KAREN’S RANTS: FACEBOOK THOUGHTS

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FACEBOOK THOUGHTS

 

People ask why I use Facebook for really only my fan page, (as opposed to reading my news feed, reporting where am, etc.) [Note: Which reminds me–if you’d be so kind as to like It’s Not About Me TV, (the erroneous way it’s written on Facebook,) I’d really appreciate it. That way, you’ll get each day’s posting automatically. So, it’s a win-win!)

I do occasionally check-out other stuff on the site, and as I was actually wasting spending time scrolling through my news feed the other morning, I realized why I really don’t like to do so. (And why Mr. X hasn’t accepted many “friends.”)

This e-zine's "fan" page.  Shouldn't the Karen-cature be pointing in the other direction?!

This e-zine’s “fan” page. Shouldn’t the Karen-cature be pointing in the other direction?!

Yes, I do like to keep up with my supposed friends that way. So, I’m happy to see their triumphs and those of their family members. (One pal’s daughter is a successful little gymnast, and it’s fun to see how she’s grown in the sport, and my former intern’s trip to Europe right now is giving me lots of smiles when I see her having such a great time.)

But, on the other (and dominant) hand, I don’t need to see a horrible picture of animal cruelty every five seconds. Nor a picture of every dog up for adoption in the whole country. Or political messages, from any party! The main times I may be scrolling through are when I get into bed at night, or in the very early morning when I’m waking up. That kind of jolt I don’t need at any time, in any scenario, but to see such horrors as I’m trying to drift off to sleep, or face each day anew, is especially disheartening. (One night, I was actually trying to show Mr. X something funny someone had posted, but when, by accident, he saw one of those horrific animal cruelty pix, he had to leave the room, and will now never look at anything I’m trying to show him on-line!)

If I want to read political writings, I’m very capable of checking-out those types of websites. If I want to see tortured critters, I’ll go to PETA’s page. And if I want to adopt a pet, I’ll do research of who’s available near me, not who’s about to be killed in North Carolina!

I remember that, when I was very young and impressionable, actress Kate Jackson got cancer, and I read that, to help her health, she stopped reading newspapers. I think of that all the time when I’m surfing the web, and getting upset about the human condition. (At least by now I know which sites to avoid.) But, when I’m simply trying to be a supportive pal and see what people I know are up to, and how their families, careers, travels are coming along, or read a recipe or make-up tip, I should not have to do so with my fingers in front of my eyes.

But, I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it. I don’t want to block those people because they’re nice otherwise. They just don’t realize how selfish it is of them to foist these horrors on us.

The worst posts are the ones that put the kibosh on you; those are just evil. Some poison person is sitting in his dark room, chuckling over how he’s spooking people into reporting this stupidity because they’re afraid that something horrible will happen if they don’t. I’m probably the most superstitious person I know, and these things are scary. And cruel. But I rise above the temptation to “share” them to save myself, so as not to impose this nonsense on others.

I also don’t need to be “invited” to like anyone’s page. I haven’t done that to anyone! I don’t mind if someone asks us to like them, but I hate that baloney of inviting us. And please, don’t even think of asking me to like yours if you haven’t already liked mine! My page was in existence before yours. That’s just bad manners.

And please don’t invite me to play games. As much as I love playing games in person, (and wish that anyone I know would get a game night together every once in a while,) who has that kind of time to play games on-line???

So, I’m sorry if I haven’t seen most of your “news.”  I just can’t risk reading anything on Facebook.  Maybe that site should be for just personal info, and there should be another one for posting the rest.  Maybe call it Butt-book or Intestine-book because those postings are so horrendous.

One last thought on Facebook, and it’s about the use of the word “friends.” Rarely are any of the people you’re connected with even “pals!” They’re usually people whom you’ve met once, and you added each other. Prime example: I was at a lovely luncheon event, where everyone’s parting gifts were laid-out on a table. Each one had the recipient’s name on the bag. I, by accident, picked-up one that had a name very similar to mine. When I realized my mistake, I sought the woman out to rectify the situation. I had met her at an event a year earlier, and she had “friended” me. [Note: This story will finish after the sidebar.]

[Sidebar here: I have never sent out a friend request to anyone, and have accepted very few requests myself. I don’t need more people’s mishegas to wade through! How do the people with three thousand friends do it?]

I make a concerted effort to remember each and every person I meet, so I remembered what the woman looked like, and found her pretty quickly. Well, not only did she not recognize my face, but she didn’t know my name, that has to appear on her Facebook pages every now and then! She had no idea who I was! And we had been FB “friends” for over a year! So, what kind of “friend” is that, I ask you?!

To sum up my feelings on Facebook, please keep those fun family photos coming, and those stupid little cards and drawings. I love having a smile brought to my face. But, if you care about your “friends,” please stop with all the painful situations posts. Enough already!

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