Category Archives: Facebook

I Hate To Say I Told You So But… I Predicted #DeleteFacebook

OK, I love to say I told you so, but I will say that I didn’t nail this one exactly or in the time frame I imagined, but I got it close enough that I’m taking credit for another correct psychic prediction.

1. Facebook will die a very sudden death. Millions will flee the social media empire when it’s revealed that the social network was started as an extension of the NSA to monitor people and collect personal data. Zuckerberg is earning approximately 10 billion a year to sell us out to the man.”

I was close. Zuckerberg was selling our data, but not to our own government. He was selling it to those that sought to influence our election and government and now, as you’ll see in many articles across the internet, millions using the hashtag #DeleteFacebook, are leaving Facebook. Zuckerberg made money selling our data and when it was discovered people left Facebook in droves. I got that right didn’t I?

Having all this psychic stuff in my head is a burden, but it would be wrong not to share my gift with the world. My next prediction is that you’ll come back here tomorrow and discover that my Saturday post is hilarious. Have a great Friday! ~Psychic Phil

Facebook’s Web of Evil

Across the centuries there have been men who have perpetrated unspeakable acts of evil upon their fellow man. Genghis Khan, Adolph Hitler, James Jones, and the creators of American Idol, to name a few. Since the turn of the century, however, one name has stood alone atop the modern pantheon of evil. That man? Mark Zuckerberg.

The Economy: Apparently a long time ago, like in the 1950’s or something, someone wrote in the bible, “The meek shall inherit the earth.”  The nerdy Zuckerberg started Facebook so he could talk to chicks and now he’s got millions, maybe even billions of dollars to show for his efforts. Talk about the power of horny! Is it just me, or did anyone else notice that our nations entire economy went in the tank right about the time Facebook took off. Hmmm….let’s see…about three years ago all the automakers and banks went out of business, the stockmarket went into a freefall and 50% of all homes were foreclosed upon. Coincidence? I think not! How many of you reading this, raise your hands,  even once checked your Facebook from a phone or computer in the last three years? Hmmm…one, two, three, four…stop it! Put your hands down you idiots. I can’t see you through my computer. I’m not even here. I wrote this yesterday. But you get my point, since the onset of Facebook we’ve all wasted valuable, productive work time Facebooking and as a group all those minutes of lost productivity added up enough to destroy the economy. But wait…who got rich? That’s right, Mark Zuckerberg. You know who doesn’t waste work time on Facebook? The Amish, and they built me one hell of a shed. 

Our self-esteem: An endeavor that was born of low self-esteem has become the bane of everyone’s insecurities. Do I have enough friends to look cool? Why does so and so have so many more friends than me? Why can’t I get enough cows in Farmville? Why don’t I know what Farmville is? (Guess who plays Farmville for real? The Amish!)  Why didn’t my status get more likes or comments? I see the “People you may know” section and I think well if they didn’t “friend” me I’m not going to “friend” them. Yeah, that’s right, for every little face staring at you when you’re thinking, “I barely talked to them in high school, I’m not going to “friend” them, that person is on the other side of the interweb looking at your little picture thinking the same thing. But guess who has lots of friends now that he has millions of dollars? That’s right, it’s evil incarnate, Mark Zuckerberg. 

That’s right Mark Zuckerberg you smug little bastard, just sit up there in your ivory tower sipping mojitos with Bill Gates and counting your money. Blood money that you made off of the laziness and insecurities of every American. Well I won’t stand for it. Ok, well I will stand for it until I get enough Amazon Kindle subscribers to The Phil Factor that I don’t need your evil little web of insecurity and apathy and I’ll start my own competing social network and when your little fantasy world comes crashing down around you, you’ll know who’s to blame! (insert maniacal laughter here) Remember the name Phil Mr. Zuckerberg. Remember it well.

 Hmmm…Philbook…I like the sound of that. And for just a small fee you can all join me  : )

If you enjoy my nonsense and don’t want to wait for the launch of Philbook you can follow me on Twitter @ThePhilFactor and subscribe to The Phil Factor on your Amazon Kindle, just like Mark Zuckerberg does.

 


 

 

Cult of Personality?

Neon lights, a Nobel prize. The mirror speaks, the reflection lies. You don’t have to follow me. Only you can set me free. I sell the things you need to be. I’m the smiling face on your t.v. I’m the cult of personality. I exploit, you still love me.” ~Living Colour 1989

Cults get a bad rap. Just because of a few bad apples (I’m talking to you Mr. Jones and Mr. Koresh) the word cult has a negative connotation. Dictionary.com defines a cult as “an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.” Yeah, that’s right,  I did some research. See? I’m not just making stuff up here. This blog is actually education. In fact if you read every post for the next 12 months I’m pretty sure you get college credit. Here’s another little tidbit for you: do you know who came up with the phrase “cult of personality”? Russian dictator Nikita Krushchev in 1956. I didn’t even know he was a member of Living Colour!

A lot of us have a knee jerk reaction to the word ‘cult’ but I maintain that regardless of the feelings that word causes, we are all members of cults. Whether it be a popular singer, t.v. show, product or Facebook, we all sign up for cults. Admittedly, my cult of choice is fantasy football. Yes, I’m one of those guys. But don’t mock me, I would bet my first round draft pick that you belong to a cult too, and maybe one even dorkier than fantasy football. And that’s the thing, we all see everyone else’s cult for what it is, but we never see our own. And yes, there are things dorkier than fantasy football. American Idol?!!? Are you freaking kidding me?

Yes, American Idol is a cult. How many people spend more time watching and thinking about American Idol than they spend on traditional religion? I think we ought to elect our next President American Idol style. Week by week eliminations until the winner is announced on live t.v. Why not? It would get more people involved in the political process if they could participate via television and cell phone. Romney and Obama would have no shot at beating out my obvious charm. And I would look really tall standing next to Ryan Seacrest. 

How about Apple? Not the fruit, the technology company. The fruit needs a p.r. team, but the company may be the best cult going. Since the iPod was invented how many of us even consider an mp3 player made by anyone else? Seriously, what the hell is a Zune? Apple is such a good cult that I stopped in the middle of this to go download a song. (Fader by Temper Trap) Steven Jobs big calculator that he keeps on the table by his bed just went “cha-ching!” In fact, if not for iPods and iPads who would know who Steven Jobs was? (There you go Steve, I mentioned you and your products, now please send me an iTunes card)

And yes, I know fantasy football is a cult. But it’s a really good one! I swear there’s nothing bad about the time and money I spend on it. Sure, I’m adult and I spend more time studying for my fantasy draft every year than I did for the once in a lifetime S.A.T. or grad school entrance exams, but that’s healthy right? And the results speak for themselves. League champ two of the last three years. I wonder why employers don’t seem more impressed by that on my resume?

Facebook may be the biggest cult going. And have you noticed that cults whether religious or commercial seem to be started by, for lack of a better word, nerds? Whoever said, “The meek shall inherit the Earth” was obviously brilliant. He must have had a great cult.

If you enjoy my nonsense and want to join another cult you can subscribe to me on your Amazon Kindle (another cult I belong to) and follow me on Twitter @ThePhilFactor. See you at the intervention!