Unfriend Yourself: Three Days to Detox, Discern, and Decide About Social Media Paperback – January 1, 2012

This little book takes a critical look at the ubiquitous social media icon: Facebook. In a world where many people simply hop onto the social media bandwagon without asking why, or simply because everyone else is doing it, Tennant helps us to understand why it is important to look before you leap. He constantly reminds us that he is not bashing Facebook per se. Instead, he is calling upon readers to think critically, and to recognize the limitations of social media.He offers a three-fold challenge for readers over a three day Facebook fast weekend. Detox. Discern. Decide.In detox, he shows us how Facebook's promises especially those with regards to community building often fails.In discern, he guides us to think theologically about learning to critique, consolidate, and manage the media before it manages us.In decide, he challenges us to move from solely Facebook-to-Facebook networking to include a healthy mix that comprises more Face-to-Face interactions.Tennant openly admits that he is a 'technology pessimist.' He prefers to err on the side of caution. Personally, I feel that this book is an important contribution to check the tsunami of interest and uncritical use of social media. Many have argued against the use of Facebook using statistical data and expert advice. What Albert Borgmann and Neil Postman have done at a scholarly level to argue warnings about technology using us, Tennant has done for the layperson. The observations in the book is a reminder to us again that technology, social media such as Facebook needs to be on a leash. Uncritical usage of social media is like a pit-bull terror let loose, devouring others, and finally us.One need not agree with all the pointers, but I urge readers to keep the warnings fresh as they use Facebook. If all self-control fail, when all self-discipline is gone, then do the best thing for ourselves: Unfriend ourselves from Facebook. This is a necessary book for all Facebook users, especially Christians.Ratings: 4.5 stars of 5.conradeThis book is provided to me free by Moody Publishers and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All comments offered are freely mine.

Point: Social media makes promises it cannot possibly keep.Path: Tennant takes the reader through a three day fast from social media, calling us to reevaluate what lies we are believing. He does not demand that we delete any accounts, but calls us to think.Sources: Much of his book is based upon Neil Postman's work, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business , (which also was a stimulus in Tim Challis'  The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion ).Agreement: I was expecting to find shallow reasoning and quaint fixes (not because I had previous contact with the author, but because of the title), but was pleasantly surprised. Real questions are asked and real thought takes place.I especially appreciated his discussion on "community" and social media. Face to face contact can never be substituted in the church.Personal App: What lies am I believing about social media? Have I taken the time to really listen to what someone is saying to me, or am I just looking for "re-tweet-ability"?Favorite Quote: "Clearly, we have a problem when we seek community on a medium that is more about us than it is about others." (48)It would be worth another read and I would recommend it. I plan on pointing those from the millennial generation to this as a discussion point.

First, a disclaimer. I am acquainted with Kyle. He is the Youth Pastor at my church, we've been in a new membership class together and my boys think he's awesome. My boys are good judges of character. This book is concise, but well-researched citing Christian and communication sources both classics and more recent. Plus, he writes how he talks which is a bonus and rings authentic and conversational.IMO, the most important point Kyle makes is that Facebook doesn't always facilitate friendships. In fact, too much time spent pursuing digital relationships may make us less relationship-focused in the real world. It's a poor substitute for the joy of the real thing. Having been a Facebook user for years, I agree with him.Kyle doesn't advocate for deleting your account and becoming a Luddite. He simply advocates for more thoughtful and purposeful use. Facebook can serve an enhancement to strong offline relationships, but can't build them from scratch. Building true friendships that stand the test of time and circumstances is an investment and requires face-to-face interaction.So proud of Kyle for the discipline of authoring and sharing a book. And really happy that my boys will have him as a role model.

Our pastor was saying something about backing away from news, commentators, following our favorite broadcasters, etc. at the end of church last Sunday and I was asking myself why and I was asking God to explain this to me. Then I download this short, but powerful, book by Kyle Tennant. I understood.Kylie's book spoke loud and clear on social media. I began to feel defensive inside about how much I liked and used Facebook, but his use of Scripture convinced my heart that the things he spoke were truth. I was eager to keep on reading his book in order to see and correctly hear what he spoke about--which is that we communicate plenty on Facebook and other social media, (for example Twitter and texting), but we aren't sharing communion and sharing joy in these communication vehicles. We need face-to-face encounters.Kyle pointed out that we aren't condemning any of them, but we should use them less frequently and only with godly intent. He studied and read, wrote a paper at his school, but then published this book. Unfriendly Yourself is published by Moody Publishers.I gave it five stars because it was a great read that taught instead of sounding preachy. He left the final decision to me. Will I? Yes.

This book has truly made me think in a different way about sociall media, and I would recommend it to everyone who feels they are using it too much. I am a true social media addict and before reading this book I checked my Facebook and other social media accounts multiple times per day. In fact on some days I barely moved away from social media, using computer, iPad, iPod and smartphone to ensure I was always in touch. I fell across this book by accident and decided to read it and give the challenge a go. Th echallenge is to give up Facebook for three days and not access it for anything. I thought this would be impossible but in actual fact it wa easier than I thought. The author makes some vry pertinent points bout the way in which we use social media, as opposed to rather than in addition to, real face to face conversation and friendships. The idea is that you read this short book over the three days that you abstain from Facebook and carry out some actions and think about what you are doing. I would like to add that the author is not saying that Facebook is worse than any other form of social media he is just using this as an example. Neither is he saying we should "unfriend" ourselves completely, but just lessen the amount of time we use social media in our day. I have found myself thinking about social media differently and am now using it in different and more positive ways. The author is a Christian and uses the bible to support his arguments and being a Chrisitan I found thi to be helpful and insightful. I would recommend everyone who uses social media to read this book and take up the challenge to unfriend themselves for a few days.

A very well put together and balanced critique of social networking and social communities and dare I say it, the inherent difference. The main thing is that it's centred in love and the authors heart is definitely in the right place ... in Christ. Bless you and many thanks.

Thoughtful book that really touched the social media issues facing Christians that they may not even be aware of yet, definitely gave me something to think about.

useful book fot a weekend