Ship of Fools: We Hates Facebook, My Preciousss

Thread: We Hates Facebook, My Preciousss Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Anna B (# 1439) on :

The parade of self-promotion, self-pity, cute things my child said/did, pompous NY Times articles, political screeds, and cat videos is really more than enough to make one retch. Especially since I've participated in all of the above and dislike myself heartily for it.

Lent is almost here. I've given it up for Lent before and found it helpful. So helpful that I wish I had the ability to do it all year round. I don't. 'Cause I'm addicted.

Facebook. Because ordinary life is---wait a minute, what was the point of Facebook again?

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

I'm not in the least addicted to Facebook. I visit about once a day, if that, share some silly photos and keep up with people I hardly ever see. It serves a useful purpose.

My addiction is right here on our beloved Ship. I reckon I visit at least ten times a day [Eek!]

[ 26. January 2013, 10:49: Message edited by: Boogie ]

Posted by Amorya (# 2652) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anna B:
wait a minute, what was the point of Facebook again?

For me, it's a shared event calendar and contact book. If someone's having a party and I'm invited, it'll almost certainly be a Facebook event. Then I can see who else is going, see what time it is and where (and be notified if the time changes), and can see if it clashes with anything else I'm doing. For contact information, people change phone numbers and email addresses all the time, but nobody changes Facebook account, so I can get their new contact info from there.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

I am much more in touch with some friends and rellies that I want to be in touch with. Plus I get fascinating dispatches from lives quite different to mine.

If your RL social contacts are sparse, and it's too cold to go out, it can be a definite lifebelt.

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

I've never joined although it gets harder and harder not to when all my church groups and lots of the sites I visit on the web expect you to link to Facebook for the discussion groups, Bible study, etc.

I have read that it is very hard to close a Facebook account and that it's from the bits of information you put on your site that much identity theft and worse occurs. Even if the site is just used to say Happy Birthday to family members or mention Mom is going into assisted living (send cards to this name and address) or that you just bought a new Caddilac from the Columbus dealer -- now someone knows your birthday, your maiden name, your city and that you have good credit.

But that's why I'm afraid of it. Why I hate it is that it seems to be the source for the cute kitty, sappy nostalgia and fake inspirational stories that my brother and my husband's twelve brothers and sisters use to forward "You'll love this!" messages to our e-mail account.

It doesn't help that they all seem to think we're Republicans and that we get a big kick out of the nasty anti-Obama propaganda they send.

Yes, now we've seen their kitten's pictures and we know that their son-in-law has a new job, but they don't know we're liberal Democrats or what church we attend. They don't know that we didn't laugh at their jokes and that five other people have sent us the footprints in the sand story. They don't even ever stop to think that we don't have grandchildren and never will and hearing joyous news about the 30-50 grandchildren of Hub's 12 siblings might be a bit of a downer on some days.

So while it is keeping in touch, it's in such a superficial way that I think it gives a false feeling of intimacy. We never, ever answer these sort of e-mails, yet no one has noticed that enough to take us off the group list.

Sometimes they stop and spend the night on their way from the north to the south and it's clear then that they know nothing about us, yet we have gone to family reunions and funerals, Hubs makes long phone calls and we've seen the others when they come through. It's clear they never communicate with each other about the sort of serious one-on-one conversations they might have in real life. I know I'm blurring Facebook and e-mails but they seem to feed each other.

Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :

I found Facebook a great help when I was going through a difficult period.

However I've left off it for a month or so now.

It seems a way of letting your friends know that you've been to a social event to which they're not invited.

I also got sick and furious at seeing lots of people being wildly enthusiastic about a dead horse I won't mention that I don't care for.

My "friends" (acquaintances would be a better word) have a variety of social, religious and politcal views, some of which I don't really want to know about. I was deeply fed up at one point to notice that if I as much as glanced at a newspaper article, it was on my wall: I'd rather have my privacy and my "friends" only to know aspects of me that I choose or they guess. (My sexuality is not one of those aspects.)

Facebook just assumes we are homogenous and its not the place for serious discussion.

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :

I eventually signed up to Facebook after being asked to be friends with several people (most of whom I saw regularly in any case).

But I very quickly got fed up with finding out that Mary Smith had just had a nice cup of tea or seeing a picture of Bill Jones with a silly look on his face.

So I gave up bothering a year or so ago. Facebook is now my most constant friend on e-mail but I can ignore that.

If I miss out on a party because no-one is interested enough in me being there to ask me directly, so be it.

M.

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

quote:
Originally posted by M.:

But I very quickly got fed up with finding out that Mary Smith had just had a nice cup of tea or seeing a picture of Bill Jones with a silly look on his face.

Those are my favourite bits. [Big Grin]

Get bored of the non personal links but love the silly minutia of everyday life and people's personal status updates.

I grew up as an expat and my closest friends are now spread all over the world so seeing them have a cup of tea in China or North Carolina while I'm in Australia is a great blessing!

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by venbede:
... lots of people being wildly enthusiastic about a dead horse ...

You do realise, don't you, that it's only on the Ship that that doesn't sound totally macabre?

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

FB is what you make it. It's allowable to either Unfriend or simply 'Hide' posts from specific people. That, and the fact that I do not have a large number of Friends means that when I check in, I am only seeing things that genuinely interest me from people I like.

Nothing says you have to accept every request, read every post. Prune.

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:

quote:
Originally posted by venbede:
... lots of people being wildly enthusiastic about a dead horse ...
You do realise, don't you, that it's only on the Ship that that doesn't sound totally macabre?

Nah, facebook's and works full of stuff about the most recent dead horse thread...oh wait those dead horses.

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by M.:
I eventually signed up to Facebook after being asked to be friends with several people . . . but I very quickly got fed up with finding out that Mary Smith had just had a nice cup of tea . . . so I gave up bothering.

My experience exactly. I deleted my account and will never go back. If something happens that is so unimportant that it doesn't rate a phone call or, better still, a personal visit, then my life is none the worse off for not knowing about it.

Posted by infinite_monkey (# 11333) on :

I absolutely adore Facebook.

I was initially pretty skeptical about the whole thing, and joined it grudgingly. Of course, it's a sea of "I'm somewhere exotic and you're not" and "Hey it's my dinner", but it's also little beautiful moments of human connection--one person saying, "I'm having trouble with this right now", and friends offering their own perspectives, and soon people who aren't connected to each other in real life make a connection through the mutual friend.

In day to day interactions, I'm fairly guarded and quiet--I don't usually say what's on my mind, I feel anxious about expressing an opinion, it's especially hard for me to speak up in a group. I'm more comfortable writing than I am talking. Facebook has been an arena where I've intentionally challenged myself to speak up more, because it's within the zone of what's comfortable for me--I can see the words before I "say" them, and I don't have to deal with the physical anxiety I get when I'm seeing many people at once and hearing my voice above all of those people.

Discovering that people in this virtual medium welcome my voice and dialog with it has given me a bit more comfort in taking that out to the actual world. And I'm super grateful for that.

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

I like facebook because we with family all over the world, can contact each other and speak to each other etc. But it is very busy, with all sorts of things people do.

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :

Yes, like most everything, it's both a blessing and a curse.
But it does help me to keep up with what's happening in a very large extended family, as there seems to be at least one facebook addict in each branch. I can happily go without looking for days, but in the interests of keeping up with all the babies being born each year, and trying to help the next generation of cousins, second cousins and third cousins know of one another's existence, it is a valuable tool for communication. Saves a heap on cards too, when you can just post a simple greeting, then everybody's happy.

But I have learned the hard way to be wary of posting an opinion, or even replying to one. There should be a claxon alert that automatically sounds when anyone does that. It might help defuse a few minefields and save a whole lot of face.

Print is still print. Typer beware.

Posted by cattyish (# 7829) on :

I hate unfriending people. I am, however, about to have a clear out necause it's just ridiculous.

Cattyish, off to make me feel guilty.

Posted by W Hyatt (# 14250) on :

I am an introvert and determined to avoid having a Facebook account, at least for as long as I can. However, it seems to me that routine, day-to-day interactions with people we care about play a huge role in making life enjoyable and in helping us feel connected. Facebook is a powerful tool that helps a lot of people maintain those connections and helps them counteract the tendency for modern life to isolate us from each other. I haven't yet used it myself, but I have no trouble understanding why so many people do.

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :

I love facebook.

Keeps me in touch far and wide with friends and family out of the area. I also like the daily having some tea and working in the garden stories. I also enjoy the family pictures share. Not big on the general share stories and other stuff, so I just skip past. I also give it up for Lent other then the church facebook page which I administer so I am stuck with updating the events there.

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

I'm a fairly recent convert to Facebook - there are several friends who have moved to other parts of the country (one to Australia) who I normally only keep in contact with at Christmas. But I find it much better to get their news in small instalments throughout the year rather than all at once at the busiest time of year.

Ditto with people I used to see in the school playground every day, when our children went to school together, or people with whom I used to work and therefore see every day in the staff room. Now we all lead busy lives doing different things, but Facebook gives us a chance to catch up just for a few moments during the week.

There are also special interest groups on Facebook which work rather like the Ship - where you can post messages to people all over the world who you'd never meet in real life but who share the same interest as you. My favourite is the Choral Evensong Appreciation group.

I don't really want to know which games my cousin is playing and how many silver buttons she wants me to collect for her(!) but I could always block those if they really bothered me that much. Instead I can just scroll past them really quickly....

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

I'm a Facebook user, but on my terms. I usually take a peek in the morning, especially to see if my kiddos posted any pictures. (Love seeing the Granddaughter!) Methodist musicians have notices of music, both free and to purchase. (The choir is singing a free one tomorrow!)

So, I find it useful in some ways. And it can be entertaining.

I do like the funny things that people post about music! And George Takei is hysterical! [Big Grin]

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

Like most people here, I find that Facebook has blessings and curses. I tend to ignore requests to play Farmville (whatever that is), but I enjoy being in touch with people I haven't seen for years (and had long lost contact with).

I've only ever "unfriended" someone once; it was someone I don't know in Real Life who was a fellow-member of an interest group. He was very rude about the work of another of my FB friends (who is an acquaintance in Real Life) and I didn't see why the RL friend should have to see this cr*p being written about him under my name, so I not only "unfriended" the first bloke, but blocked his posts as well.

I can't see me leaving FB any time soon though, especially not as long as my nephew and niece-in-law use it to chronicle the cuteness of my great-niece.

[Axe murder]

Posted by Augustine the Aleut (# 1472) on :

I avoided it with great principle and fortitude for a number of years, but discovered that it was the only realistic way of staying in touch with a number of far-off friends and fellow peregrinos. I regularly decline friend requests from people I do not know and tend to stay away from Liking things (although who can resist the Zoltan Kodaly Girls School Band, and the Mambas Negras Roller Derby Team?)-- upon reviewing my Likes, I find that my author choices of Cavafy, Barbara Pym, Anthony Trollope, Pavel Florensky and Antonio Machodo might give idle readers a slightly inaccurate portrait of my tastes.

I am a bit annoyed that it tries to get me to Like things at the behest of advertisers but, as I'm not paying them for the service, I can hardly complain at the advertising.

I like to post photos of interesting meals I have cooked, and get lots of complaints from people in faraway places that I did not invite them. I tell them that I always set an extra place for Jacob and it is their own fault that they do not take advantage of it.

Posted by Athrawes (# 9594) on :

I use it a lot to keep in touch with familly and school friends. At the moment, I am using it even more than normal for emergency services updates, as it's brilliant for knowing which roads are being cut, which areas are at risk etc. I tend to scroll past/block posts from people who are political etc.

Posted by churchgeek (# 5557) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
If your RL social contacts are sparse, and it's too cold to go out, it can be a definite lifebelt.

Ditto depression and distance.

I've also done some networking, and had many really deep discussions over links or posts from myself or others.

I don't think it would be healthy for me to give it up for Lent. It keeps me connected to too many friends back home. I suppose one could, for Lent, determine to spend x amount of time on it per day, and/or visit it only once per day.

One could also attempt to change the quality and content of one's posts. (Notice how I'm using 3rd person...distancing myself...) For example, swearing off games, or political posts, or glurge; or choosing to post a reflection on Scripture each day, or post only things that will definitely be useful to someone specific; or deciding to go to the facebook pages of neglected friends and reconnect with them more deeply; or to restrain from clicking "like," deciding either to respond with a thoughtful comment or not at all.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by churchgeek:

One could also attempt to change the quality and content of one's posts.

Yes but ... where's the fun in that? I got the most answers recently to my question 'Should I buy that tiger onesie?'

(Yes - a serious question!)

[Smile]

Posted by rolyn (# 16840) on :

There is a simple little motto in our house..

..."We don't do Facebook or Twitter"

As for the Ship ? I guess it might take a few Hell calls to completely get rid of me [Razz]

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cattyish:
I hate unfriending people. I am, however, about to have a clear out necause it's just ridiculous.

Cattyish, off to make me feel guilty.

Muahaha ... I've survived. [Biased]

Me? A Facebook junky? Nevah!

Posted by Desert Daughter (# 13635) on :

I had an account some years ago but after a while got depressed with reading other people's posts: peepholes into banality, really.

I deleted my account when they introduced timeline. I also saw no use for it. The people that matter to me and I keep in touch through phonecalls, letters (yes, ink on paper!! [Eek!]

) and visits. The others can send me e-mails which I might answer.

Posted by claret10 (# 16341) on :

I guess for me it's the disracting ability of the silly games and a quick way of sharing photos.

rarely post anything about myself and find some peoples spew of regurgitated supposed affirmations and repost this and you'll have good luck irritating.

OTOH one of my nonfriends has a gd sense of humout and posts rediculous jokes every day, quite entertaining.

Could i do without it, NO, gives me a sense ok i accept a false one, of actually being part of something.

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :

Am I the only person whom the thought of being tracked down on FB by a whole load of people from the past fills with horror?

[Paranoid]

Posted by Galilit (# 16470) on :

Nope - learned that one the hard way when I signed up on one of those old schools sites.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Thyme:
Am I the only person whom the thought of being tracked down on FB by a whole load of people from the past fills with horror?

Only in that I wouldn't remember who on earth they were!

Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :

Being misanthropic I can honestly say: “Never have, never will.”

It is a tool of Satan. Never has there been a vehicle of gossip, envy and self delusion like it in all history.

Time is short. Repent.

Fly Safe, Pyx_e

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

the Pyxenator hath spoken. Take heed.

Posted by Signaller (# 17495) on :

Dame Celia and the offspring are on it. I'm not. So I get called in to see the cute kittens, never mind that there's a real one sitting on my keyboard.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Signaller:
never mind that there's a real one sitting on my keyboard.

Quick! Take a photo and post it on FB!

Posted by Huntress (# 2595) on :

I've 'had' Facebook (sounds like something contagious - well, perhaps...) since 2005 and still use it, though make sure to keep a check on my usage and how many times a day / week I log in. I've also now changed my usage of Facebook and after a couple of unpleasant incidents, limit post / uploaded photo visibility to the 'close friends' list. I keep everyone else I am connected with as 'friends' because of diplomacy - some of my family are not on my close friends lit but I don't want to cause epic storms in teacups by 'unfriending'.

Advantages:

Greater connection with members of my spread-out family, especially decades-older cousins with whom I now have a real genuine friendship, thanks to it being grown and nourished by Facebook conversations and comments on photos etc (not just clicking 'like' and leaving it at that).

The nice insight into friend's lives - I like seeing pictures of a batch of home-made jam or a friend's kid with their first snowman. If I get tired of such posts, I just scroll past.

Disadvantages:

The brutality of 'unfriend'. Instead of quietly letting a friendship fade into the ether - and some friendships do, in the real world, die a natural death - there is now the official 'unfriend' function.

Reinforcement of exclusion: OK so you realise that you're not invited to, say, a wedding which perhaps you had a reasonable expectation of attending. You get to see various posts about the planning of and run up to said event and then the pictures start popping up on multiple accounts afterwards. It's a choice of either unsubscribing to various friends' feeds for a while or going cold turkey for a couple of weeks.

Ersatz communication: my personal experience is that I haven't realised the huge length of time elapsed since I actually saw or had a proper phone conversation, or even sent a private text to a friend because we have swapped little comments and 'likes' back and forth on Facebook.

False privacy: this is where I have made mistakes - namely, forgetting that Facebook is a semi-public forum and that a conversation I have with a friend which is not in the private message capacity can be seen and commented on by whomever is on my 'friends' list. Shortly after a bad experience with this I hastily sorted out my 'close friends' list and privacy settings.

Posted by Drifting Star (# 12799) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:
Originally posted by churchgeek:

One could also attempt to change the quality and content of one's posts.
Yes but ... where's the fun in that? I got the most answers recently to my question 'Should I buy that tiger onesie?'

(Yes - a serious question!)

I'm afraid I don't think we talked her out of it... [Eek!]

I dislike the machine that is Facebook, but I love the way it gathers together my online friends from various different places, as well as other friends who are geographically distant. I feel as though I can have coffee with friends every day. I also love it when my trendy 16 year old goddaughter is chatting with someone who is completely outside her usual world in the comments under my status update.

I am stringent in checking and rechecking my privacy settings, and nobody will ever find me or my posts by searching unless they are friends of one of my friends. I don't post any pictures that matter (I occasionally link to pictures on Flickr, because that way Facebook doesn't get any rights over them). I also have Social Fixer installed which allows me to keep it pretty well under control.

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :

Friends of friends can see me, but not my posts. Only friends can see my posts. I haven't graded friends, but basically if I know them they can have access to anything I say - it' hardly riveting. [Snore]

I had someone in the Staff Room see if they could find me. They couldn't. I think it's all pretty safe, really - and it's free.

Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :

quote:
I think it's all pretty safe, really

Ahhhh he's so cute.

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :

I signed up so that I could check on whether my adult children, living away from home, were still alive - without nagging at them all the time!

And when The Intrepid Miss S was asked at an interview whether she had any embarrassing photos on FB, she replied 'My Mum is on Facebook, so of course not!'

Mrs. S, serving some uses at least [Two face]

Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :

Facebook works as long as you apply the right account settings, don't use it at work, don't reply to the chain letters, and don't try to have discussions.
Ship = discussions
FB = finding old friends.

If you really want to be perverse and don't mind telling people your real name there is always the FB Ship of Fools (closed) group.

Posted by ChaliceGirl (# 13656) on :

I like Facebook, I find it entertaining. I have connected up with some really cool people from the past, and have met new people. I belong to a FB group that is dedicated to talking about fun things from the past and I enjoy partaking in the conversation.

However, there are some things that annoy me, such as memes, images or posts only intended to get a million "likes", for example :

I love my child more than anything in the world!-LIKE if you agree!"

"I miss someone who is heaven!-LIKE if you feel this way too!"

Pleese...just once I'd like to see "I can't stand my bratty kids! I hate them today! LIKE if you feel this way too!"

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :

Facebook? What's facebook?

Never used it, absolutely no inclination to do so.

Posted by Organ Builder (# 12478) on :

I didn't really expect to love it when I first signed up, but I do. I have a number of different groups of friends.

There's the usual group of people with whom I went to High School--other than growing up in a small New Mexico town in the 1970s, we don't really have much in common. There are people with whom I went to college. I've enjoyed getting in touch with that group much more--and discovered I have more in common with some of them now than I did then.

There are several "organ groupies"--people who send friend requests to anyone else involved in our rather arcane field. As a result, I've had a chance to see pictures of churches and organs from Holland, Italy, and a variety of other places. I enjoy that--one sees the "bread and butter" instruments which are often missing when one is looking at pictures of "Famous organs of Wherever".

There is the usual group of relatives--including the discovery of a number of cousins I never really knew I had, found when I began to be interested in genealogy. There is my mother's first cousin, whose posts reveal her to be a lot more fun (and a lot more spicy...) than I would ever have thought from someone of that generation on my mother's side. I've learned a lot.

I'm also friends on facebook with a number of fellow shipmates. It surprised me at first just how much I enjoy them--there is less formality, and perhaps a more natural interaction. Although I haven't met them in person (yet) I enjoy the fact that facebook is more like an unstructured conversation. I've noticed it also makes me more attentive to what they have to say here on the Ship.

Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :

FB is great for those who found that no-one reads their blog.

Doesn't the world revolve around our little patch of awareness? The world revolves around what I think, find interesting, what I do. FB confirms that my real world detachment is only a "like" away from starring in a really great drama where people all encourage and comment nicely about each other and resolve problems with laugh tracks, as someone reposts something I reposted from someone I know only from their picture and that they're a friend of a friend's acquaintance.

My current status:
getting out of bed to go to work, hope the boss isn't a douche today!!!! think I'll have some toast WITH JAM!!! for breakfast!!!! I dreamed nice dreams last night. May all your dreams come true today!!!! May you all all have a GREAT GR* Day!!!! LOL!!! Please like my status! Hugs to everyone!!!

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

I'm taking it that's not a 'Like'?

It hinges, ISTM, on the uses of banality. We visited this a little while since on a thread on small talk. It is the egg in the mix of social cohesion. It is the alleviation of small ills, and the sharing of modest achievements. It is the stepping stone to deeper exchanges.

Having said which, all my FB friends are amusing and erudite, and we spend our time in swapping witty repartee, piercing insights, moving reflections, and pix of kittens playing with wool.

Posted by Organ Builder (# 12478) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Having said which, all my FB friends are amusing and erudite, and we spend our time in swapping witty repartee, piercing insights, moving reflections, and pix of kittens playing with wool.

You left out the pictures of gourmet meals!

Really, though, Facebook is what you make of it. It can be wonderful, or it can be a huge waste of time (or both). Not unlike the Ship in that regard...

Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :

I tried going without Facebook and replacing it with real-life interactions for a while, but some of my friends got really pissy about me turning up to their house and asking to look at some pictures of their girlfriend in a bikini. [Devil]

Posted by angelfish (# 8884) on :

The way people use FB tells you a lot about their insecurities. Deep down, we are all seeking affirmation, so the things people post show you what it is they seek affirmation for. That's my opinion, any way.

Posted by Traveller (# 1943) on :

I only have a Facebook account so that my wife can find herself and check what non-friends can see of her own Facebook account. [Eek!]

It doesn't stop Facebook regularly sending me e-mails saying it has found some people I may know from my own category - retired! [Big Grin]

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

Not sure whether my FB friends are different than most, but I find I prefer the regular updates to Christmas Letters because people are more honest. In Round Robins, everyone makes their families sound so perfect, with all their achievements listed. However, on FB, people tend to shoot from the hip, annoyances as well as celebrations. So you get to find that their kids have wound them up, made a mess, didn't succeed at getting their dream job, or whatever. It's much more true to life.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by angelfish:
The way people use FB tells you a lot about their insecurities. Deep down, we are all seeking affirmation, so the things people post show you what it is they seek affirmation for.

I must be wildly insecure about dawns and sunsets.

Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
I tried going without Facebook and replacing it with real-life interactions for a while, but some of my friends got really pissy about me turning up to their house and asking to look at some pictures of their girlfriend in a bikini.

Where is the like button?

Posted by kankucho (# 14318) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:

quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
I tried going without Facebook and replacing it with real-life interactions for a while, but some of my friends got really pissy about me turning up to their house and asking to look at some pictures of their girlfriend in a bikini.
Where is the like button?

To really piss them off, take a single plated meal round with you, show it to them, then eat it all yourself,

Posted by Winnow (# 5656) on :

My use of Facebook has evolved ... started as a way to connect with friens, relatives, and long-lost old friends and relatives, and to keep up with goings-on of everyone.

But I've discovered so many very interesting facebook pages devoted to my various intersts, or stuff I'm wanting to get interested in, and I've "liked" them and boy am I learning a lot. It's really really cool.

And as cat-people, DH and love the cat pictures [Hot and Hormonal]

, and all the wild animal and bird sites. Not intersted in the photos of what-you-fixed-for-dinner (usually looks unappetizing) or vacations or the invitations to join the crazy games. Don't have time for that nonsense.

I love to have fun with political stuff -- if I disagree with their opinions (and I do disagree with a fair number of friends and relatives) I usually just post "hoghwash" or "baloney" or something of that sort ... I have to say SOMETHING. [Biased]

So I like facebook, but some parts of it bug me to death. I threaten to leave occasionally, but never do ...

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

I like FB, because I can try to beat Kelly (may she live forever), St. Sebastian, Pants and Sharkshooter in Angry Birds. [Snigger]

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

She said, as she just trounced Kelly on the weekly tournament. [Razz]

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

(Hi, my name is Kelly, and I am a Facebook games addict. I also have a competitive streak I never knew I had.) [Snigger]

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Winnow:
Not intersted in the photos of what-you-fixed-for-dinner (usually looks unappetizing)

Yes - it usually looks awful! these friends need some lessons in food photography! My usual response is 'bleugh' (verbally of course, I stay silent online!

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

This is not a trend I've noticed. Why would you want to photograph your (cooling) dinner rather than eating it?

It just goes to show, no one FB style is normative.

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

I joined facebook because no one was sending me pictures of anything

It's also useful to keep tabs on people who have drifted away from the Ship.

I don't unfriend anyone easily, but don't irritate me.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
This is not a trend I've noticed. Why would you want to photograph your (cooling) dinner rather than eating it?

Who can say? I've seen this, though not with anyone I'm linked to on FB. There was a spate of this on an amateur photography site I was on, too: which even spawned a Crap Photos parody with pictures of plates of half eaten dinners with a dirty fork stuck into them, with a hideous colour cast over the photo.

Anyway, being on FB is now saving me the postage, I no longer have to buy stationery and books of stamps in order to post photos of my dinner to all my friends. [Big Grin]

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

The only person I see posting food pictures is one of my young relatives who has recently started university and therefore is learning by experience how to cook for herself and her friends every night. She is justifiably quite proud of her efforts and needs a little encouragement from all of us!

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :

quote:
Am I the only person whom the thought of being tracked down on FB by a whole load of people from the past fills with horror?

Nope. That's why my old schools, university and previous work record aren't in my FB record.

What baffles me is the little link to Facebook that pops up every time you buy something on Amazon. Who WANTS all their Facebook 'friends' to know that they've just bought the complete series of 'My Fluffy Little Magic Secret Unicorn'?* These shameful secrets should be shrouded in decent obscurity.

*It's not for me, it's for my daughter.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:

What baffles me is the little link to Facebook that pops up every time you buy something on Amazon. Who WANTS all their Facebook 'friends' to know that they've just bought the complete series of 'My Fluffy Little Magic Secret Unicorn'?*

Doubtless in hopes that word of mouth will cause the sales of Fluffy Magic Unicorn books to go through the roof.

Married as I am to someone who has a book Out There, we cherish any online commendations we see (as do the Publishers).

Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on :

I've posted food pictures several times. However, NOT after the meal is already begun to be eaten!

Frankly it's mostly for the colour combinations. Or shapes. I photographed some strawberries in a bowl once because they were very red and wet and glistening and had happily arranged themselves in an artful manner worthy of a still life.

Posted by Organ Builder (# 12478) on :

I posted a picture of two olives once, but they were in a lovely vessel filled with Plymouth Gin and a small amount of dry vermouth. It was a thing of beauty.

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :

Firenze:

quote:
Doubtless in hopes that word of mouth will cause the sales of Fluffy Magic Unicorn books to go through the roof.

I can see why the publishers and author would like you to tell all your friends. What I can't understand is why you yourself would want to do so...

Perhaps I am just bitter and twisted as a result of having to feign enthusiasm for Fluffy Magic Unicorn books (hey, at least she's reading SOMETHING).

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Get her Fluffy Magic Unicorns Discuss Client Server Protocols. That'll put her off. (Robbed me of the will to live.)

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by orfeo:
I've posted food pictures several times. However, NOT after the meal is already begun to be eaten!

Frankly it's mostly for the colour combinations. Or shapes. I photographed some strawberries in a bowl once because they were very red and wet and glistening and had happily arranged themselves in an artful manner worthy of a still life.

There is nothing wrong with food photography [Smile]

It's when photos of a soggy grey mess with the words 'my tea, yum!' are posted that I shake my head.

Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :

My FB avatar (or whatever they call them) is of me eating ice cream!

[ 02. February 2013, 11:31: Message edited by: geroff ]

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :

I've never done Facebook as a person, but my blog now has its own page. I just dropped that in on the off-chance that someone might want to "Like" it.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Great Gumby:
I've never done Facebook as a person, but my blog now has its own page. I just dropped that in on the off-chance that someone might want to "Like" it.

What is the hairy mound of grey stuff?

[Eek!]

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