Does Facebook actually help or hurt you?

[MyNinja]

It's a shame that most of the games I like to play and music apps I like to listen to require you to have an active Facebook account. It sucks because almost all the apps always have something stating: "Sign into Facebook to get started", 'face palm'. Geez, can I play a freaking game or listen to one track without it getting posted to the message feed?? Privacy is out the window.

[John John]

SB, I'm with ypu 100%. I hate Facebook as well. The only reason I am on it is out of peer pressure from my friends, and for birthday/event reminders. I deleted it for a few months earlier this year, and I didn't miss it one bit.

[BigKK]

I was reading this article the other day

 

Is Facebook Making Us Lonely

check it out link removed

 

 

In 10 years we're going to have a bunch of new Acronyms about "social Media anxiety" SMA, kind of like we did with ADD ADHD, etc.

 

Phone addictions, text addictions, living lives over the internet, it's happening, but I'm saying people will be studying this and have a lot of research to back it up. We don't know the effects of all of this yet...

 

 

 

 

I have facebook but I don't take it seriously at all, You have your "this is what I'm eating person," let's use this as my political/cultural/religious platform person, let me post my deep personal relationship stuff on blast, and plenty more.

 

 

 

Maybe you're leaving depressed because in a way it replaces personal interactions. My friends will occasionally interact with me for awhile on there, and then never meet up with me. I understand people get busy, but if you want to know what's up with me, give me a call or text, let's meet up somewhere and catch up. I won't use facebook to fill in my friend that lives 10 minutes away, and use facebook (or any other online media source) to keep you in the loop of my life. So we interact on facebook here and there, never meet up, see each other once every year or two, and we're kind of "friends," without facebook this person wouldn't be my friend at all...or maybe we'd put in more effort? You decide

 

On top of that, I don't want all of my petty things on blast for everyone to read. When I was first on there, I'd get blown away how people would some how find things out (since I wasn't using the privacy settings correctly). You know, you write to an old high school friend, but then that person you met two weeks ago gets a glimpse into your interaction with them and mentions it in conversation and you're blown away how the hell this person knows this!?

 

 

Anyway, I keep it mostly for my overseas friends. In this way, it's a cool way to keep our friendship going. It's like an LDR without the trust issues and no nudity during skype. So photos, life updates, they're all fun.

 

 

But I'm a big proponent of getting "unplugged," I LOVE traveling, and I absolutely HATE to "check in" with people especially when I travel. I've told all of my close friends, when I'm abroad...you may as well consider me dead. Yes I might miss them, but I love going to a place where I don't know anyone and allowing myself to really dive deep and experience where I'm at. Rather than just keeping EVERYONE in the loop of my exact whereabouts and how I'm doing.

 

I travel for me, but I love coming back to family and friends that miss me and I'm able to have that "missing" and "exciting" feeling of being back, and can't wait to tell everyone.

 

 

Otherwise like a lot of my friend's that travel... "Oh I just saw this beautiful palm tree when I was on this Island in Fiji"

 

"oh yeah, I saw, it looked cool, saw it on facebook"

 

 

OK I'm done with my Friday rant, my last possible reason why you get depressed from it is perhaps you're consciously or subconsciously seeing a glimpse into the "state of affairs" of our society, it might not be that pretty. We probably know too much about each other Leaving some mystery about ourselves is part of the zest of life.

[Throwaway999]

I just love FB and it has been great for me! I have NEVER posted very personal information on it or anything about my relationships. My family all live interstate, and it enables us to be in very regular contact, sharing photos. I also have a special interest and am friends with others who share that interest so we share pics and information. I have never felt depressed by FB except I do have a friend, a terrific person, but sometimes she posts regularly with photos and stories of animal cruelty so I usually just skim past those. She's a good friend, and the friendship is worth doing that for.

 

I agree with Silverbirch - I actually love Facebook. I've met a lot of people when I've traveled around the country and world, or friends who have moved away, that I would never get to see in person, and it helps me feel like I am keeping up with what they are doing even if we don't get to see each other in person.

 

I also use it to keep track of what's going on in town, movies/events/shows that I would be interested in. It makes it easy to not forget what night something is because you can keep track of what events you are going to. And people post clips to different songs, bands, record releases, reviews of movies I might want to check out, and interesting news articles that I might not otherwise find.

 

But the main thing I use it for is that I have a lot of friends who are very funny, and we always post smart-ass posts making fun of things, each other, ourselves, and that is very entertaining. Sure there are people whose posts are tiresome, but I make frequent use of the "hide all by" function so I don't have to see what they post. Usually checking FB brightens my day, actually.

[happpybear]

But I'm a big proponent of getting "unplugged," I LOVE traveling, and I absolutely HATE to "check in" with people especially when I travel. I've told all of my close friends, when I'm abroad...you may as well consider me dead. Yes I might miss them, but I love going to a place where I don't know anyone and allowing myself to really dive deep and experience where I'm at. Rather than just keeping EVERYONE in the loop of my exact whereabouts and how I'm doing.

 

I was traveling last year and I was shocked at how many people i met in the hostels spent like 50% or more of their time on social media. I couldn't believe what a waste it was to be in another country, a beautiful interesting country with so much rich history and awesome people, and the travelers were hunched over their stupid phones tweeting or FB-ing...I don't get it.

[annie24]

I was traveling last year and I was shocked at how many people i met in the hostels spent like 50% or more of their time on social media. I couldn't believe what a waste it was to be in another country, a beautiful interesting country with so much rich history and awesome people, and the travelers were hunched over their stupid phones tweeting or FB-ing...I don't get it.

 

For me, I update photos on there. I don't keep hard copy photo albums anymore of my travels (I used to) so I take photos and journal my experiences that way. In some ways, I like it better because I can remember right then and there what the significance was of that thing. I remember taking camera film photos and then getting them back a few weeks later and I can't remember the name of that person or that sight. Apart from that, I agree, it's better to be off exploring.

 

On my last overseas vacation, I had to spend a lot of time on my laptop, partially because I was also there for work, and had work to do abroad.

[reader]

Remember Facebook is not reality.

 

Several things you see in your newsfeed are just for show.

[browneyedgirl36]

Remember Facebook is not reality.

 

Several things you see in your newsfeed are just for show.

 

Yep -- I would say more than several. I think pretty much everything, whether consciously or not, is exaggerated. Everyone's having a GREAT time. Everyone's boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife is AMAZING. Every friendship is the BEST. Every vacation is PERFECT. Lots of hyperbole.

 

I admit, I'm a little guilty of it too. I'm a writer, so I tend to be quite verbose, descriptive, etc. anyway, but I catch myself on Facebook making things sound way more interesting, fun, happy than they are. I don't gush, but I'm sure I've overdone it a bit on occasion. (For example, I only posted the really awesome pictures and points from my recent trip to Italy -- I didn't post about my shoes giving me blisters, pouring rain and a terrible lunch in Venice, or almost being run over by a car in Rome.

[Thorshammer]

I am always on facebook, i feel connected with everyone in some way - even if its virtual, there is still a line i can cross to communicate with them- so, on those lonely days... i can feel a bit less lonely with one click. I am a virtual settler for sure.

[reader]

I am always on facebook, i feel connected with everyone in some way - even if its virtual, there is still a line i can cross to communicate with them- so, on those lonely days... i can feel a bit less lonely with one click. I am a virtual settler for sure.

 

I;m the same. Actually that's my main reason for getting a cell phone so I could post on Facebook lol

[Iwouldbetheone]

Well, in my case, it hurt me because I saw my ex-boyfriend on it with a new woman. That just about killed me. So I deactivated my account. Maybe I'll get another account in the future, but right now isn't a good time.

 

I can definitely see the positive sides of Facebook. It's amazing what's on there and it's amazing the number of people you can be connected to all accross the globe. It's easier to share news and stories with friends and family, organize events, organize your social life, meet new people, etc.

 

I can also see the negative sides of Facebook. I think it ends up making people feel jealous and inferior or worthless link removed

[reader]

Well, in my case, it hurt me because I saw my ex-boyfriend on it with a new woman. That just about killed me. So I deactivated my account. Maybe I'll get another account in the future, but right now isn't a good time.

 

I can definitely see the positive sides of Facebook. It's amazing what's on there and it's amazing the number of people you can be connected to all accross the globe. It's easier to share news and stories with friends and family, organize events, organize your social life, meet new people, etc.

 

I can also see the negative sides of Facebook. I think it ends up making people feel jealous and inferior or worthless link removed

 

I agree, i am not employed right now and when I go on there during the day I see so many people taking pics of themselves sitting at their desk. lol

 

So I told myself not to go on facebook during the day, just wait until after 5pm

[4rwr]

You're not crazy. I saw some study somewhere recently that FB was linked to poor psychological feelings. And I 100% believe it.

 

I have FB, and I often consider deleting it. Why I don't ...often it is a key source of information, sad but true. Both as to what's going on in the world (mostly in terms of my hobbies and interests, I guess with the "pages" it has become a nice little information hub) and my personal life. While I, too, am very private and rarely post anything truly personal on there, I always seem to be finding out the latest news about the people I know. I roll my eyes at this, does everything just assume FB is a info hub for their life, too?

 

Then there's the childish stuff, like catching people in lies.... "I can't hang out, I'm doing such and such", and then a photo is posted of said person doing something totally else.... thanks FB.

[reader]

I feel like a fool for adding my mom to my FB because she has a habit of going to FB to get in contact with me if I don't respond fast enough to her voicemail message which is starting to annoy me.

[browneyedgirl36]

I feel like a fool for adding my mom to my FB because she has a habit of going to FB to get in contact with me if I don't respond fast enough to her voicemail message which is starting to annoy me.

 

Thank God my mom isn't on Facebook! Or my Dad. My sister is, but she's not a problem. I can't imagine having my parents on there contacting me.

 

This reminds me, one of my friends' moms just got Facebook (she's nearly 80), and she, having no idea how it worked, posted on her own wall "Hi, honey. I'm on the wall. What do I do now???" It was hilarious!

[JA0371]

Facebook: the only place you can talk to a wall...and not look like an idiot lol

[BigKK]

Yep -- I would say more than several. I think pretty much everything, whether consciously or not, is exaggerated. Everyone's having a GREAT time. Everyone's boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife is AMAZING. Every friendship is the BEST. Every vacation is PERFECT. Lots of hyperbole.

 

I admit, I'm a little guilty of it too. I'm a writer, so I tend to be quite verbose, descriptive, etc. anyway, but I catch myself on Facebook making things sound way more interesting, fun, happy than they are. I don't gush, but I'm sure I've overdone it a bit on occasion. (For example, I only posted the really awesome pictures and points from my recent trip to Italy -- I didn't post about my shoes giving me blisters, pouring rain and a terrible lunch in Venice, or almost being run over by a car in Rome.

I think this is human nature, to focus on the positive especially of a trip. Although I would definitely include the almost getting run over by a car in Rome part! I had the same exact experience...and my glasses fell off and the next car crunched them like in a cartoon. This was on my way to the Sistine chapel...let's just say I wasn't impressed since I couldn't even see it. I do the same though, I definitely post my favorite pictures, and leave the other ones on my harddrive to show friends that really care and wanna hear my story.

It's an interesting place...I guess pick your poison, it's hyperboles or "My girlfriend is being condescending today, god I wonder why I am with her sometimes"

I was traveling last year and I was shocked at how many people i met in the hostels spent like 50% or more of their time on social media. I couldn't believe what a waste it was to be in another country, a beautiful interesting country with so much rich history and awesome people, and the travelers were hunched over their stupid phones tweeting or FB-ing...I don't get it.

 

Ok, I am glad I am not the only one that shares this sentiment. I have done hostel traveling, and I have also hosted travelers in my home. I honestly am considering only hosting older travelers, or maybe somehow figuring out how to screen them? I had one girl stay with me, she was a really nice person, but she opted to stay in my place and sit on the computer. Primarily facebooking her friends back home. We're talking like 5-7 hours+ a day. Not to sound like a snob but this was during summer time in San Diego, we have SOOO many things to do here, I was just disappointed. I was working all day and was hoping to hear fun stories of what she did while I was working...nope..nothing, just skype and facebook. So much for living vicariously through my guest.

 

Sometimes I feel like if you don't "connect" to people via the internet, then you won't have as many "friends." Those that I stay connected through facebook don't really feel like that great of friends to me. But then reality hits me, I have not stayed in touch with a few of my very good friends...and when I see them after months or years, we still have a very strong connection. In fact, I met up with a friend I lost contact with 7 years ago. Seeing her, catching up...wow it was so fun. It makes me never want to update people online anymore.