Who has a FB account? Who doesn't, and why do or don't you have one?

[SerCay]

I deactivated mine..

 

Currently I'm in a place where 'm trying to find a way to be happy and content with life without all of social media and smartphone impulses..

 

While it's difficult, I can't lie..I do feel on the other hand that my soul is more alert (sounds weird right)

 

I guess I'm too sensitive for this world but I can't help but notice how superficial everyone's relations to each other has become..maybe it's always been like this and I wasn't aware, not sure

 

Of course I do understand that there's a lot of people around that are perfectly happy with having a lot of social media in their life and a lot of impulses and that's fine..

 

I'm just not one of them...somehow I find it impossible to NOT connect posting pics on FB and getting likes to a need for external validation

[NGC1300]

I used to have it and deleted it. I mean who needs 1000 "friends" anyway?

 

You mean who needs 1000 fake friends.

[E-Squared]

I have an account and used to be quite the active user, and I mean like I would check it every hour. Now I am a lot less active than ever before. I don't use it as much as before. I believe people are stupid on there that they post a bunch of pointless things on there, and then delete/block someone for trivial reasons.

 

Ever since a friend of mine blocked me on Facebook back in July, I have become a much less active user. At that time, I took a three-week break from Facebook. No, I didn't deactivate my account, I just stayed logged off. I didn't take the block too personally. I figured she got annoyed by some stuff that I did, but I believe if I cross paths with her in real life later on, it would be like nothing happened. I mostly go on there to chat with people. I hardly "like" anybody's status or comment on them.

 

So yes, I still have an account, but I am less active than before and question why I still have it. I don't even use my Twitter account much either.

[Bobbi7]

How in the world does someone get 1,000 friends?

[SerCay]

How in the world does someone get 1,000 friends?

 

I know a lot of people who have 1000+ friends ... they basically add or accept everyone they've ever met..And I noticed that once a certain high number of friends has been reached, they become some sort of an online celebrity, start posting more pics and add and accept more people

[Omei]

I have fb with about 35 friends, mostly family and friends and the odd online friend from gaming here and there.

 

I keep it to just read up on them they post interesting and funny things ill go to fb during downtime like when you're sitting on a bus.

 

I could def live without a FB tho.

[MissBee]

I'm curious, little research project of myself into social media madness, trying to figure out whether it really IS impossible to have a complete life without it or not..

 

Those of you who do have an account, what are your reasons and those who don't...what are yours?

 

Of course it's possible to have a complete life without it.

 

I got FB when you needed a college email address for it. It was still relatively new and when I got accepted into college was when our orientation leaders sent a group email with a link to Facebook and said we needed to use our new college email address to sign up and there would be a group on there for us to meet others in our incoming class. At the time I thought FB was a special site for the university. I didn't know it was a more general social media thing, and in fact back then it was only for college students, as without a certified college email address you couldn't join...later on is when it became open to anyone with the internet.

 

That's how I first got it and I still have it now as I continue to use it primarily for school purposes and also to connect with far away friends and family for which it is useful. I'm the president of a campus organization and I use it to send out event invitations or updates about programming. It's one of the easiest ways to find out about events and activities on campus and around the city, from academic conferences, to networking mixers, activism events, to social events, so that's the major reason I have it. When I meet people in these settings one of the quickest ways to stay connected is to add them on FB, that's been a major way I've networked. I have business cards for more formal networking but if I go to a young professionals' mixer or am just at an event with other grad students and I meet folks I want to connect with later, doing the FB thing tends to be quick and easy as I can add them right on my phone and they accept right on theirs usually and that's that versus fumbling around with business cards that usually get lost.

 

I am mindful about my FB posts as I have some professors as friends, people I know more professionally etc. and I don't put my personal dramas, relationship issues, don't use it as a diary to share my deepest emotions and off color rants etc. I might share opinions on world affairs or statuses that are funny but everything is always kept tasteful and not anything private or offensive and I'm also not glued to FB either where I post daily.

Edited March 9, 2015 by MissBee

[Lion Heart]

I'm curious, little research project of myself into social media madness, trying to figure out whether it really IS impossible to have a complete life without it or not..

 

Those of you who do have an account, what are your reasons and those who don't...what are yours?

 

I call Facebook Faceache. I don't think it's a healthy form of "relationship" with others. I have many reasons for not using social media. I certainly don't criticize others for using it though when another person complains about yet another issue caused by misinterpretation or the plain rude discourse that flares up because they're not face-to-face, I say "that's why I call it Faceache!".

 

Lion Heart.

[almond]

I used to have a Facebook, and it was fun and drama free. Funny pics, photos from nights out, chit chat here and there etc.

 

 

I deactivated years ago now and never looked back or missed it. Why? Because Facebook made me dislike people in real life who I previously liked, before laying eyes on their obnoxious and silly profiles and status updates. It can be very off-putting sometimes, and almost impossible not to judge. I didn't like seeing them or myself like that.

 

 

People go a bit funny sometimes on social media. I don't think this is necessarily a true reflection of their character or their value as a friend. I prefer to just keep things to phone, email and face to face contact.

 

 

Has always worked for me, and if it ain't broke..

[Van Norden]

Following my previous post on this same thread, I wrote a longer one with my reasons to stay out of social media. If anyone's missed it, I think it can enlighten some views: http://www.loveshack.org/forums/breaking-up-reconciliation-coping/coping/519878-deactivate-your-social-media-now

[melodicintention]

I recreated mine (I had deleted it and went over 2 years without FB at all) a few months ago. A week ago I deleted all my classmates and all the married men that chase after me because they aren't my true friends and I had no interest in seeing their posts nor sharing what is going on in my life. The few people left on my account already speak to me on the phone or en email so I'm like whats the point of having facebook? I have no plans to log back in, I probably should have just deleted the account.

 

Facebook is stupid and after 2 years off of it, I've found it's only gotten worse. There are plenty of actually interesting social networks to be on but if you spend all day on 2facebook you'll never discover them.

[Lee Raw]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you need friends to have facebook?

[SycamoreCircle]

Never had one. And after my last BU, I'm so thankful I don't. It's just theatre.

 

The people whom I care about, I contact when something important or meaningful arises.

 

 

 

Those with many friends, have none.

-Aristotle

[SerCay]

I deactivated years ago now and never looked back or missed it. Why? Because Facebook made me dislike people in real life who I previously liked, before laying eyes on their obnoxious and silly profiles and status updates. It can be very off-putting sometimes, and almost impossible not to judge. I didn't like seeing them or myself like that.

 

I wanted to quote this...

 

THIS exactly makes me sick...

It was hard for me to see the hunger for likes in my friends who I previously thought very self confident and strong personalities.

 

I can't help judging...but then I think, not everyone is the same...if they accept me the way I am (anti-social)...then I should accept them for who they are.

 

BUT...I can't help judging the like-hunger

 

Ps. FB still de-activated. I feel more connected to my inner world each day.

[SerCay]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you need friends to have facebook?

 

Nope. All acquaintances you've every known in your life become your close friends on FB. That's the weird dynamic of it. Everybody is ''friends'' on there.

[bebe23]

I still have it, but I'm struggling.

 

*Hello, my name is bebe23, and I'm a recovering Facebook addict*

 

There are positives and negatives. The positives are that if I take a really nice nature picture while on a walk, I can share it with friends and relatives, which is fun and rewarding. Or, if I want to give away old clothing and toys and don't want to have a garage sale, I can post on the local Facebook 'Virtual Garage Sale' page, and get someone to help me get rid of stuff.

 

But the negatives of Facebook...there were things that I did while looking at Facebook that led to some real lows and depression in my life, especially about 2 years ago. It harmed my marriage. I don't want to go into details, but FB sparked a serious episode of GIGS and crushes on men that I'm finally getting over with and recovering from. If it had gone any further, I might have had an EA or some long distance male 'pen pal' which could have destroyed my marriage.

 

These days if I want to share a pretty picture I have taken, or put up used toys for sale, I post the pic and don't linger. I stay on my profile and try to stay away from the news feed or worse, the 'search' feature on top. I'm feeling more love for my husband again now that I don't look at FB so much.

[SerCay]

I still have it, but I'm struggling.

 

*Hello, my name is bebe23, and I'm a recovering Facebook addict*

 

There are positives and negatives. The positives are that if I take a really nice nature picture while on a walk, I can share it with friends and relatives, which is fun and rewarding. Or, if I want to give away old clothing and toys and don't want to have a garage sale, I can post on the local Facebook 'Virtual Garage Sale' page, and get someone to help me get rid of stuff.

 

But the negatives of Facebook...there were things that I did while looking at Facebook that led to some real lows and depression in my life, especially about 2 years ago. It harmed my marriage. I don't want to go into details, but FB sparked a serious episode of GIGS and crushes on men that I'm finally getting over with and recovering from. If it had gone any further, I might have had an EA or some long distance male 'pen pal' which could have destroyed my marriage.

 

These days if I want to share a pretty picture I have taken, or put up used toys for sale, I post the pic and don't linger. I stay on my profile and try to stay away from the news feed or worse, the 'search' feature on top. I'm feeling more love for my husband again now that I don't look at FB so much.

 

I find it brave of you to confess that on this thread bebe, since it has a slight anti-social media vibe.

 

Thanks for giving me another real life example from your own situation and I find it strong of you to accept the problem..millions out there who will never self-reflect.

[sportygirl89]

I posted earlier about how I use it for only school. However, it was getting distracting and I was on it in my college classes. We have so many assignments I deactivated it until finals are over.

[JPMC]

It actually brought out the worst of me from an anti social standpoint

[SerCay]

It actually brought out the worst of me from an anti social standpoint

 

Care to elaborate? I'm curious

 

See, I'm very introverted and anti social myself. I'm perfectly fine with this, until I go on FB. (Before I deactivated it)

[Male]

I have one, but I do not have any photos of myself, or really any personal info on it. I pretty much use it as a tool for networking with car clubs, and car related activities in the area. I also "like" a lot of personal hobby related sites, which allows me to read the articles on the news feed. I do not pay much attention to what friends post unless it directly involves me. I rarely rarely ever post anything to my own wall.

[Arieswoman]

I used to have FB a/c years ago but cancelled it. I never had any personal info on it or even my location.

 

My friends' posts were OK, but it was friends-of-friends that were the problem.

 

I was assailed with posts about parent's deaths, pictures of funeral flowers, whose funeral they had just gone to, anniversaries of parents/loved ones death and the unbiquitous "I wish there was a telephone to heaven so I could talk to you" - "Share this post with all those who have an angel in heaven" and other maudlin sentimentality.

 

Yuch, yuch, yuch.

 

What is the matter with these people? Do they think they are the only ones who have ever been bereaved?!

 

Now I no longer have a FB a/c.

[Haydn]

FB is a great tool for me. But be wary who you add. Some people assume because they are on your friends list it somehow gives them a right to insert themselves into your life. Get rid of these nutters and you`ll be fine. They are usually the ones that message every five minutes and expect an answer. Usually projecting their own boredom and dissatisfaction at their humdrum lives.

 

Apart from that, usually great!

[SerCay]

I opened a new FB account today and added all the usual poetry sites I follow.

 

I'm not going to add anyone. Feels great to now follow all the news I like and not being forced to look at attention craving people's posts

[Erica Faith]

I do but I could live without it. I'm online most of the time to keep in touch with friends. I moved recently and Facebook helps me keep in touch with friends and family.

 

I've stopped reading most their brain vomits though. Usually, i just keep the tab open for any messages while I work.