Seriously though. I'm not questioning the existence of Facebook or any social media site. Checking Facebook is one of the first things I do in the morning. Because I'm bored? Because I'm nosy? Because I'm a fidgeter and I don't smoke?
I do ask myself the question a lot: what is Facebook for? As in - what are we supposed to put on Facebook and do different social media sites require different types of content from their users?
We get asked that same question every day. Several times for most of us. 'What's on your mind?' For those of us who don't really pay attention (me included) that's what Facebook asks in it's status bar. A lot of people will look at this and think it's a rant about what people put on Facebook. And I could. I probably will. But my argument isn't exactly what people put on there. My qualm is with Facebook itself.
It annoys me in a lot of ways. I don't think anyone who owns Facebook isn't annoyed by some of what their friends put on it. I bet I'm a huge culprit of this. Sometimes, as I put up my latest status, a photo, my latest page of my Page a Day project - does anyone really care?
But then what is it for? Who am I to say what someone decides to put on their personal Facebook page. I do believe there are some limits though. I am strongly against internet bullying. I've fallen out with people because I didn't agree what they put on their Facebook because some things are just offensive. I stick by my guns to this day, because as strong (and right) as freedom of speech is, sometimes I think you have to wonder. Will what I'm putting out their for the internet to see be offensive to someone? If the answer is yes, then maybe think about what you're writing.
Very few people actually want to cause offense. And if you want to put your opinion as your status that's absolutely fine, just construct it in a way that sounds like a debate, not an outright accusation or insult. And that's something I see every day. Not a lot on Facebook, but on Twitter and especially Tumblr, that wonderful land where everyone has an opinion and everyone is always right so help them God.
So I'd never say people shouldn't put their opinions on Facebook. That's censorship, against human rights and just a little bit Nazi. But thinking about the words that come out of our mouth should extend to our typing fingers. We grow up being told to think about what we're saying. I do think some people need to consider what they put on the internet.
So what is it for? Debate? Showing off is a big one. Sometimes we use Facebook to show our wares, our latest holiday, shiny new car or purchase. Sometimes I think the world was better without it. Because sometimes I sit there, look at someone showing off and Peter Griffin jumps into my head. 'Who the hell cares?'
But of course some people do. Family and friends who actually want to see people do well. Facebook's wonderful for that. So the fault there might lie with me. Am I bitter for seeing someone with a better day than mine? The answer, usually is yes. So who's in the wrong? Nobody really other than Facebook itself. But then wouldn't small updates about your day be more suited to Twitter? That stream of snippets of our thoughts, days and whims?
Is anything that breeds jealousy a good thing? But then is that our own faults as jealous people. More often than not I'm just inclined to side with Peter Griffin. But it's an interesting debate. One I'm sure that will kick off on Facebook. Most likely in capital letters.
Facebook is the land of the misconstrued. The place where we discover that sarcasm really doesn't translate online. Everyone's looking for an argument and everyone has an opinion to give. Do we have a right to? Yes. Is it tiring sometimes. Yes. Should I stop thinking about it? Probably.
A lot of people who know me will smell a double standard. I met my girlfriend of 2 years because of the internet. Through YouTube video blogs and then Tumblr. We spent a year living 80 miles apart and Facebook made that a lot easier. Facebook has a thousand plus points to balance the negatives. The internet is a wonderful place. Here is an infinite land where everyone is connected and you can create content: videos, films, books, blogs, art, plays, anything you desire and most of it is completely free. Like most things on earth you can always find a flip side. The half of the glass that's full. So I am enternally grateful for the internet.
So what is Facebook for? Procrastinating? Showing off? Taking away the necessity for conversation and actually having friends? What's the point when there's a handy like button to show that you're still hanging around. I like to think a big reason me and Charlotte celebrate our 2 year anniversary in just under two weeks is that our relationship wasn't exclusively on Facebook. We made the time for each other in spite of those 80 miles.
We're all culprits of the Facebook downsides, that's the annoying thing. Some days, when I look at Facebook and consider all these things I do wonder. We were probably better off without.
Will that stop me going on it every 5 minutes?
The internet has us. There is no escape.
Don't get me started on Tumblr.
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