Monday, July 5, 2010

Death to Social Networkings Sites

I discovered the wonderful world of Facebook roughly 3 years ago when some of my friends mentioned their pages. So I created one myself, in spite of feeling skeptical. I was comfortable with Myspace. I could decorate my page, I knew how to write code for my layouts, and had a ton of glittery pictures and icons. Facebook was not nearly as shiny. However, I began to notice that it had more of my adult friends than Myspace. Then I realized something. Facebook was a grown up version of myspace. We had Flair. Flair is so much cooler than Icons. Anyone who has seen Office Space knows this. So I made the move to Facebook and my visits to Myspace became less frequent, ultimately ending when a few friendships ended. This opened a whole new can of worms. As I soon learned, anyone can post their opinions on their page leaving them susceptable to other people's counter opinions. There is no way to approve comments on Facebook. This is something I frequently miss about Myspace. I have come to understand, however, that Facebook etiquette dictates that if one does not agree with another person's post and feels the need to comment, then one must send a private message, so as not to start Facebook wars. Not everyone follows this protocol. That sort of pisses me off. I don't mind good spirited debates, I just dislike when my opinions and beliefs are trampled all over on my page. Then my husband pointed out that I should never post something I don't want someone to argue with me about. That annoyed me too, but he is right. Something is always lost in the translation when it is written down on a Facebook status update, or someone's discussion thread. Some people can be blunt- in person and online. Sometimes when a person reads what someone else is written, it can be interpreted incorrectly. This has happened to me numerous times. Many times it has led to serious private conversations, just to make sure each other understands what the other person has said and that there are no hard feelings. (I tend to be sensitive.) A few times I have even requested to speak with the offending friend on the phone, and only have been denied this one time with the comment that I should consider our friendship over. To this day I have been reassured that I was not the one who did wrong, but it always bothered me. So then I thought, wouldn't it be better if we didn't have social networking sites altogether? I have such a hard time with being general on my facebook page. I will always express my opinions, and likely always have issues when other people misunderstand me or judge me for my views. (I am working on this.) I try to keep an open mind and respect other people's views on their pages and rarely send them messages when I disagree. (True story.) I have many friends from all kinds of different backgrounds and belief systems. That is one of the things I love about this world- its diversity. But I think that gets lost somehow on social networking sites. Don't even get me started on formspring- that is just another place where teens can trash each other and hurt feelings totally anonymously. I see no point in formspring and think it is the lowest form of social networking sites out there. If I feel so strongly about social networking, then why do I have my facebook, twitter, and myspace? Well, as for my myspace page, I'm too lazy to delete it. Plain and simple. I log on from time to time to snatch an old photo I don't have saved to my current laptop. That's all. Facebook and I have a love hate relationship. I hate it for all the reasons I wrote here, but keep it simply because I can stay connected to all my friends that live everywhere. It is a much easier forum to stay in touch than calling 300 people every day. It is nice to be able to see what my friends are doing and where they are now. Perhaps someday I will muscle up and  get rid of the page altogether, but for now, facebook status misunderstandings are worth keeping in touch with my friends.  Sometimes I just need to remind myself that people who are disagreeing with me are not trying to hurt my feelings, but just sharing their opinion, no matter how blunt....As for Twitter? I don't know why I have one. It seems to be the fastest way to keep people posted about when I have to pee and when I am screening telemarketer calls or when I am grocery shopping. No one can misunderstand a tweet. At least, not my tweets. I am still trying to understand the importance of this medium, but I am not sure I will ever get it. That's OK. No one yells at me on Twitter. ;) :)

2 comments:

Lizzie said...

I think we were separated at birth somehow. :)

Crystal said...

Rofl, seriouslY! I would have to concur... especially after this weekend! You my soul sista. :)