Okay before you panic and think that Facebook is once again changing please hear me out. I don’t have a fat clue if they are changing again anytime soon. This post isn’t about the changes that Mark Zuckerberg, Spiderman, and Justin Timberlake will make to Facebook. What? You don’t get what Spiderman and JT have to do with Facebook? Did you not see the documentary on it called The Social Network?
This post is about the new information that I see on Facebook. I used to get onto FB to get a glimpse into my friend’s and families’ lives. Even if it was a blurb about what they ate for lunch I appreciated seeing a little bit about them. Those days seem to be long gone.
Now, whenever I get onto FB, all I see is hate towards the President (apparently I have a lot of Republican friends), e-cards with funny messages that just happen to be on every other person’s page, invites to games that I’ll never play with you no matter how many times you invite me, and the fact that it’s really hot outside. Thankfully I never have to check with a weatherman anymore about the heat. All I have to do is check FB.
Now FB is your personal website so feel free to post on it whatever you choose. I hope you know that the above was meant to be funny. At the same time I do miss the old days of Facebook. I miss seeing what people were doing. I miss learning about people’s passions and interests. I miss not feeling like an add agency threw up on my new timeline that I still don’t fully understand. The new FB still confuses me.
The point is that FB is unlike anything else we’ve ever seen. Let’s use it to share our lives but to also make a difference. Here’s a challenge for us.
Today…
- Post one nice thing to someone else’s wall and it can’t be their birthday.
- Share one thing that you are learning.
- Ask one question that will get people talking.
Maybe then for one day only I can see what I used to see everyday on Facebook.
Do you like Facebook? Have you seen the Social Network? Do you miss Myspace?
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I so agree with you on all off this Rob. I dislike it being used as a soap box. Even FB has gotten lazy, with Instagram & all the premade cards.
Yes, I like FB but not as much as I used to.
Yes, I’ve seen The Social Network
No, I don’t miss My Space.
I will do all three challenges on FB today.
Yay Joan! You rock!
I’m not a fan of anything other than photo and status posts either, so I really make use of the subscription offer that Facebook does. A majority of my Facebook friends, I will see “only important” statuses. I also utilize the group features where I group people by closest friends, family, co-workers, etc. That way, I’m not seeing everyone and everything showing up on my feed.
Yes, I have seen The Social Network and really enjoyed the movie. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the movie, so I can’t remember all my thoughts about it.
No, I do not miss MySpace. Not at all.
On a site note, it seems like now-a-days, to stay in the “know,” you have to be a part of several different social networks. This is my dilemma: I have a few friends that tweet regularly on Twitter but won’t on Facebook. Most of my family are not even on Facebook anymore and will only post to Instagram. But a majority of my co-workers plus a few remaining friends still post frequently to Facebook. These days, it’s not just about one social platform to use.
Soyphet, I need to mess with the settings on Facebook. I have never organized it before. I also know what you mean about multiple social networks. I haven’t jumped on Instagram yet. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
Ah, Good ole Facebook! What can be said about social networking that hasn’t already been said about Chernobyl or some other tragic event in world history. Ok, maybe that’s a little extreme. I guess one cannot really deny we live in the Facebook age, and that Facebook has its positives. However, I believe social networking, smart phones, and iPads, have taken personal relationships out of society. It is a direct attack on our society making us a society that would rather read about “friends” than actual have meaningful conversation with them. What happens when the power goes off or our phones lose connections say for a few years? I guess we lose all 485 of our friend’s right?
My family does not partake in the trendy social network phase. The risk far exceed the benefits, and social media will never be able to replace having dinner with someone, a lunch, a home visit, a hug, handshake, a weekend camping trip, no matter how much we wished secretly it would. We are unfortunately at the point of no return when it comes to social media/networking. It will increase in popularity, and in my opinion we will ultimately become a lesser society because of it.
I remember a post you did some time ago. It still remains my favorite post you have done to date, it was called “Bring back the Human Videos”, I believe was the title. Social media has not only affected our secular society but also the church in my opinion. What happen to meeting during the week not just Sundays for prayer groups at the church building instead of just “staying in touch on facebook”? I haven’t been to a church in a long time where it didn’t seemed church just ends on Sundays, and I rarely hear from the patrons during the week.
I believe a lot of this is due impart to the fact we believe that relationships can be maintained through WebPages and not interaction. My point in bringing up the human video post was that we use to use media to touch people with a bonding message, instead of a quick check in.
I digress..lol.
Joseph, I hear ya. I like to connect on Facebook and through the blog when it’s not possible to connect in person. I also have internet friends that I’ve never met. I have enjoyed getting to know people through the blog. It doesn’t replace person to person but it can be beneficial.
At one point I had gotten up to nearly 50 “friends” on facebook. But the truth is that these “friends” were essentially all strangers to me. So, I essentially removed all but a couple. I really don’t use facebook for anything, so it adds no value to my life and certainly is something that if it disappeared I wouldn’t give it a second thought.
Daniel, I hear ya. I have a lot of friends on Facebook that I actually don’t know. It drives Monica crazy. I hope to be able to leverage Facebook for my blog and or my book if it ever comes out. Ultimately I hope to make God famous through it all.
What’s Facebook?
: )
Ricky, stay strong. You are one of the few who isn’t on it.
I have to disagree with what most people said! I looooove facebook! Especially now that I have a baby. It’s so much easier to keep family & friends up to date on our family, our life, our happenings using facebook. And I also happen to love that people use facebook as a soapbox. I like watching people’s passions argued & talked about on facebook. Whether its politics, education, or the like, it’s interesting to see people’s different views on the subject. Ecards and instagram are part of my favorites. Just about the only thing I don’t like about facebook are the game requests. And for the record, disliking the President doesn’t mean you’re a Rebpulican
Love facebook, I’ve seen Social Network, and no I don’t miss MySpace
Danielle, I love the pictures of babies and posts about people’s passions. I’m talking more about the adds that bash on the president. I was on there the other day and I didn’t see one personal post. It was all adds, funny e cards, and corny Jesus type banners. I just wanted to see one update that was personal.
I have a love/dislike relationship towards fb lately. In my opinion, there has been a lot of gossip, ugly comments, and passive aggressiveness posted within the last few months (the e-cards are one way of ‘saying’ what you feel without actually saying it to the person it’s aimed at). People have a WAY bigger pair of balls on fb than they would ever have in person, and that bothers me. I would agree that I miss the old fb, too. Just regular old status updates and pictures. And going on an on about politics on fb- poor taste in my opinion. Thank goodness we’re all allowed an opinion!
Leah, people definitely are more courageous online then they are in person.
Oh- one more thing that I don’t like is the tension/pressure that’s there to post every single thing you do throughout your day. As if not posting it means it didn’t happen. I fall into this trap and I don’t like it. Just because I didn’t post it, doesn’t mean it didn’t/isn’t happening. Does that make sense?
Leah, I know what you mean. I go to things like concerts and see nobody paying attention because everyone is on their phones.
Love your post Rob! I think this is why I have been leaning more toward Twitter than FB. It seems more like positive thoughts & photos shared with friends. More like the “old” FB.
Challenge accepted…
Thanks Amber! I also enjoy Twitter for those same reasons.
I am not into political stuff, so yeah, the back and forth arguments drive me crazy. I keep trying to find a way to block anything political, I haven’t figured it out yet.
I did manage to find a way to block what people were growing on their farm, and how many points they got on Words With Friends. I’m not into Farmville, but do love Words With Friends, but play it on my cell.
I love when people share pictures of themselves with their family and friends. It’s nice to see that life is going just fine for them! I also like everyday simple sentences like…I am making egg salad. Ha, true statement, and I just wanted you to probably say out loud…”How GAG NASTY!” I will go work on the challenge now…thanks, Rob! Great post, as usual!
Thank you Ang. Good luck with that egg salad.
The one thing I don’t really understand about facebook, and I didn’t really understand it about Myspace either, is the fact that you join up, get all these “friends” on there. Go to post something really serious and thought provoking….and nobody replies…EVER!
If that’s the case, why HAVE a facebook, or myspace?
And what’s up with the name “facebook” anyways? It sounds like you are signing up just to have a book to look at faces by….
Ed, I had that problem with Myspace but I tend to get more responses on Facebook. I don’t know what’s up with the name. I do know that it used to be called The Facebook.
Yea the new FB is kind of….(shhhhhhh) boring. I prefer Twitter as you can keep up with people you know, people you don’t know, celebrities, News and Sports! And I’ve also connected with people sharing the faith…… And where else could I get into an all day conversation on Ron Paul with a member of THE Cleveland Browns! I’m thinking of developing some new software called twitterbook. I hope some guy named Mark dos not read this.
Brian
Brian, that’s awesome! I love how you can connect with people through Twitter. I don’t get a lot of responses but when I get one from someone famous I go crazy. It is a cool thing.
You forgot about the posts of pictures of footprints that if you don’t re-post, you’re not a Christian. Kidding. Not kidding.
I like Facebook, as it does provide a way for me to keep up with some people who I might not ordinarily keep up with. What it comes down to is that I’m lazy.
I do not miss MySpace. I barely remember it. It was a lot more about finding people of the opposite sex to hook up with than it was a place where you could actually just keep in touch with friends.
Dude, how did I forget about that? Those posts are the worst. That line alone ruins it. Sometimes I see one and it’s a decent message but then that line makes me skip right over it.
I agree, Rob. The political hate and bashing gets on my nerves. I tried to counter it with remarks of neutrality and kindness one time and I got defriended. haha. I have learned that sometimes you just can’t come between someone and their political views. People posting little pictures with messages on them 30x a day is driving me a bit bonkers too. I just posted my question on my facebook page. Check it out. You might like it.
Lauren, that was a tough question. I struggled with that one.
Rob, I was never on MySpace. I try not to spew hate. I try to be funny, link my blog and link other blogs. I don’t spend as much time there as I used to. I lean toward Twitter more.
Larry, I do as well. Not everyone that I know is on Twitter. I end up having to keep up with both.
Rob, we aren’t facebook friends so you wouldn’t see. Also Facebook now tells you how long it has been since you posted an updated. I am at 289 days since my last status update….seems time I should probably link my Tweeter to my Bookface
Joe, first off I love the Office reference. Second I linked my Tweeter and Facebook and it makes life a little easier.
Not on FB. Agree with Rick Anderson’s. No to second question. Never was on it either. Some might say I am dull and missing out. I say I am rich and not missing one blasted thing.
Bill, very true. It does help with connecting people to your blog and promoting your own blog. But you aren’t missing out on much.
I like FB for the ability to keep up with people from my hometown that I would not be able to keep up with otherwise. Found out today that a cousin was in a terrible car accident. Gave me the opportunity to send her my love and concern. I have found out great news on FB (weddings, grandkids, new jobs…) and I have found out horrible news as well (death of a child, car accidents, divorce) You never know what you will read/see. I don’t post my every thought or action. Mostly baseball score updates! I skip over ecards and game requests and “rants”. Not enough time in my day for those. It’s not my life, but it does help me keep up!
Gayle, I often wonder what we all did before Facebook. It definitely gives us something to do when we are bored.
Bored? That would imply I have extra time! Looking forward to some boredom after the All-Star tournament is over! Boring, here I come!
Hi Rob – it’s a mixed bag for me. No I don’t miss myspace. I joined facebook about 6 or 7 years ago now and loved it back then – but honestly did not mind the changes and improvements. Everyone make a HUGE big deal about them, but it doesn’t bother me – I’m up for changes and progression. As far as the president bashing and any other questionable things – I simply “hide” posts on my wall from people who always do that sort of thing – and some I have even had to delete from my friend list – I do it fairly regularly in fact. Another thing I have done lately so that facebook makes sense to me – is to put lists together of people I most interact with “close friends” “music students and parents” “church friends” so that I can keep the conversation relevant to whom I mostly connect and talk with. I simply don’t see anyone else because they are on a list that I don’t choose to see their status information. I can’t really delete former students ( I have a few hundred of these) so I just “hide” them from my wall. I block game request so that doesn’t concern me (I do love words with friends and draw something – but the others I just block) I love seeing updates and pictures from those I have in my life and love the fact that my business music page is on there to communicate with my students and parents through video, pictures and updates. I do find people who have business “opportunities” as especially obnoxious but I’ve fixed that too – I have “hidden” them from my wall – never see them anymore
Facebook is awful if you don’t use the filter to eliminate stuff you’re not interested in. I’ve definitely had to unsubscribe from lots of people to filter out the spam.
The one thing that does annoy me about Mommybook I mean Facebook is all the baby posts, videos, pictures, etc. about everything. Some pictures and updates are great, but it seems like 90% of my News Feed is toddler and baby stuff.
Wow… Facebook for teens is whole different world. All i see is “Like if you love Jesus keep scrolling if you don’t” or status updates directed towards one person that they expect EVERYONE to care about.