We are approaching that time of year where we sit down and take inventory of our lives. We make resolutions about losing weight, smoking cessation, and money management. However, usually by February we are back to those same bad habits. So, during the next month I am going to attempt to give some advice and insight to the behaviors I’ve observed over the last year.
Many of us have taken advantage of all of those social networking sites floating around. If you weren’t part of the Myspace fad, then most of you certainly got on board with Facebook or Twitter. The saying used to be “What did we do before we had cellphones?” and now the questions is “What did we do before Facebook?”
One thing I have observed with all this social networking is that people use the term “friend” too loosely. Everybody wants to be your friend and they make suggestions for you to be friends of their friends. Just too many connections for me. The key word is “networking” and the definition is vastly different from that of a friend.
We have already had the discussion of putting too much personal information on these sites. I myself find it funny that even when I post a thought provoking status update that people automatically assume I am talking about my own personal life. People begin to share their own stories and then take way too literally the comments others make. If you keep your business to yourself you wouldn’t have to delete so many friends.
I find it even more comical when people post that they are deleting friends or they are offended by what others post. There have been articles talking about relationships being broken due to comments left on social networking sites. Really people? Who were your friends before technology became so advanced?
Let me say this CELEBRITIES ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND! They probably don’t even know you exist. They only have a page because they want to promote their latest endeavor. Social networking is equivalent to writing to the Billy Ocean Fan Club when you were a kid. You get a generic thank you letter, a signed promotional picture, and an advertisement to purchase their new CD. You have been had!
I have to admit it is exciting to receive all those birthday wishes from your “friends” on your birthday. I just wish I had a nickel for each birthday wish. I just might be able to recoup my 401K fund.
Although I appreciate the reconnection to some of my old classmates, distant cousins, and some former associates, I do understand the reason why we haven’t been in touch all these years. Some of you all are loony! I mean that from the bottom of my heart. You guys are such colorful characters.
The funniest thing about it all is people are friends with exes, enemies, and strangers. You continue to share personal information with these people who report inappropriate things to employers, post pictures on YouTube, and anything else you can think of. I really don’t understand how many of you can think they are your friends. I just have four words for you: Use the privacy settings!
A word of advice: I rarely communicate with most of my true friends on any social networking site. We still use the telephone, e-mail, and occasionally, we will write a letter. Our business is our business and our friendship is truly genuine. Stop getting your feelings hurt by the so-called friends on these social networking sites. Get your life back and take inventory of your real friends. Trust me, they won’t be on the computer.
So, who needs to be deleted from your friends list? Or do you just need to shut down your page and start over?
I loved this one. I don’t consider myself a person who acknowledges people so easily as my friend. I don’t even need all of my fingers on one hand to count them. I have made past mistakes, and have tried to rectify them. Some were actually my fault, some were not. In which I realized that, and shot the hell back out of their life. But, each day is just a learning experience, one to take stock and take action. Thanks for this posting. It was a great one.