The Problem with Facebook
I was one of the first members on Facebook when I joined it in 2004 at the request of my much younger and much hipper younger cousins who live in England. Back then the only functions you could do was say what your were "doing", post a picture or a short movie clip, poke, give each other a "gift". It was a really nice way to keep up with my family and I really enjoyed it. But it has morphed into something that I really don't like.
It has become a "Bully Pulpit", where I am bombarded with my friends political andphilosophicalpoints of view. The issue here, is more often than not, thisassaultofopinionsleaves me either mildly disturbed, since I had no idea my friends held these views, to downright insulted. I tend to ignore all of it, otherwise I would find myself in constant conflict with people I care about. And I do know of many cases where people have defriended people over these postings. Kind of not the end result you would expect.
Facebook wasenvisionedas a "social network"...hence the name of the movie. It has become anything but social. It has become a political landmine, and I resent that. There are many other sites that provide for that, including this one. Why go to a site that was supposed to be light social fun, only to be attacked with unwanted information?
I am sure that there are those who disagree with me. But hey, at least this is the proper forum for that, right?
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Human Nature ...
I confess, when friends cease to make contact for no apparent reason other than political differences, it's saddening and, generates disillusionment.
While I am vehement in the expression of my political views, I don't gloat if/when "my candidates" win ... even if there are follow-up partisan heated discussions -- this so as not to harm a friendship.
As political as I can be, I can also sit and fish in a small boat with a friend of opposing political philosophy, get a beer after the sun sets and never exchange an a word in anger.
But ... it takes two well-centered individuals to interact thus.
Let me be the first to say I have never quite understood the concept of letting the whole world know your every move and thought. I mean really who cares? As an example let's look at one of my saturdays...
6 AM,...wokeup and getting dressed,..damn, forgot my skievy drawers,...6:10AM redressing....
7 AM eating three pancakes with mustard and onions on them,..life is good
8 AM wonderingwhat to do today,...afternoon movie sounds good.
8:30 AM feeding cats tuna,...they don't care for my pancakes,..their lose...
10:00 Am have pickedTop Gunto watch at movies...
Noon,..going to wash car for movie,..wait movie not drive-in,..no car wash needed....whew....
1 PM off to the movies,....
1:26 arrived at movie house
1:30 got ticket, popcorn, Large and Large soda pop, going to get seat
1:45 trailers start,...am sitting in center of theater so I don't miss anything.
1:55 PM movie starts,...wait, this isn't Top Gun,..It's Xanadu,...Bummer, I'm Not moving
Watching movie theater isfull and I'm wishing I hadnot had that third bowl of chilli last night.
presure is mounting, sweat is starting to bead up, I can't hold it,...Wow A loud fart is let loose. Half the theater yells OMG!,...the other half gets up to leaves,...finally peace and quiet, and lots of elbow room. you would think though the theater could use a better or stronger air freshener,...IMO..
Now really who on earth want to read about my day????
Mac,
I feel ya. I like my friends for their company and most of the time, it has nothing to do with politics, but many other aspects about them. What FB has become, has kind of ruined that feeling of sitting in a boat for me.
Spot on with every point! Bravo!
LOL, LR... that's true. No one really needs to hear that kind of stuff. But for most, FB was a way of sharing pictures, movies, a quick hello with friend. Now it feels like a minefield on most days. I just want to keep it light, like Mike said.
FB may have started outin the beginning as a good Idea but it lacks what I consider to be one of the most important elements to a forum,. And that is enviromental control... with out it you have nothing more than pure chaos.
for example compare FB to the web site News Talkers. At NewsTalkers the envioroment is controlled. There is a place for politics, a place to let loose of your feelings, a place to talk movies, and poetry or animals. Everything is controlled and there is no chaos. (pretty good sucking up don't you think,...lol)
Now look at FB,...total and pure chaos because it lack the structure of a controlled enviroment,....
Hey, LR Great job sucking up! Better than what I get most of the time! LOL!
But I think you hit the nail on the head with what FB's main problem is. There is no escape for the things you don't want to look at. Never mind that there is no moderation, so things can get pretty heated... you are stuck looking at junk you may not want to look at.
I have been trying to think of an ad campaign for NT, and one of the angles is the "We're the adult FB", but I am open to other ideas.
If you think those are the only problems Facebook can bring you are not staying up on the potential for hacking and security issues . There was an article I did on the vine all the way back in June of '09 . Things have only gotten worse since then ...
I remember when you wrote that article and I thought that I had commented on it. Hummm.. I guess I didn't.
So many things have had a hand in what Facebook has become.
As an entity it has taken on proportions beyond itself. Maybe not so much in America, but in other placesFacebookusers lives are inextricably related to their everyday reality. ReallyFacebookhas been a tool of political change at a populace level in a number of countries.
In America, political/corporate personas have becomesuperfluous; and, may end up acting like oil that lubes gears, after it's dirty and broken down...starts causing moreproblemsthan helping.
Years ago my sister was on my case to join MySpace (she put up lots of posts). After a few months I caved in. Barely went on it - it was mostly to keep up with her. Then she stopped posting on MySpace and was doing stuff on FB. She's been after me ever since to join FB. MySpace went downhill shortly after I joined so maybe if I joined FB, it too would take a swandive?? IDK, the privacy/hacking issues and the drama are what keep me from joining FB. Hubby has FB so he keeps track of the social and drama for me.
There can be many problems with facebook. I am on it, and I do use it to share photos of the kiddies with the family and close friends. My ex tried to discuss children issues with me on fb, but I won't do that. My older son's ex really enjoys tearing him up on fb. Maybe not realizing how damaging that can be. I don't know.
You bring up a very interesting point, Larry. FB is now being used as apoliticaltool, both bringing on revolutions, some of which are not for the better. And it is true that corporations are all over it and third parties have invaded our pages.
I would have to agree that it does seem to start more problems then it helps.
I used to, Neetu... but not so much anymore.
That isn't cool at all. I could see emailing you via fb, but don't air in the public arenas what you wouldn't want everyone talking about in your place of work or at a family dinner with grandmas, grandpas and children. That's my theory about fb at least.
Your story rings very true and rather common. The one thing that cracks me up is that your hubby keeps up with the drama. That is a new one for me! You are a lucky girl.
I never considered that it could be used in that way, Leona. That is a very interesting point. The more this article goes on, the more down sides I see to it.
Exactly! And that's basically what I told him. He tried another two times, but after getting shut down both of those times, he decided that email, phone, or text was the way to get me to respond to him.
btw, I don't know that I've had the pleasure of conversing with you, lilgremlin. It's nice to make your acquaintance.
Well, in all fairness, most of the time my experience with facebook is positive. It's only those two people that I've ever had any problems with. As far as the political side of people, I simply ignore that stuff on fb.
Nice to meet you as well! Glad he got the hint finally. Certainly makes your life less stressful that way.
I could always join FB and totally ruin it for them...
Oh, fer chrissakes, y'all sound like the "In my day I had to walk ten miles through snow, hurricanes, and earthquakes to get to school and then it was pure joy!"
FB is fine for what it is. Hell, you don't like seeing posts of one of your FB 'friends', then de-friend! Not as if that is the ONLY way one can interract, you can still e-mail, call, whatever. And the 'friend' is not alerted to the 'de friending,' or so I've heard.
I like FB because there are folks on it that I have known since early NV days and it is the only way we can talk politics. I've also met some great folks, argue with some great folks (with whom I would otherwise not be able to interact with), and have become re-engaged with folks I haven't seen in years.
Is it perfect, hell no. If you're concerned about posting something on FB that might come back to bite you, guess what, don't post it in the first place.
Sheesh.
Hey Dude,
Where TF you been?
Uhhhhmm ... on FB? I don't go there so I just had to go on without your views ...
Otherwise ...
Happy to see you.
LOL I don't know about lucky. People have been coming to him to mediate drama since before we met. He gives advice. They ignore it. They come back when things get worse/weirder and tell him he was right. I think he has more patience for it than I do.
It does, it does, and as you get older it seems to pass more quickly!
Doing this and that. I stop in, check things out, then shit happens! Glad to see things going well here.