Love or Hate Facebook

Do You Love or Hate Facebook?

Facebook, to most people, is kind of like cats; you either love it (them) or hate it (them).  Which are you, do you love or hate Facebook?

In the beginning, just about everybody loved FB, and pictures, stories and comments were flying back and forth.  Formally computer illiterate Grandmas and Grandpas were sharing tips, pix and their walls with all of the offspring.  Then the thrill wore off, and for many people, the traffic trickled down to a few shared vacation photos now and then, or a quick peek to see what the irresponsible daughter in law is doing lately.

But there are still many hardcore Facebookers who post daily, upload every scene witnessed while they have their cell phone in their hands and have something to say to everyone on their friends list.  Where do they find the time?  And don’t you just love all the self portraits with noses like WC Fields because of the lousy camera angle?  Well, the way some FB pages have turned out, I guess we should count ourselves lucky if they all keep their clothes on in these candid shots.

Do You Love or Hate Facebook?| Haters Unite

Yes, it seems the Facebook friends really believe that we all want to know what they are having for lunch, who just dissed them and what they are doing this weekend.  Well, I don’t.  If I am meeting you for lunch or for a night out this weekend, I’d better already know about it and no, you don’t have to tell everyone else in your circle of 400 friends what we are doing and where we are going.  Facebook haters have not abandoned their pages yet, but the intrusiveness of the medium is slowly wearing us down.  And it is not just individuals.  Why can’t I look into a product without having to go onto their Facebook page to learn about it?  And don’t be surprised if I don’t “Like” your product, even if I do.  I just don’t enjoy having every single soul on Facebook know what I wash my face with or wipe my, um, table off with.  You are the social media program; I am the thinking, rationale human being.  I am the one who gets to decide what you are used for.

Do You Love or Hate Facebook? |Hello, Young Lovers

Most of the hard core FB posters are teens, tweens and twenty somethings who have yet to get a life.  This medium is ideal for this age of reaching out and trying to develop new relationships and expose themselves to the greater world.  It is a natural function, and just a few short decades ago, these kids would be at the malt shop or tying up the family phone cementing these relationships that are now in cyberspace.  And luckily, the initial sense of novelty has worn out, so that kids are using FB to contact their own friends, acquaintances and relatives, and not trusting the Facebook gods to introduce them to the outer world.  Facebook lovers have, for the most part, learned to use it as a very convenient way to obtain and share information and are learning the importance of the privacy controls that Facebook grudgingly installed.  When it is being used right, they feel, what’s not to love?

Facebook does have some security measures installed, but they really aren’t enough. A background check is the only way you can prevent unwanted or dangerous people from viewing your personal information.

So which category do you fall into?  Do you love or hate Facebook?  Leave a comment below and let us know what your answer is and why?