Today, was Digital Armageddon day for me. I closed my Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin, Ning, and Zoominfo accounts. I might even close my hubpages account as well. Double posting on my Blog and Hubpages is stupid as it ranks you lower in hubpages. Having an effective Blog as your Central Station for all things you is a better strategy.

I just had to ask myself the question, what am I tryng to accomplish here? Is there a good reason for putting so much of my personal information out there? Making it so readily available to those that may want to hurt me? The way it happened a couple of times to me where someone did not like something I was saying on Youtube and readily was able to go to linked in and find out all my personal business.

If we are honest enough with each other, there are only 2 reasons why we would have so many social media accounts, O.K. maybe 3.

One valid reason is that it is a great way to network and market yourself for free online. I give it that, that is the #1 reason most people do it. They are trying to find customers for their products or services However, in a not too honest sort of way, by feining friendship for a few weeks or months before they spring their "opportunity" on you. This may sound negative, but if we are honest with ourselves we must admit that we and everyone else has an agenda. I would rather just outright run an effective ad somewhere and find "customers" than play games for months for little results.

Secondly, it is for people who are Social Butterflies and desperately want to make more friends, or to feel that they belong to something. They feel popular and fulfilled to have a couple of thousand anonymous "followers". I don't need that.

Third and finally, it is because of ego, the need to constantly inform people about what they are doing, thinking or experiencing at all times. Taking narcism to the extreme.

For me, as an obessessive compulsive, Social Media had distracted me to the point where my days revolved more and more facing a computer screen, or texting strangers about random nothingness, that I neglected my own "real" people surrounding me...like my kids and wife and friends. For the last year since starting my Social Media Career, I just haven't really been here, live in person. I'm always staring at some screen or another. I literally spend countless hours a day in front of the computer screen or my blackberry, ignoring everything going on around me, with the excuse that I am being productive. I "have to" finish this article, or this video, or tweek this website, or tweet this person, or respond to this comment, or let all my followers know that I am about to go for a walk with the baby...What the HELL are we doing????

Many of us are now distracted to the point that we are dwindling away our days and nights...having an even more sedentary lifestyle, letting pounds creep on, ignoring the numbness in our aching legs,begging for some excercise, getting carpel tunnel all for what? Are we trying to get rich quick? Unlikeley. Are we trying to get famous by becoming an internet celebrity? Very Unlikely. Have we been sold on the idea, that simply by spending more hours online, we will change the world, or change our financial futures? Evidently.

I have literally experienced the hypnotic effect of the screen where you can't physically get up...Literally! You ignore the urge to go to the bathroom, you ignore hunger, you push your kids aside and say the ubiquitous "I'm busy now honey."
or ignore your spouse's pleadings of "Come to bed honey." You say "In a minute honey." but find yourself 3 hours later still affixed to the screen, while your spouse is snoring away in Rem sleep.

I mean, what does it really matter to have 1 million people look at a video you did? If it is not monetized or if you did not put out a message that changed the world, then what is the point? Who cares if I have a gazillion strangers, that I call "friends" on my facebook. Will we ever really become friends? Will they come over for Thanksgiving? I don't think so.

For this Ex-Social Media addict, I can say that I have found that less is more. I am o.k. with just having a Blog and maybe a Youtube account. Nothing else is needed.

I am content with facing the realization, that I will never be a Lisa Nova, Mike Dillard, Dennis Karganilla or Nalts all relatively famous people online with huge followings. I will probably never create a character like "Fred on Youtube", or have a video go viral like Tay Zonday did with his Chocolate Rain video. I am at peace with just being me. A local, real guy with a real business OFFLINE, dealing with real people face to face.

I'm Bringing my world back to a simpler time, where I actually leave my house and smell the fresh air every day. Where I actually play physically with my kids instead of through some Flat Screen. Where the real friends that I know and care about, actually talk to me on the telephone or in person, rather than twitter anonymous random ramblings that mean nothing and accomplish nothing.

So I choose to not participate any further in the distractions of this generation. Like television became the Boob Tube in my generation, in this generation the Computer is even more addicting. I choose to simplify my life and re-join the 3rd Dimensional world and give my fingers a rest.

Bob Solis is a Marketing Consultant living in Florida with his wife and 2 daughters. http://www.BobSolis.com