Right now I am member of one social networking site. That is down from about 3 at one point. I stopped with the other two because one was like a pick-up joint, and the other was not as proficient as the one I am still on. I like the fact that it can connect you with people you have lost contact with or people who may be interested in your particular services and things of that nature. There are also a few things I don't like about it. Actually, these things really upset me.
The first thing is that some people get offended with you when you don't want to be (fill-in-the-blank with social network) friends. Is it really that serious? Really, if you and I have gotten along thus far in life without being able to see pictures of each other, or read mundane aspects of each others life, or inviting each other to play games, etc. . ., then we will probably continue to live our lives. I have yet to hear of someone dying because their request to be someones friend was ignored or declined or whatever.
So not being accepted as someones friend on a social networking site should not ruin a person's day. This is true even if the people are friends in real life. This leads me to the second thing that just makes me a little ill. The people who act as though being (fill-in-the-blank with a social network) friends means that in real life we have a connection. Oh yeah we are friends, is not a sentence that should be uttered from someones lips if the only aspect this is true in is online. Being friends online does not a true friendship make! Don't say that you are friends with a person when you have an online relationship only, with that person. It's not true honey it just isn't.
This leads me to my final point. There are people who are actual friends in person that use these sites as a means of communication. There are posts and messages being sent back and forth that are pinning down the events of the weekend between real-life friends. There are people whom used to talk to each via a telephone prior to joining a social networking site. Then all of a sudden they act like the only time to talk is in person or by instant messaging the person on one of these sites. When you are genuinely friends, real-life friends with someone, it is not okay to only firm up plans via instant messaging on a social networking site. It is not okay to make a post in lieu of calling or visiting your friend to say congratulations, happy birthday, get well soon, etc. . .! This is so beyond an inappropriate form of communication it makes me want to delete my profile and live in obscurity.
What's the worst that could happen, I have my friends calling and visiting again and we are making a real-life connection again? That doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.
The first thing is that some people get offended with you when you don't want to be (fill-in-the-blank with social network) friends. Is it really that serious? Really, if you and I have gotten along thus far in life without being able to see pictures of each other, or read mundane aspects of each others life, or inviting each other to play games, etc. . ., then we will probably continue to live our lives. I have yet to hear of someone dying because their request to be someones friend was ignored or declined or whatever.
So not being accepted as someones friend on a social networking site should not ruin a person's day. This is true even if the people are friends in real life. This leads me to the second thing that just makes me a little ill. The people who act as though being (fill-in-the-blank with a social network) friends means that in real life we have a connection. Oh yeah we are friends, is not a sentence that should be uttered from someones lips if the only aspect this is true in is online. Being friends online does not a true friendship make! Don't say that you are friends with a person when you have an online relationship only, with that person. It's not true honey it just isn't.
This leads me to my final point. There are people who are actual friends in person that use these sites as a means of communication. There are posts and messages being sent back and forth that are pinning down the events of the weekend between real-life friends. There are people whom used to talk to each via a telephone prior to joining a social networking site. Then all of a sudden they act like the only time to talk is in person or by instant messaging the person on one of these sites. When you are genuinely friends, real-life friends with someone, it is not okay to only firm up plans via instant messaging on a social networking site. It is not okay to make a post in lieu of calling or visiting your friend to say congratulations, happy birthday, get well soon, etc. . .! This is so beyond an inappropriate form of communication it makes me want to delete my profile and live in obscurity.
What's the worst that could happen, I have my friends calling and visiting again and we are making a real-life connection again? That doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.
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