Don't waste your time, energy, and brain cells on people who simply aren't worth it. Who cares that Sally from high school makes more money than you? Or that a neighbor you hardly even know has a better car? Or that several people you have on Facebook -- whom you barely ever speak to -- travel to Walt Disney World five times a year? It's really a shame that, for so many people, life has become little more than a competition to best their peers. They can't help but assess how well they're doing in life by comparing themselves to other people -- people that may have completely different goals, interests, values, and personalities altogether. As I've noted in prior posts, sites like Facebook can bring out the worst in some people. It has evolved into a breeding ground for narcissism unlike anything I've seen before. Selfies, gloating about eating at the hottest restaurant in town, pictures galore while on vacation in the Bahamas. It's become more abou...

Well, technology is partly to blame. The daguerreotype, introduced worldwide in 1839, was the first widely used photographic process. The exposure time in those early days was really long, sometimes lasting over 15 minutes. You could imagine how arduous a task it must have been for people to hold a smile that long. Getting your picture taken in the 19th century didn't come cheap. Most people had only one picture taken their whole lives, so the event itself was a big deal. Those with the wherewithal to have several pictures taken probably felt smiling didn't communicate classiness, so they refrained from doing it. Furthermore, at the turn of the century, smiling became more popular with the advent of the camera. Not only did they become more affordable and easier to use over time, but it became customary to use them for casual snapshots -- something those living in the mid-1800s might never have envisaged. Little did those folks know that selfies with cell phone cameras ...

I can't help but notice how some women seem intent on upstaging each other on Facebook. What was once a platform for merely catching up with buddies has become an outlet for posting more selfies, pictures of children, or photos of vacations than one's friends -- and getting as many "likes" for them as possible. You might be wondering why the title mentions only women. It's because, from what I've observed, men seem a little more Facebook shy. I hardly see my male friends post anything other than humorous pictures ("memes") and videos. If I do happen to see them in pictures or videos, it's usually their wives or girlfriends doing the posting. In other words, it appears that women generally make the Facebook experience much more personal than men, as if they desire more attention and validation from others. They seem to be far more showy, with posts showcasing new dresses, jewelry, or their kids' diplomas. I'm not saying that all wome...