I got into Facebook back around the time of my high school's 20th year reunion. It seemed like a good idea to keep up with everyone and get updates on the upcoming events. I had no idea that Facebook would later become an addiction for me.
A few months into it, my "Friends" started to grow. I was up to 50 in no time. Although I enjoyed viewing the photos of old friends, I really got into the conversations. Arguing over sports teams and politics seemed almost like a natural occurrence when it came to Facebook.
100 "Friends." 200 "Friends." 300 "Friends." And now I'm close to 500 "Friends."
I now hate Facebook. Why? Because I don't have that many friends! There are roughly three or four guys that I can honestly call "friends." Everyone else is just an associate. Maybe it was someone I worked with or maybe had some daily interaction with at one time back during high school or college. But, like Real Housewives having a show in multiple cities, sometimes things get taken just a bit too far.
Now I have people who basically know me by name-only trying to be my FB Friend. People who were a brother/sister to one of my classmates now feel as if they're close enough to be my FB Friend. They friend you and you never hear from them again. They don't comment, contribute or anything. They look at your photos to see how fat you've gotten or if your wife is fat and then you're just another number to them on their "Friend" list.
Stop it. Just stop it.
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So is google plus any better? They're not your 'friends' but you have them in circles. G+ feels more like collecting baseball cards, and putting them into neat little piles.
ReplyDeleteAnd come on Q... Facebook isn't about friends, it's about playing poker and farmville and shit... get with the program!
Q, I divorced Facebook, left her for a year or more, then remarried the same banal time suck, argued 'round the clock with right wingnutters and women who seemed to be going steady with Jesus or something, before coming to my senses and dumping FB for the second, and final time.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to hook up with all those people I didn't really like back "in the day", just long enough to be reminded WHY we didn't get along then, and still don't. Getting "poked", having unicorns and flowers and FarmVille notifications 'round the clock just got to be too much of a distraction.
When you find yourself reading updates from people who are in the dentist's waiting room, or updates from folks who are ACTUALLY ON A DATE, you have to wonder what's happened to our sense of privacy and decorum. Ninety percent of what's posted is complete BS and unworthy of anyone's time.
Walk away clean, man. Fold 'er up and shut 'er down. You'll be amazed at how much time it frees up for real life (you know, that thing that happens while you're on-line?)
I suppose you could look at it like you are SO popular and EVERYONE wants to be friends with you. That's a much better context don't you think? I LOVE everything about FB. AND yes I get a lot of random friend requests. Especially since starting the hugging project and being on the news and in the papers and such. That's why I created the fanpage. People want to keep up with the project. Not necessarily with me. And I use FB very personally. So I'm very discerning with who I add as friends. I Love everything about it and then there are aspects about it which are just like life. we meet people we know instantly we will click with and then there are the rest. Just hit "not now" and go about your day. :)
ReplyDeleteBeen awhile since I've been by. I'm looking forward to catching up over the holidays.
@ LiI - The only thing I hate more than people I don't know asking to be my friend are FB invite to games. I don't do online games and hate ignoring invitations every other day. Ugh.
ReplyDelete@ Squatlo - Sounds like good advice. However, I can say that it doesn't take up much of my time now. People just don't have anything interesting to say, so I'm not on it as much. It was much cooler when I had lesser friends.
@ Cinderita - Good to hear from you! I love people who Like my Fan Page. I could care less who they are. LOL! But, as far as my personal page goes, I just prefer to interact with people I actually know well. Your hugging campaign is doing very well if it's making the news media! Congrats! I think you have the greatest photos on your FB page. Everyone is always smiling!
I've come to regard FB as one of those necessary evils - kind of like toilet paper or kotex pads. Useful for very specific purposes, but otherwise, could sit in the bathroom cabinet and not get missed til you need it. I keep most of my stuff on there fairly light and not too up in mah beeswax. A few pictures of my hooli hammin' it up, the dog, the cat, and pictures where I don't look too chunky so that those HS bitches can't say, "Wow! She really blew up!!" BAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeletep.s. sorry for being one of your triberr deadbeat members...i just don't have the time for all of the "social media." I basically blog and read FB and I only use twitter when something direct comes to me in a text on my phone. I would understand if you need to kick me out of the tribe (lol) - if you haven't already.
ReplyDelete@ Reck - Don't sweat Triberr. I'm going to boost my tribe numbers to see if that helps.
ReplyDeleteUh, kotex and TP? C'mon, Reck! LOL! You couldn't find anything else to compare?
I agree with Reckmonster - its a necessity these days...which actually makes me hate it more lol
ReplyDelete@ G - LOL!
ReplyDeleteI can agree to a point, but it doesn't bother me to be honest. I know most, but not all on my FB. Most are blocked from my wall and I have unfriend'd most anyway that don't talk to me.
ReplyDeleteI think some people want to do it to see your profile and be nosy anyway. You have made me think about the ones that don't talk to me ...why are they on my Facebook anyway? Time to do some removals.
@ LogAllot - I removed 50+ people last night. Hopefully that will help clear my timeline of garbage and streamline my "friends" a bit. I'm sure I'll be doing more later.
ReplyDelete