Does social networking irk you?

[Luke]

http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/10/ ... nectivity/

...so she graduated with a Master Degree in Common Sense?


A friend of mine posted on Facebook:

Facebook is infuriating. I have over 500 friends and their updates never match up correctly on my timeline.

My response:

You've got one less friend to worry about. Tell the kiddo Luke says hi, and I'll see you in DC soon.


And this guy is a friend of mine who I have been in contact with since middle school. He's got a pretty wife, a cute kid, and works for the IRS. But holy hell he spends way too much time on facebook.

[J T]

Not starting a social networking account (post myspace) is the best/worst thing I've ever done.

So many friends and family seem chained to their social networking accounts. They don't seem happy with them. They feel lonely, but keep clicking to put a dent in the loneliness, which just keeps them from engaging in more meaningful interaction with others and keeps a lingering loneliness. They also require more and more condensed pieces of information so they can keep up with everything and feel broadly informed, though they have lost patience with becoming deeply informed. Most everyone I know has a love/hate relationship with their social media. I did too when I was on myspace years ago, so I understand it. You feel compelled to keep it going, but it doesn't really deliver full satisfaction. It's the social equivalent of snacking all day, but never getting a full meal. I'm happy to have been away from that for years now.

That's why it's the best thing that I got away from it, but it's the worst thing because everyone is on it and if you're not, then you just kind of get forgotten. I've completely lost contact with friends because they only talk via social networking and all plans are made that way. I have less contact with my family because I'm the only one who still makes phonecalls, so I only talk to them if I put forth the effort. They don't really do the same, except for my parents, but even they make less contact as they have gotten more into social media. They often post to my wife's facebook telling her to have me call them rather than just picking up the phone and calling me directly.

Another point, though I always hear people say that social networking is a great way to keep up with old friends, I find that it also makes their meetups with old friends incredibly awkward because they don't have anything to talk about since it's all on their facebook or whatever. When I see an old friend or acquaintance, it's exciting because we have a catching up to do. We're not close enough to have regular contact, but those few and far between meetings are really nice. I like it that way. When I see people meet that haven't seen each other in person in years, but follow each other on facebook, it's like "HEY! I haven't seen you in forever!!!!... *awkward pause*... I'd ask you what's new, but I've read it on facebook...."

[Jmustang1968]

It is a tool. You get out of it what you put in and how you use it.

[Hobie-wan]

A friend of mine posted on Facebook:

Facebook is infuriating. I have over 500 friends 31 bands I kinda like, 34 friends, 47 acquaintances, 86 people from school that I never really had a connection to, 116 stores and restaurants that gave me $1 off for liking them, and 250+ random people I have no connection to whatsoever that were added just because they said "Hi" because of a single common passing interest and their updates never match up correctly on my timeline.

Fixed that for them.

[Gunstar Green]

I have a Facebook if people want to use it to find me and contact me through it and it's allowed me to meet relatives I didn't even know I have. It can be pretty useful when used correctly.

I never post anything on it really and sort of forget I even have it until I get an email that someone has sent me a message or something.

It's funny because my parents use it quite a lot, and I feel like the world has reversed on me from back when they didn't understand why or how I wasted so much time on the Internet. Now that the Internet has been simplified for everyone, it has them in its clutches.

Really though it's very strange. I remember in the early days of the Internet, losing your anonymity and telling the world your real name and real life was kind of anathema for some people. I remember when Live Journal came along but still most people preferred to remain anonymous.

Suddenly that anonymity is gone. Everyone is willing to shout about who they are and what they're doing at every second of the day. It's even hard to remain anonymous now with websites pushing you to log in with a social networking site and Google harassing me at every turn to provide my real name for You Tube.

I'm not saying whether this is a good thing or a bad thing or a neutral thing, I just think it's interesting how things have changed.

[Jmustang1968]

The real name thing is the tactic being used to try to prevent douchebaggery in the comments sections and message boards.

[AppleQueso]

The real name thing is the tactic being used to try to prevent douchebaggery in the comments sections and message boards.

Clearly it's not working, as comments sections are just as full of douchebaggery as ever.

[Jmustang1968]

The real name thing is the tactic being used to try to prevent douchebaggery in the comments sections and message boards.

Clearly it's not working, as comments sections are just as full of douchebaggery as ever.

Well it won't ever go away. But people tend to be more accountable when they aren't anonymous.
I would imagine it has helped some as those who are conscientious of the fact that actions on the internet can have repurcussions may avoid posting. It won't stop those who are naive or don't give a shit.

[irixith]

I "deactivated" my Facebook account three days ago.

I've clicked on my bookmark a few (ok a lot) of times in those three days, only to be faced with the login screen and the decision to reactivate with a single login.

So far, haven't done it. I miss the boredom quelling look through the news feed, but I don't miss all the negative aspects about it. We'll see how long it goes.

[aaron]

I don't like how you can't permanently delete your facebook account, only disable the stupid thing. I heard that you can email a request for an account to be fully wiped though; don't know if this works. Facebook needs a dislike button.

Wow, that's fucked up.

Not that I'm surprised to learn Facebook is built on a flagrant violation of privacy but this is just extreme and dumb.

http://justdelete.me/ is useful in this case.

But you have mentioned an abundance of other people's baby pictures.

Mothers are going to do that.

http://unbaby.me/ is useful in this case.