Comments on: Facebook and Other Social Networking Sites http://psychicdonut.com/blog1/2009/06/25/facebook-and-other-social-networking-sites/ Trying to Change the World - One Muppet at the Time! Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:04:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: PsychicDonut http://psychicdonut.com/blog1/2009/06/25/facebook-and-other-social-networking-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-35 PsychicDonut Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:35:30 +0000 http://psychicdonut.com/blog1/?p=61#comment-35 Miffed? Hmm, I wonder if the miffed people are those who haven't talked to me in months, never respond to texts, emails or comments and overall don't seem to care about me at all. Of course, they would not really ask ME, but someone else. Maybe THAT is what I am avoiding. My friends are honest with me, especially when they are angry. There was a person who I noticed had deleted me a while back on Facebook. I did ask her in an email why she did so. I never got an answer. But at least I asked her. People who care about me would talk to ME and tell me if I am wrong. Miffed? Hmm, I wonder if the miffed people are those who haven’t talked to me in months, never respond to texts, emails or comments and overall don’t seem to care about me at all. Of course, they would not really ask ME, but someone else.

Maybe THAT is what I am avoiding. My friends are honest with me, especially when they are angry. There was a person who I noticed had deleted me a while back on Facebook. I did ask her in an email why she did so. I never got an answer. But at least I asked her.

People who care about me would talk to ME and tell me if I am wrong.

]]> By: Heathecliffe http://psychicdonut.com/blog1/2009/06/25/facebook-and-other-social-networking-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Heathecliffe Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:20:53 +0000 http://psychicdonut.com/blog1/?p=61#comment-34 What is called a 'friend' on Facebook can mean different things. As a tool for socializing and networking for other purposes I find Facebook invaluable. We all have our lives scattered these days - nobody stays in one neighborhood, part of the city, job, or social group forever. I have 'friends' I see every week, I seldom see, I have met once, or that I haven't seen for 23 years. There are people I care a lot about and people I really don't know. I added them because I am interested in seeing what they are up to. I see it as a community, and you never know what you might learn or benefit from having a certain person on your list. It's not like it costs anything! Of course, there are negative possibilities as well, such as gossip or negativity, but you really can't avoid that online or offline. If it does cause you misery, I support your decision to not do it. However - as the hermit I know you to be, I am surprised that you want to make your online community even smaller. It's fine to be selective in which people you keep closest, but don't exclude everybody else. Believe me, I know from experience that it's dangerous. We all move on with our lives and make new friends, get new jobs, get married, etc. - but you don't have to ditch your entire past in the process. I know which cliques you are attempting to remove from your life, and why you feel the way you do, but don't alienate yourself over it. I am only saying this because some of the people you culled are now asking me questions as to why you did this, and they feel a little miffed. I know it wasn't personal - you removed them because they know some people who don't like you, or are associated with a part of your past you'd perhaps rather forget. But I don't really have the answers for them, and I don't like to have that bad feeling hanging around - it puts me in an awkward position. It's your decision to make, who you remove or keep, but it does leave something in its wake, regardless of how you define a 'friend'. What is called a ‘friend’ on Facebook can mean different things. As a tool for socializing and networking for other purposes I find Facebook invaluable. We all have our lives scattered these days – nobody stays in one neighborhood, part of the city, job, or social group forever. I have ‘friends’ I see every week, I seldom see, I have met once, or that I haven’t seen for 23 years. There are people I care a lot about and people I really don’t know. I added them because I am interested in seeing what they are up to. I see it as a community, and you never know what you might learn or benefit from having a certain person on your list. It’s not like it costs anything! Of course, there are negative possibilities as well, such as gossip or negativity, but you really can’t avoid that online or offline. If it does cause you misery, I support your decision to not do it.

However – as the hermit I know you to be, I am surprised that you want to make your online community even smaller. It’s fine to be selective in which people you keep closest, but don’t exclude everybody else. Believe me, I know from experience that it’s dangerous. We all move on with our lives and make new friends, get new jobs, get married, etc. – but you don’t have to ditch your entire past in the process. I know which cliques you are attempting to remove from your life, and why you feel the way you do, but don’t alienate yourself over it. I am only saying this because some of the people you culled are now asking me questions as to why you did this, and they feel a little miffed. I know it wasn’t personal – you removed them because they know some people who don’t like you, or are associated with a part of your past you’d perhaps rather forget. But I don’t really have the answers for them, and I don’t like to have that bad feeling hanging around – it puts me in an awkward position. It’s your decision to make, who you remove or keep, but it does leave something in its wake, regardless of how you define a ‘friend’.

]]>