Like so many people, I have a 'facebook' page. And as with so many people it was entered into as a way of keeping in touch with a reasonably small group of family and friends.
As a family we share photos, and tell each other of significant events. We post pictures of places we visit, things we do, and projects we undertake. In some ways not dissimilar to blogging, but with a slightly different angle.
However, I find more and more examples of the above turning up. They are simply 'copied and pasted' from gawd-knows-where, and have nothing in common with whosoever 'shared' them. They seem to be an easy way of filling space, and trying to be associated with whatever sentiment is on offer. I scroll through them by the bloody dozen.
The other 'facebook' trend which really annoys, is women who show pictures of themselves looking (what I presume they consider) 'glamorous', prompting an outpouring of sickly cooing from admiring female friends. These 'look how beautiful I am' narcissistic postings really get on my nerves.
So what to do about it. Well, I do find 'facebook' a very useful tool; it's free, it works well, and I enjoy most of what I see there. I suppose I'll just have to ignore the borrowed wisdom, and the 'aren't I gorgeous' junkies, and bite my tongue (with difficulty)!
p.s. I should add that I do have some seriously gorgeous female friends; not one of them would EVER stoop as low as soliciting admiration.
I hate people who post endless photos of themselves, too.
ReplyDeleteMy other pet peeve is the "Press Like If You Wish Cancer Didn't Exist!" kind of crap.
But, as you say, it definitely has some good points!
I have been moaning about FB ever since it went public. Clogged up with adverts in the middle of everything now. I get the stuff you describe too and wonder who starts these copy and paste things and why. Do friends of mine really do that and it seems they do. I skip them. Mostly the cooing stuff is about babies and kids. I politely like and move on.
ReplyDeleteI imagine there must be a special site for these 'copy and paste' things; unless of course they just pinch them from someone else. Dire!
DeleteI have a love/hate relationship with FB. I recently went through the causes and pages I follow and unsubbed. Just too much STUFF. I do love seeing photos of my grandson, though, and keeping up with peoples' lives. Then again, maybe it's time to thin the heard again.
ReplyDeleteI don't like FB and have a sleepy and quiet, very quiet, FB.
ReplyDeletewith only 4 freinds. I like it that way.
I have just 28 friends (very few), but it's the friends of friends who post all the annoying rubbish.
DeleteStill haven't started with FB. Sounds like too much goes on and it wouldn't be good for me --sort of like the '60s when friends were telling me to take LSD. Similar sort of social involution threatens. I like Blogger and the company of good minds, and the privacy it offers along with sharing...but I sense a thinning out on Blogger. I hope it's just my misperception.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this Cro. First entry on my FB this morning "What Element Are You". They are so annoying. Facebook is my link to friends and family scattered around the world (particularly my daughter in Oz). I try and keep my own posts amusing or interesting, although my husband accuses me of showing too many garden pics!
ReplyDeleteGarden pix, blocked drains pix, annoying neighbour pix, that's would SHOULD be there, not self-congratulating narcissism.
DeleteI am not a Facebook fan Cro ….. I started on Facebook when it first came into existence and have never really written anything on it !! I find it a bit like the dreaded Christmas ' round robin ' letter …. lots of bragging and showing off !!! My friends say that they like to share their photographs with friends but I don't know why they don't just email or text a few instead of sharing them with the whole world…. each to their own, of course, but, I do find the self-appraisal pouting photographs quite sickening and, a little dangerous. It's funny how, most of them are all reasonably pretty girls …… they must have quite low self esteem and need complimentary comments I guess. I admit that I've put a few family photos on my blog but only a couple. I was going to put a photo of me when I was 17 in my next post but I'm a bit worried now !!!!! Would that make me two-faced ? XXXX
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to hear that it's not just in my circle of friends where all this stuff appears.
DeleteFB has its uses and I have stayed in touch with a lot of people who I would more than likely have lost touch with without it. It also has private messaging which is useful if you want a private conversation.
DeleteI find it hard to sympathise with anyone who willingly subscribes to Facebook, but having said that, I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteThis is my feeling about Facebook Cro - I did sign up to it and have recently commented on the site of someone I used to blog with and who I have met - she no longer blogs. Other than that it is amystery - I am always at a loss about how I get on to the wretched thing.
ReplyDeleteI love Facebook. It has put me in touch with many members of my large family all over the world. I know what you mean about some posts though. You can eliminate a lot by carefully going through your settings.... Or else it's a matter of gritting your teeth and scrolling down quickly !
ReplyDeleteI've found that people use Facebook as a crutch for what passes for communication.....recently someone tried to pass important family news that should have been shared by phone (or even email!) through my partners Facebook account and since it is seldom checked we didn't get the message which totally cheesed me off....
ReplyDeleteFacebook is certainly NOT the place for important family news.
DeleteFacebook = TMI
ReplyDeleteFacebook = NECS (not enough common sense).
DeleteI like fb, but I seldom provide any personal updates. I do share stuff that I find funny, but before fb, i'd do this by sending emails to my friends, so my behavior is much the same as it was before. I don't like the ads that have invaded my feed, whilst the updates from my friends, which are more interesting, are off to the side.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the selfies; one young woman who's on my friend's list (she's actually a relative) takes a lot of them. I just shake my head and scroll past.
What I keep finding is pictures of calorie laden food, usually drenched in cheese. And I have to be honest, most of my friends shouldn't be eating this stuff, they shouldn't even be looking at it.
ReplyDeleteI do like FB. I post photos I know my family will like and links to recipes. I love seeing photos of my nieces and nephews and keeping up with them. My grandchild however has an imposed "zero social media" ban and has never appeared on FB, instagram or the like.
ReplyDeleteI too hate the "selfie"...an endless stream of commentary on how gorgeous one looks. Personally I like to practice (what now seems like the art of) being humble.
I had an account with Facebook that was only family, then I added very close friends. When I first started to receive “glam” photos and dribble like you posted I asked that they not include me with it. A family member took offence to my not wanting photo’s of her. I closed my account and wrote a card to her explaining that this grandparent and father only requires photo’s that can be proudly displayed on his fireplace mantel.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't use Facebook I'd never know what was going on in the lives of all my nieces, nephews, great nieces & nephews. They text all the time...no phone speaking. I don't text. They don't even read their emails very much so FB private messaging is the only way I can make sure they see messages.
ReplyDeleteIf there is any of that garbage shown in my feed I click at right side and click on "I don't want to see this".
My absolute favorite thing about it are all the pictures of our little ones ranging from 4-18 months old. I can't resist my little loves.
There seems to be a distinct fb division between those who wish to use it as a communication tool, and those who wish to use it as narcissistic tool. I know where I stand, as do most of YOU. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI get that crap as well, gets on my t!ts. Words of wisdom, ha, I have all the wisdom I need, thanks but no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI was happy using Facebook until my page was hacked twice ! It really scared me and made me feel quite ill. I deleted just about everything on my page. I hope this never happens to you Cro. Take care now. Marion
ReplyDelete