Social Experiment No. 1

So I sat down at my computer this evening and started to conjure up something to write about.

Image via Wikipedia

Then I see this article on the web about how Facebook.com has announced they have reached over 300 million users, almost as much as the American population. I thought to myself, "Dang... there are a lot of people wasting their time on Facebook!" Then I realized that I was logged onto Facebook when I said that!

So, being unmotivated to write this week, I started pondering what I could do with this information. I wondered how I could twist this into another one of my interesting life lessons and be happy with it. But this week I want to do something new. I want YOU to write my blog. Think you are up to the task?

One of the greatest problems with listening to inspirational messages is that few people ever actually do any of it. I remember my freshmen year in high school having to listen to slick-nosed Tony Robbins telling me how to invest a nickle when I was in high school in a C.D. account and become a millionaire by my late 60's. Needless to say, I thought he was full of crap. Inspiring crap as it was, I never did any of the things he suggested. So here I sit, a soon to be broke, college freshmen with no C.D. account and no big-smiling infomercial sales pitch, just a blog and a laptop. Anyways, I realize the tendency to spectate from afar and agree to what is being said, however I also realize the tendency to veer far far away from the invitation to actually take action. Don't worry, my sales pitch is relatively harmless but if you actually do it, it has the potential to alter your life drastically- like Shamwow (see figure 2).

Seeing as how nearly all of America has a Facebook account (and if you don't have one yet, you will, just see), I propose we do something with that information. I dare you this week to go into your friends and look for somebody who you added just because they asked to be added or you knew them vaguely but you all never talk- a "courtesy add" if you will. Find one of these courtesy adds and send them a personal greeting that says something like, "Hey, just wondered how you are doing!" or "Hey bud, haven't talked to you in a while... what is new with you?" Why do this? Because truth is we live most of our lives like this in real life. We see someone we kinda know and we might do the quick head nod to acknowledge their presence, but very rarely do we go out of our way to show love for someone we know despite potential awkwardness. When life calls for final curtain, I assure you that our final thought on this earth will be about who we reached and who reached us. I pray that in my life, both of those lists are chalk full of people who blew me away with the way they lived. But there is no way to know who will be on those lists if we don't start loving other people right now. As the Good Book puts it, the love of God is loving other people (1 John 4:7-12).

So here is your chance to start that. Here is your invite to do something that will make a lasting impression. Think about it, if you never talk to these people on your facebook, why on earth did you add them? I am looking at my friends and am starting to build quite the list of people I need to reach this week when I get on. So I better get cracking. Here's to hoping you will do this experiment with me. If you don't, then enjoy the video link to the Shamwow gag. If you do dare to try something different, something out of true love for people and not obligation, then I pray your world will be rocked in the good way (and feel free to mention my blog to these people you are talking to (: ... I like free advertisement). Also, if you do decide to try this with me and experience an incredible story or mend a friendship or have another amazing report, send me a message (via Facebook of course) and let me know if it worked. And here's to Facebook.com- 300 million and counting.

KB