I'm Being Followed

Imagine my surprise and delight when I opened my email today to discover that “Joan from Colbert Nation” was now following me on Facebook… or Twitter. I thought you “friended” on Facebook and “followed” Tweets on Twitter. But I quibble. I was excited.

In the old days, the idea that someone was following you was cause for alarm. Now it’s exciting. I don’t know who “Joan” is but she likes me! And that fits neatly in with my pathological need to be liked. So I clicked on her hyperlinked name to find out who she was. It took me to the home page for Colbert Nation. I love Colbert Nation. Stephen Colbert has created a character so satirical that I am sure there are people in the country that don’t know he is joking; people who believe his arch-conservatism is real; people who are really dumb. But I was still looking for “Joan”. Does she work there? How did she find my little blog? Will she pass it along to Stephen? Will they call me for a job? (I am still looking, after all.)

There was no picture of her, just that generic silhouette of a female. They wanted me to “follow” Colbert Nation. Well, I already get daily emails from his website, videos of show highlights and, of course, I watch the show whenever I can stay up late enough. So do I really want more daily contact? I come from a family that kept a running dialogue with each other via the phone several times each day. “I’m going out.” “I just got back.” I’m making dinner.” “I’m in the bathroom!” “What’s new?” What could possibly be new since the last call fifteen minutes ago? This childhood experience has given me an aversion to talking to ANYONE everyday. How soon would even Stephen Colbert become boring if I were to hear from him several times a day? I daren’t risk it. Still, if you are indeed following me, Joan, and are not someone hired by Colbert Nation to recruit more followers for his own blog, then you are reading this now…. And I find that very cool.