A rant about facebook

I’m quite enjoying this topical approach to my blog lately. Maybe no one would really care if I said I am a raving insomniac now who just devoured a tuna and tomato sandwich with chips and a glass of Milo.

As I lay tossing and turning on my futon, I was thinking about the recent spate of conflicts that are arising from Facebook. This latest social network sensation, is perhaps, bringing people a little too close?

I often have to think about cliché topics for my students who are aiming for high scores in those English tests for non-native speakers — does television bring families closer together or make them drift apart, does technology make the world a smaller place, do you agree corporal punishment should be used on schooling-going children?

Anyway, my take is the Internet greatly narrows the gap between people but maybe Facebook shuffles people’s lives in a way that is too close for comfort.

I will probably get shit from my friends who are ardent fans of Facebook but here are my reasons for not being overly enthused:

Gifts and other applications.The reciprocal nature of virtual gifts or other such scribblings (graffiti, zombie affection, super walls etc.) is tiring. If I don’t respond in the same way, would my contact feel dejected I didn’t do the same? This sense of obligation is quite frankly uncomfortable and unnecessary in my world where I feel quite obligated to various things and people already.

Installing more applications with every new virtual action. What makes Facebook stand out is its seemingly organic way of introducing new features. It has this DIY element where you can organize your profile as creatively as possible. Cool, but do I really want a Superwall when I already have a Wall? Do I need graffiti on my site? Why would I want to give fake cakes and flowers to someone? Every time someone sends you something that is related to an application you don’t have, you have to install it to view it. If you don’t view it or publish it on your profile, your contact may feel a little ignored. Re the reason above.

Do we really keep in touch more? I do see how you can update many of your friends by way of just one page — it’s very convenient and efficient. I have Friendster, and honestly, I still keep in touch with people I want to be in constant contact with. Those whom I don’t just continue to be people with names and faces I see on my profile page. If I don’t talk to you on messenger or send you emails to catch up, I don’t think I will do so over Facebook.

Do we communicate better? Having said that, I think Facebook is a hotbed of breeding miscommunication. You can change your relationship status by way of just one careless click, or insert the wrong mood you’re in, which can actually put another person’s world into a tailspin, like what I did. For example, I didn’t know my mood was set to “Depressed” so my dear friend from Canada sent me a concerned email and stayed up to see if I was online to buzz me to ask, “Are you okay?” So since it was truly a case of virtual sloppiness, she went to bed — bless her heart. How about wall politics? What you say or don’t say could set off a trail of possible misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

I know I come off as one of those people who grouch against fun and fantastic new trends or people who prefer books to reading from a screen, but I’m really not. I just don’t like Facebook. If I don’t respond to you via Facebook, please forgive me for my virtual rudeness — I still like you and we can chat on messenger if you have something to say to me.

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