5 signs you need to drop Facebook
July 11th, 2007
Facebook has been a fantastic resource for me and I use it quite a bit. With it, I can keep up with people I’ve met at different functions, my international friends as well as my class mates. I can also buy books cheaper, communicate faster using yet another tool for self expression.
All that said, there seems to be an increasing number of people who’re not having such a good time with it. Perhaps because in the big scheme of popularity expectations, social life and relationships, Facebook makes it easier for thoughtless words and unnecessary deeds to surface. That said, here are five signs I’ve seen that indicate you probably need to give Facebook a break.
- You get into unnecessary fights
I’ve heard of best friends getting angry with each other because one of them couldn’t post “Happy Birthday” on their wall when it was their birthday. I mean, if it’s something that would have happened anyway, it’s fair game. But Facebook caused this one. So, either work to fix it or drop it altogether cause it’ll probably just happen again. - Things that shouldn’t concern you, do.
Let’s face it. There were some things you honestly paid no attention to prior to Facebook because it wasn’t worth the time of day. Now, it seems like it’s your daily fix. It can come off as gossipy, superficial, scary, stalker-ish and quite unwholesome. - You stop communicating in person
Ever see that person who’s whole life is broadcast over Facebook? But when you really try to get in touch with them, they’re always “busy”, wont respond to calls or even emails. Not that you’re continents away or anything, but because they’ve given Facebook too much of themselves. - It becomes way too personal
There’s nothing wrong with sharing or showing some transparency. Most people need more of this in their life. However, it should be done in person. Many of you know that you can’t delete your profile off Facebook—only deactivate it. Why does this matter? Well, Facebook has access to every message, post, picture that you’ve ever put through their servers. This means your phone number, address, girlfriends, boyfriends and the like are accessible to universities, employers and law enforcement. I’m not saying you killed anyone and should be afraid, but if you considered Facebook to be a public open forum, you would’ve saved some of that information for more personal interaction. And even if you delete it now, it’s probably logged in their archives. - You become addicted
We’re talking about the real definition of addicted here. When you religiously visit the site, stalking, “finding” people you want to befriend, losing sleep if need be, or losing hair at the idea of deactivating your account—even for a little bit.
So remember…
“Every Post you make
Every Pic you take
Every Friend you fake
For Facebook’s sake
They’ll be watching you.”
Popularity: 27%
Posted in Real Life Now |
Jetoria said,
Agreed; Hmmm, for someone who probably hangs out with you close to every day, giving you their precious time, it’s funny anyone could possibly get mad over meaningless words, like “Happy Birthday” on Facebook.
On July 11, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Tia said,
hahahaha… I like this one! And it’s very true and something that needs to be considered by a lot of people. And I tell myself these things everyday, yet here I sit on the computer with facebook open in a tab. haha
On July 13, 2007 @ 8:25 am
Michael said,
You told me to check this out via a Facebook message.
On July 17, 2007 @ 7:43 am
11 said,
I’ve been off! 4 months in counting! it’s funny, everyone I’ve talked to about it has called me a loser for deactivating my account, but when we talk more about it, they’re the ones defending themselves, saying that they don’t use it that often anyway and that they’d get off too except blah blah blah… ha!
On July 18, 2007 @ 12:42 am
abdulrahman said,
hahah nice one. i like the ‘police’ parody at the end.
‘every friend you fake’ hahahaha!!!
On July 25, 2007 @ 5:56 am
Carlos said,
I would have to add that its pretty awkward when your girlfriends MOM is your friend on facebook.
On July 25, 2007 @ 10:21 am
alyssa said,
ok this is stupid and like ok i like facebook but i mean add poeple that u no only if u are reponsable then u should be fine like the poeple i add no everything about me . u poeple are just fun suckers and find the littlest flaws in todays technolodgy. how isolated from the world do u want to be god whoever wrote this is a jackass god this got me so mad jeez…
On July 28, 2007 @ 9:28 am
theADA said,
Well technology this day is very addictive as we all know. I agree with Alyssa that you should add ppl u know, and not someone you met in the a bus that held the door for you. Like ppl who have 300 friends - PLEASE! Like you know 75% of em!…..come on ppl!! Stop adding ppl you will never message, never talk to, never poke, never see in ur entire life AGAIN!…be real when ur on facebook, and its a way to keep in contact with ppl, not a second home.
I do disagree with Alyssa about the post. We didn’t say facebook was useless or crappy. In fact the post started out with the use fullness of facebook. But with EVERY technology comes some flaws, and it is good if those flaws r talked to about - in order to inform ppl and maybe inspire a way to fix it. This is in no way a dis on facebook. We don’t want to be isolated we want to be in contact with ppl but not to the extent where we lose real social skills and login 16 times a day, and say and do things that need not to be done. The reasons that are given in the post are just.
But some of us will still be addicted to facebook, like Tia pointed out, but just knowing about these things is helpful and not destructive. So before u call someone a jack*** for writing an informative post giving legit reasons of a social habit that most ppl are involved in, you need to think again. bc last i remember if u turn on CNN thats the way news works, technology and even ppl.
On July 28, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Alex said,
That’s why I don’t use it anymore! What happened to the days of not being afraid to make a phone call or tell people what’s going on face to face? That, and so many people get in trouble for things written on facebook. It’s good to keep in contact with people, but the people that really matter should be able to get in touch with you in other ways.
On July 31, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Catie said,
So, it looks like everyone agreed with you. I would have to disagree.
First off you described Facebook as a “big scheme of popularity expectations, social life and relationships, Facebook makes it easier for thoughtless words and unnecessary deeds to surface.” I would agree that is can be that, however, is that really a Facebook problem? I would beg to differ and say that it’s a personal problem. All of those things existed long before Facebook ever came along.
Now, getting into unnecessary fights, that also seems like a personal problem to me. If people have such ridiculously shallow friendships that they would get into a fight over not receiving a “Happy Birthday” than that friendship was probably doomed to fail in the first place.
“Things That Shouldn’t Concern You, Do” hmmm… that’s probably the most true of all the points. I would somewhat agree with this. However, people need to know what is and is not their buisness ad that’s a maturity problem.
As far as not communicating in person, some people just don’t like to communicate. Facebook messages are a low form of confrontation along with texts or e-mails. If people do not want to invest in someone enough to take time to talk face to face than no matter what they will find a way to avoid it… if not facebook messages it would be something else.
Too personal? I guess this situation could happen. However, most people who are on Facebook are supposed to be adults. Adults should be able to make these sorts of calls. If they can’t than they should probably start wearing diapers again too.
Addicted…. two words…. self control.
On March 28, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
Chioma said,
Ok, so I had to comment on this one, especially since you don’t have a Facebook account anymore. O di egwu, o. Granted, many a grade has dropped due to use of the Face, but people waste time on a lot of things!
There are a lot of people on Facebook that I have no other means of reaching. Since my dad has banned me from long-distance calls from my cell phone, I can only talk to my cousins in Nigeria through Facebook. And friends from boarding school? From my other high school? See? It’s useful!
Idk, no one should be ‘addicted’ to it. There are a lot addictions out there that are much more exciting…
Back to the P.O.
PEACE
On November 22, 2008 @ 8:45 am