Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Things I Do: Status Updates in Third-Person
Many people (nobody) ask, “Don, why do you update Facebook in 3rd-person?”
I’m a Facebook Originalist (that’s not really a thing, I just made it up). Remember when Facebook first started? It didn’t just list your name and ask you to post any old random thing. No, right before your blank slate, it said, “Don Kowalewski is …”.
I’m even pretty sure it has the dot-dot-dot …
There was a time when Facebook wasn’t a buncha Gen Xrs and Boomers posting their political views. It wasn’t always about pictures of your kids on the first day of school and status updates lauding your children as the greatest thing that ever happened to you (and me) and all that other stuff. Don’t get me wrong …I love Facebook as it was and even more now as it is. I truly like seeing my friends kids growing up, winning their soccer championships, and going to prom. I kinda wish MORE of my friends were more active. I like checking-in on people and seeing what they’re up to. Without Facebook, it’s true, I couldn’t possibly keep up with 500+ friends. Some say that’s as it should be, but I say phooey to those people. We used to rely on one phone in our kitchen and we’d make a couple of phone calls each week to loved ones. To everyone else, we might write a letter. We “lost touch” because there was truly no way, and not enough time, to “keep in touch.”
I’m sorry, but that wasn’t “better”.
Soldiers can Skype and FaceTime with their wives and children. That’s a GREAT thing. Sick people in a hospital can stay connected with all their well-wishers and easily kill time between visits from their closest relatives and pull strength from the most random friend who posts something as bland as “I’m praying for you” on their Facebook Wall. Don’t think this matters and makes you feel good? Well, I won’t wish sickness or a hospital stay for you, but trust me, it’s incredible just to hear from people and connect, however brief or short the interaction.
My point …as I discussed in a meeting yesterday with a woman I just met …we love Facebook and we’re not ashamed of it.
I just wish people would challenge themselves to bring their most creative and fun self to Facebook – starting with writing updates in third-person.
“Don Kowalewski is … wishing everyone would write status updates in third-person.”
“Don Kowalewski is … probably overthinking his obsession with writing status updates in third-person.”
So there you have it. Why do I write all my Facebook status messages in third-person? Because that was Facebook’s original intent. To tell the world what we’re doing or thinking in any given moment, but doing it as if Facebook was writing our story for us. Join me in re-capturing the original spirit of Facebook.
“Don Kowalewski is … hoping you will.”
Don Kowalewski 