logistics that only a New Yorker could; for example, donating dog food for dogs smelling through rubble for people. I remember hearing good friends of mine were working at the site, a person I played hockey with had perished, and another friend was missing(turns out he was on a vacation and could not get home for two weeks).

I remember the servitude we showed each other that day, regardless of who was who. Above all, THAT is what I have never forgotten, and through all tragedy, I believe mankind discovered something about themselves during that time that needed never to be forgotten, but if that new discovery is not applied to daily life, and the servitude diminishes with time as something trivial we did 'just because the time called for it', it makes me wonder if we all really have forgotten, and all we have now to remember is what made us angry about that day.

Ten years later:

• Gas prices are close to $5/gallon
• We have a crappy economy
• We sue each other like it is a game or way to earn a paycheck
• The United States is split 50/50 between red and blue states
• We will say the nastiest things to each other to get what we want
• Those who helped that morning struggle with illnesses and disease and receive no help from those who were saved; nor government.
• We are 27th in the world in education.
• We are overweight and starving, while depressed searching for inspiration to validate that depression
• We treat our neighbors in our own country like garbage, but find it ok to care when the opportunity is profitable or fashionable
• We fight over getting the best memorial, which is sick in its own way
• We have taught the next generation behind us that being a hero is a bad business move
  

Perhaps being angry or sad about something that happened 10 years ago will show we have not forgotten, and make things all better. But did we forget? What happened to the strong country that stood together in the months following, donating time, effort, and funds, to show we are a strong country, which helped us pull through such a tragic time? Where is that country now? What would the people we lost that morning think of how we handled the last ten years? All the people involved in the planning of that attack are dead now. Are we ready to remember what made us a great nation in 2001, and forgive each other for the last 10 years following? Because we didn't really handle it well.

With all due respect to those who 'never forget'...show them you have not forgotten by living in servitude of the very inspiration that pulled you through those dark days 10 years ago. May you let go of anger, grief, and sadness, only to never forget the importance of human decency.

Peace,
Steven