First of all, what the heck is a 'poke'? I got people poking me right and left - what is that supposed to mean? Is that like the equivalent of a text message, except you are too lazy to write anything? Or is that a flirtatious gesture of some sort, but you only do it, when you have nothing productive to say to the person you are trying to flirt with? If people were really poking me we might have some lawsuits flying. I mean what is the deal with that? Maybe that's just their way of letting me know: "Hey, I'm still alive here, just wanted you to know. So here I am poking you so you know."
Well to all of you pokers out there - thank you, I now know you are still alive.
Next, what's with all the groups? I mean come on - what on earth would possess someone to join the "We're fans of Betty Crocker's 13 oz yellow cake mix that you can buy at Smith's for $3.99 on Saturday's on aisle 9" club? Isn't there some better way of letting people know what things you like? And, once you are a member of this club what then? Do you have meetings, or ever even talk to the other people in your club? Maybe it's a social networking tool to find contacts, or those with similar interests - or maybe you are just so incredibly bored that you have nothing better to do than sit on facebook and look for clubs that you can join? Well, good news, I think I will start the "I am on facebook because I have nothing better to do, oh yeah, by the way, I am looking at all 398 of your pictures, and reading all about you right now - why? Well, I've got nothing better to do" group - please feel free to join, all are welcome - and hey, who knows, we might even have a group meeting next week to discuss our stand on the upcoming election.
Third, what's with the gifts? So somebody 'gives' you a bottle of axe deodorant on facebook. WHAT does that mean? Is that a subtle hint? Is that because they are simply too cheap to give you a real one? And when you get these gifts, what do you do with them? Can you sell them, or reject one? Maybe one day there will be a facebook sub for santa and all of us can give all our bottles of axe deoorant, dead monkeys, and cardboard boxes to the local shelter - I'm sure they could use some electronic excitement.
Fourth - what's all the scandalous ads on their for? Just because I am on facebook doesn't mean I'm a sicko and want to 'meet 93 girls in 3 minutes' or 'get to know 47 hotties in 2.97 minutes with absolutely no work at all on your part.' Sad.
Fifth - So I actually like this feature of facebook - kind of. You can change how you are feeling so that everyone you've ever met can immediately know how you are feeling. I think we've definitely come a long way in this technological world we live in - we are now at the point where with one simple login to facebook I can know exactly how every person I ever met, and about 78 people I've never met who just added me as friends, feels.
Speaking of adding friends - what's with all these people who I haven't talked to for 17 years adding me as friends? Not that I don't want to be your friend - I just haven't seen you for 17 years, obvioulsy neither one of us made any sort of effort to keep being friends in the past 17 years, so what makes either one of us think that we are going to start now? If we have never talked in our entire lives, what difference does it make if we are actually friends of not on facebook? Is there a competition to see how many friends you can get - cause if there is, I'm sad I wasn't informed. I think I'll login to blackboard and send mass emails to everyone in every class I've ever taken and make sure they add me as a friend. By the way I looked this little bitty up on dictionary.com just for clarification purposes:
Friend:
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
Next time someone adds me as a friend I do think that I will ask them if they really feel that they can trust me - maybe I'll ask to borrow their car before I'll confirm their request. Or I guess I could just ask them if they will join me in battle and fight side by side with - willing to take a bullet for me, and die for our cause. If they can answer affirmatively to either of those - hey sure, let's be friends.
Well, this post is getting to the point where it's long enough that I'm sure many of you looked at it and thought twice before reading the whole thing, but there is one last thing that kind of strikes me as add about facebook.
Everyone seems to love facebook because "it's a way for me to keep in contact with people who I don't see." Here is my thought - and I could be wrong on this one, but just hear me out - If you really wanted to keep in contact with someone wouldn't you call them or something? If this person is really that important to you, wouldn't you find a way to keep in contact with them other than poking them or sending them electronic door hinges?
Next time someone adds me as a friend I do think that I will ask them if they really feel that they can trust me - maybe I'll ask to borrow their car before I'll confirm their request. Or I guess I could just ask them if they will join me in battle and fight side by side with - willing to take a bullet for me, and die for our cause. If they can answer affirmatively to either of those - hey sure, let's be friends.
Well, this post is getting to the point where it's long enough that I'm sure many of you looked at it and thought twice before reading the whole thing, but there is one last thing that kind of strikes me as add about facebook.
Everyone seems to love facebook because "it's a way for me to keep in contact with people who I don't see." Here is my thought - and I could be wrong on this one, but just hear me out - If you really wanted to keep in contact with someone wouldn't you call them or something? If this person is really that important to you, wouldn't you find a way to keep in contact with them other than poking them or sending them electronic door hinges?
7 comments:
I think that Facebook comes down to two things: 1. Society likes to "entertain themselves to death" even with the most pointless things just so they have "something to do" 2. It's an easy facade to have so that friends (whether pseudo or real) seem "safe".
People in person--no matter how good--are occasionally inconvienent, difficult to deal with, and take a lot of effort to keep a friendship going. Ironic thing is that exactly what makes their lasting friendship valuable. It's durable. It's real. Seems though that most people don't have time or care for that now. So they resort to what is easiest, appease their senses. Things like Facebook. See it when you want, close it when you don't.
Not saying that I like that or that either of these are the reason why I'm got on there (similar to your experience only it was contacting the others on an Internship in the UK last spring). Just some observations.
Wow! Nice write up. I agree totally. But, speaking of groups, make sure you join logan's fishtail group and I'm also a fan of "awkward engagement photos rock my socks" group, or whatever it's called.
I will not succumb!
well written. still laughing at that group you said you're gonna make, I am SO joining it.
Scott-
I would take a bullet for you, but not a fatal bullet, like to the head or heart, but in the arm or leg you can count on me. Heck, I'd take two in the leg for ya.
Facebook is a tool, just like tv or the internet, and you can use it for what you want. You're pretty much in total control of your Facebook use. Naturally people are going to put it to inane and even inappropriate use, but you're in charge of who can "poke" you, write on your wall, send you gifts, invite you to join stupid groups, etc.
I think it's ironic that you rag on the "keeping in touch with people you never see" motive...isn't that the whole purpose of a reunion? Like the one you're planning? To get back in touch with people you haven't seen in ages, find out about their life, see their spouse, kids, etc., and pick up the latest gossip about your mutual acquaintances? And then never speak to or see them again for another 10 years?
In Facebook's defense, it is nice to have a distant way of keeping in touch with some people. Now that I'm married, I just can't justify regular phone calls or emails to all the people I'd like to stay in contact with, partly because of the sheer time it would take, but mostly because it would be inappropriate to maintain that level of a relationship with my old guy friends. But Facebook (and blogging) is an impersonal-enough way to stay in touch. Now, when you get hitched, I'll know to heckle you to send me an invitation.
I'm not trying to be an apologetic for Facebook (neither am I trying to maintain my sassy reputation...sorry if I come off that way); I agree with almost everything you said, and I think that for the most part Facebook is either a narcissistic or nosy waste of time. But as for keeping in touch with people, that may be Facebook's one redeeming quality.
By the way, thanks for your thought-provoking posts! I almost always think, "Hey, I should respond to that..."
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