Oh, and one more thing – if I wasn’t on …

Thursday, 28th March 2024

Comment on Why Open Social Networks like facebook and twitter are a big EVIL! by Marmalade.

Oh, and one more thing – if I wasn’t on Facebook, there are friends on my list who I wouldn’t be in touch with at all. No one bothers to make a phone call anymore or have a real conversation.

I wouldn’t say it’s “evil” but it’s definitely not GOOD either. There are some aspects of it that I think are evil – like how potential employers check out your social networking profile to see if you’re the kind of person they want working for them. That’s an invasion of privacy – but then, social networking is sort of the antithesis of privacy, so I suppose it’s all just a consequence of making your life highly public like that.

If I could, I’d delete it today, but then, I’d be cutting family and friends out of my life by doing so. Deleting your Facebook account is like moving away from all of your friends and family to live alone in the mountains. It honestly feels that way – the only person I would hear from is my mother, who hates social networking sites with a passion and believes they’re the worst thing that has ever happened to our society. Then again, during an emergency when my mother was in an isolated town, I was able to get her to call me because a cousin saw my post and got her to call me. It has its good points, but I have to admit there are more evils that come out of it than good things.

Marmalade Also Commented

Why Open Social Networks like facebook and twitter are a big EVIL!
I hate to say it, but I have to agree with you. I moved halfway across the country to get away from toxic people in my life, and 10 years and a FB account later, I’m back in touch with them and immersed in their horrid little worlds. Male friends from high school who I was once happy to be back in touch with have turned out to be slimy freaks – one guy wanted me to go on some weird sex website. Yay for blocking users and un-friending people (lol) but in all seriousness, I have to admit that Facebook is more of a source of stress than it is a source of enrichment. Though there are some people who I love being in touch with, there are a lot of people I wish I didn’t have back in my life, but I don’t want to appear callous in deleting them (I’m a politeness-obsessed Canadian).

It feels like I have this weird “committee” of people in my life who comment on my opinions – some people even try to make me look stupid on my own Facebook page for holding an opinion that’s different from theirs. It’s like a downgraded version of being a celebrity in the tabloids, where everyone knows your business and has to comment on it.

Plus there are the games I’m completely addicted to – Bejeweled Blitz, Zuma Blitz, Farmville – the fact you are competing with or working with people you know make it all the more compelling. I feel trapped by social media, but feel disconnected from my friends if I’m not on it. It’s weird. It’s like Facebook and sites like it have become a new small town life, where everyone knows your business and has to make comments or critique on your life. Although I’m completely hooked, I honestly hate it. I hate my cell phone too. And World of Warcraft. I don’t do anything else with my life but “hang out” online – which isn’t really a life at all.


Share this on:

Comments are closed.