Balloon models of The X Factor's John and Edward are the latest children’s party craze now. Even my 2-year-old god-daughter has started on the reality TV ladder…here we go!
We are slowly but surely becoming ridiculously obsessed with other people’s lives. How many of us secretly indulge in the headache of the "X factor" or the dancing and prancing on the ballroom floor?
Admittedly, watching others struggle on their quest to stardom does entertain us. Why? Is it because we actually care who enters into the world of celeb? Or is it because their broadcasted struggle makes us feel somewhat better about ourselves?
After an initial drink or two, Saturday nights now consist of unavoidable conversations involving those charismatically quiffed twins and if it’s OK to like a man in sequins – OH YES!
Why do we not spend time delving into our own lives, our own aspirations and, if we are not too scared, our own feelings? (cue the dramatic music)
This Reality Media Movement is having such an affect on society that we now communicate on screen and in text. No wonder we converse about other people’s lives - God forbid we ever actually talk openly about our own emotions!
So, with a view to making a positive change in my mind, last night I exclaimed to my parents that we should spend more time keeping in touch…you know, a regular catch up, a phone call that lasts longer than a TV ad break, I’ll make lunch, they’ll make dinner, it’ll be great!
As a result of my new found "parent time", this morning I woke up feeling surprisingly good. The November freeze we are experiencing didn’t bother me, the fact that I had no milk for my "two bowls a day for a year round bikini body" didn’t bother me AND I stood on a plug (ouch) but that didn’t bother me either. No no…I wasn’t feeling like Vicky Pollard, I was just feeling fine until…’Beep beep’…1 new email…oh my! Oh no! Is this actually happening? My mother has what? ADDED ME ON FACEBOOK! Dum dum dummmmm! That’s a bit far!
It was only yesterday that Facebook denied hacking of its user groups. Somehow this morning I feel slightly hacked off.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my mum and she is my best friend. However, do we really want our parents writing graffiti on our walls, commenting on photos of times we’d rather forget and poking our friends?!
On the other hand, is this a perfect opportunity to keep in touch and save on the phone bill, save on the brunches, lunches and bunches of flowers (which would probably have been picked straight from my mother's rockery)?
When it comes down to it, social networking is an absolute godsend, not to mention how much we must save on paper. And how good is your handwriting? That’s another debate altogether.
So O.K. – I’ve calmed down, it's not actually that bad, I don’t have to visit her page – this is not going to intrude on my life and I can limit her view of those photos in Gran Canaria…and the rest!
Oh god…she’s just texted me… “Cn I cm ovr 4 a facebk lesson @ 7 2nite?”
Uch…go on, why not?
Laura Marks is a finalist in stv.tv's Write Factor competition. The views expressed are not necessarily those of STV plc. If you would like to read more from this writer, use our comment system below.
