Saturday, September 15, 2012

Death By Facebook

How many of us are into the social networking thing? How many of us actually use it properly and how many share every move they make this way?

Blogging I suppose is a form of social networking, and sometimes we may share more than others want to read, but when I do this I expect you to read me anyway and leave a nice comment, because isn’t this what social networking is all about.

Seriously look at facebook, this has gotten so large that everyone and their dog has a facebook account, I actually have a couple of real dogs asking me to be their friend, I am not degrading anyone, but when a Poodle or a Chihuahua asks to be my friend, I have to wonder just where he learned to type and whose computer is he on.

Some folks get up in the morning and take a picture of their toothbrush, “Status Update: Brushing my teeth” then they take a picture of their breakfast plate including eggs, toast, bacon, and coffee, with a sprig of parsley or whatever green stuff is supposed to make your plate look fancy, “Status Update: eating breakfast with my lovely laptop” “Status Update: just noticed I brushed my teeth too soon” I really didn’t want to see that picture.

I have heard from a few people who are so angry at their friends for getting into their business, this anger stems from comments on their wall about their status updates, now if you don’t want people commenting on your business, then why are you posting it? I actually asked this question and really expect to be defriended soon.

I have witnessed relationship changes that actually changed hourly, if you have an argument with your significant other you change the relationship status, if you make up then change it back, if someone asks you if there is a problem with your relationship, you get mad because they are getting into your business and the only option is to defriend them now.

From sharing a picture of the food you are eating, venting about the fight you are having, the tooth brushing episode, the fake farm, and the real dog that wants to be your facebook friend, these can all be a fun part of the social networking phenomena, but please leave your camera or smart phone on the coffee table when you go into the restroom.

I have a facebook account but rarely use it, I love writing and commenting on blogs, bloggers share their experiences with words and pictures, not hourly status updates, I don’t think fast enough to tweet or check status updates, I would hate to document my every move each day, the public scrutiny of all the friends I have accumulated just because my wife is a virtual farmer is not something I really want.

If I were to die today, my blogging buddies I hope would wonder where I went and reminisce about all of my amazing posts, and if I were addicted to facebook I have a feeling I would be required to take a self portrait as I fell to the floor with a final “Status Update: checking out now, please tend my crop of candy corn before it withers”

Putting yourself out there on the internet is really a big thing, any communication like this adds your pictures and such to the public domain, just think if you make an offhand comment about a friend and want to take it back, face to face you can offer an apology, the off hand comment will always be in the back of your friends mind, but most friends will let it go.

On the Internet these comments have a tendency to go viral so to say, everyone and their dog has read it, every picture good or bad has been viewed, some have copy and pasted it on their pages and it is all of a sudden around the world, you make an apology and some read it and grin but this goes nowhere, and the picture you decide to remove is actually already showing up other places.

Make sure the pictures you share and the information you post is something you don’t mind going around the world, because in fact it just may.

Seriously, be careful what you post because once it’s out there you can never take it back.

20 comments:

  1. I think I am friends with a few dogs. Seriously! LOL.

    I've been on Facebook a long, long time (since 2007). It sure has changed a lot. I am saddened by that fact. I met my husband on Facebook, but it was a different world back then. A much easier, and less judgmental world.

    I must admit the constant status updates bug the turd out of me. Those they need to do that belong on Twitter or Instagram. NOT Facebook.

    I will tend to your candy corn crop. No worries. :-)

    Blog friends are the best!

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    1. Hi Angelia, Facebook can be a fun place I suppose but when it turns into a source of constant problems I have no tolerance for that.

      I have made contact with people I have not seen since high school, but the actual dogs I really don't think I know Ha Ha

      Thank you for taking care of the Candy Corn Crop I was getting worried about that :^)

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  2. Another great post. It's been explained to me this way: Blog if you have something to say once or twice a week, Facebook if you have something to say every day, and tweet if you have something to say every hour. I consider myself a fascinating person but I don't have anything worth saying every hour, or even every day. I have a Facebook page but I rarely use it. I've also heard that having lots of friends on Facebook is like sitting at the popular table in the lunchroom of an insane asylum. I think it's true.

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    1. Thank You Stephen, I enjoy the Blogging a whole lot more than anything else, like you I don't have enough to say to warrant a post every hour or even every day.

      "having lots of friends on Facebook is like sitting at the popular table in the lunchroom of an insane asylum" Ha Ha I think this is so true.

      I tell you one thing, I sure get more quality conversation from my Blogging friends.

      Good to see you my friend

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  3. NOT a fan of Facebook! It drives me insane that two of my granddaughters post every move. I don't mind that they've found something they like, but it shows their location and THAT'S SCARY TO ME!!! I try to leave a very minimal footprint on the internet, because THAT SCARES ME, TOO!

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    1. Hi Ms. A, You are not wrong to be afraid for your granddaughters, I see the activity of some of the younger generations and the information they give out is scary, I had a niece who not only posted her town but the street she lived on and phone number, we had a word of prayer and that information was removed, hopefully before anyone noted it down.

      Fun is fun and I want people to enjoy whatever they are doing, Our kids need educated on how to use the internet, I really don't think they realize how dangerous it can actually be.

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  4. I do not understand facebook, texting, twittering, etc. Why do I care if someone is sitting in a particular restaurant or why would I mention where I'm GOING to be going?? My niece must believe that where she is sitting is reason to tweet. I have a facebook account that I use JUST to fiddle around on games when I'm bored. And still, someone highjacked my name and put me up as "Widowed and seeking females".

    If you and I disappeared tomorrow, our readers would figure we had computer trouble and in a week or two, no one would remember our URL. This is all temporary. Sad. but true.

    It could be worse. lol

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    1. Texting is another thing I see as useless, I figure if you want to email then do it but if you are going to spend the time texting just call the number and talk like a phone is intended to be used.

      The hackers I have no use for, you have to continually change your passwords in an attempt to stay ahead of them.

      I suppose everything is temporary and until I disappear at least with blogging it is at least at a speed I can keep up with :^)

      Yes Mam it could be worse Ha Ha

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  5. I hate FaceBook...really! When Emily died people that she knew on there wanted ME to post a copy of her Death Certificate! It was not mine to make public and her husband refused.
    I know she had a real friend on there called Dawn, but she messaged my sister-in-law and myself saying that because of it she didn't believe that Emily was dead. It is so sad.
    Meanwhile, we have being going through loads of pages on Google as to how to get out of there and close an account, but with no luck, so it seems as though once you are there, you are stuck there for life...if you can prove that you are actually dead.
    I just don't bother with it and hopefully it will go away by itself.
    I blog, and that is all I do.

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    1. Hi Megan, As far as Emilys Facebook page goes, if you are able to find her password then you could log on and delete it, I am sure you have tried this already though.

      As far as her death certificate goes this would not be the place to display it no matter who wants to see it, Facebook has it's good points but in my opinion this is not what it is for.

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  6. I like Facebook, and I like blogging. It's all how you use it and whom you hang out with that determines if your experience is a good or bad one.

    This is my take on it:

    Blogging is more in-depth and elaborate. It's more "work," if you want to call it that. It's like that one weekly phone call you make to your mother, when you talk for half an hour or so.

    Facebook is the quick "hey, what's up" conversation that you use to communicate with people on a more superficial level. It's not like the half-hour phone call to your mother, but more like the quick "hey, what's up" to your brother.

    I have friends and family all over the world and I use both to keep in touch with them and let them know what's going on in my life. That includes (sometimes) the restaurants or other places I visit, even a picture of the food I eat. I have to agree with you - many people should be MUCH more careful of what they put out there on the internet. But then I find that following some of the drama on Facebook saves me from having to watch soap operas on TV. ;-p

    And if you disappeared for a week, I'd assume you might have computer trouble or you're just on a break. After a month, I'd ask questions via the comment box.

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    1. This is the fun part of it, when you use it as it is intended rather than exposing every aspect of your life.

      I like your description of each, when you say blogging is like that once a week phone call to your Mom and Facebook is like a Hey Whats Up conversation.

      I don't really have a problem with Facebook per se, I just prefer blogging more.

      Facebook can be a useful tool to stay in contact, I guess the soap opera stuff is just extra entertainment when you need something different Ha Ha

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  7. I love Facebook. It has been a great tool to reconnect with long lost cousins and friends from the past. But I don't like the constant check ins, political crap and the like. I post a status about three times a month, usually when something interesting or funny happens.

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    1. It really is amazing how many people you can find there Bijoux, I too have reconnected with people from my past, the downside is for the majority it seems after accepting their friend request and responding to the "Long time no see" message you never talk again, for those I think they are just padding their numbers.

      Others it is really nice to keep in touch with from time to time, but the kids who post everything they come across makes it easy to not even log on.

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  8. Great post, Jimmy!

    And I have to agree with you 100%. I'm not a fan of either FB or Twitter. I've had accounts with them many years ago, but deleted both of them because I honestly found no use. I know many people ADORE FB and find a lot of great uses for it. Personally, like you, I much prefer socializing via blogging because, like you, I love writing and commenting on blogs, bloggers share their experiences with words and pictures. Blogging seems more "quality" then "quantity."

    Also, I notice that bloggers who socialize excessively on FB and Twitter end up neglecting their blogs because they spread themselves too thin, by socializing and not writing.

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    1. Hey Ron, I was wondering why you defriended me on FB, we used to be Facebook buddies and I was really hurt when you dropped me Ha Ha

      Facebook is a good tool for a lot of people, I have hard enough time between my Genealogy and Blogging, FB I check if I get an email about something but thats about it.

      Cindy on the other hand uses it all the time, she comes in and tells me something she has heard and I ask where did you hear that, she says It was on Facebook, I have to wonder what we ever did before Facebook Ha Ha

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  9. Fantastic post, Jimmy. You are a man after my own heart. I do have a Facebook account but don't use it. I am also friends with a dog! The inane comments are what gets me... even without photographs. Just having my last cup of cocoa, waiting for a bus, on the train to somewhere, are all comments to ensure I never look at Facebook again. And the pictures people post worry me to death, especially those of children. I know how easy it is to copy and save pictures, I have been known to save some of relatives who are stupid enough to post their kids pictures. In this day and age it is a dangerous game. No thanks, I'll stick to blogging.

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    1. Thank You Valerie I appreciate you my Friend, I just hope people are more aware of what they actually post, and parents are more aware of what is posted, by their kids especially, because this can be a dangerous game by the unexpected.

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  10. I REALLY agree with you. I'm sorry folks, but I don't care about every single event of your day. To me it seems that maybe 1 out of every 5 FB posts is worthy of even looking at.

    Having said that, I do like facebook for a couple of reasons. First, I've been into my ancestry for quite a while and have found MANY distant relatives there. Some that I knew of and many that I didn't. I've also connected with several long lost friends. I might post a link to a blog post once a month on there, NEVER do I post anything personal.

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  11. Yes Sir, Facebook is a great tool when used in this manner, but when folks overexpose every aspect of their lives is when it gets boring really quickly.

    I too have found long lost cousins and friends here.

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