After initially dissing Facebook and then reluctantly joining, I’m now a full-fledged-Facebook-fanatic. I’m writing status updates, posting pictures, writing on walls and even joining groups with names like “I can’t believe it’s only Wednesday.”
I’ve got 300 friends. Now some people have like 3,000 friends but I’m pretty proud of my 300. I used to have 301 but then this girl wrote a status update that was derogatory towards Colt McCoy and I de-friended her. You can do that on Facebook! It’s much harder to do in real life. Good thing we were only virtual friends.
And while I enjoy FB and how it’s connected me with long lost friends, there are some things people use it for that make me say, “Huh?”
Broad Invitations to Go Out: Someone will post a status like, “Hey, I feel like going to happy hour, anybody want to join me?” Sounds normal but keep in mind, the criteria for your Facebook friends is not as strict as for your real friends. Like you might accept a friend request from the creepy guy who was in your 10th grade health class, but you would never want to have drinks with him. So what if he responds? “I’m in! Just tell me where you live and I’ll come stalk you…I mean pick you up.” On New Year’s Eve I saw a girl post, “Hey, who wants to go out tonight?” Hello? Do you want to spend NYE with some random FB friend?
Broad Invitations to attend Events: “I’ve got an extra ticket to see Matchbox 20. Anyone want to go with me?” This is even weirder because it 1). Shows you’re kinda desperate and 2). You would end up alone with this random person. At least with the happy hour request you could get an eclectic group together.
Pyramid Schemes Disguised as Joyful Status Updates: People, if you see something like, “I can’t believe I get to go to Cabo San Lucas AGAIN! This “job” of mine is unbelievable. Let me know if you want to make some extra cash and travel for a living like me!” then you know your FB friend is not just social networking, she’s network marketing.
Farmville and Mafia Wars: What are these things? People play them who I know for a fact are way too busy to be playing online games. And it’s one thing if you want to play, but why does the status of your game have to show up on my home page? And why are you requesting farm animals from me?
Can’t we just go back to posting mundane things about the weather and acting like our lives are better than they are? Oh, that brings me to one last “huh?” People whose lives are so awesome that they have to post it on FB:
"Spending the day with my husband and kids. Life doesn’t get any better than this!"
Good for you! "I’m spending the day with a screaming toddler who I just wrestled to the ground to get a diaper on and he proceeded to remove it." I think I need to go to happy hour. Any one of my 300 friends want to join me?
6 comments:
Gah I know what you mean! I had to delete all the mafia wars and farmville updates from my newsfeed.
HAHA! I do love the "I'm SO in love with my husband" or the "I am so blessed to have this amazing baby" or the "Thanks, sweetie, for these amazing flowers" posts. Makes me want to punch someone. :) LOVE YOU, Facebook Fries.
It is like they get to write a Christmas letter everyday talking about how great that lives are!
Love all your points...I especially like your final paragraph as I, too, have spent a lot of time wrestling with a toddler and am always up happy hour or a glass of wine at 5 :)
Jacquie's comment reminds me that I think I accidentally clicked "like" on someone's status about going to the ER.
I hope she doesn't unfriend me.
I think that once you get beyond 150 friends, it's difficult to manage. There was a research paper written about that (somewhere), dealing with work teams, etc.
Facebook is an awesome tool for keeping in touch with fam and friends. The photo albums are great for cutting back on HUGE email attachments. It has proven valuable for groups wanting to address an issue, organize events - and even rallies on parliament hill.
I can relate with the person who accidentally clicked "like" on someone's ER status.
It looks like i've gotten over the novelty of Facebook and am able to take it in moderation, leaving more time for the important things like family, writing, volunteering and decluttering.
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