I'm a little confused about something. (Shut up.)
I don't get the "Facebook House Cleaning" that so many people conduct on a regular basis. I have taken off a few people for two reasons: 1) I could no longer stand the constant bullshit that some people are always spouting...and they post so many times that my page is always littered with these annoying fools; 2) A friend or two that I am currently not speaking to and realized that by being friends on Facebook allowed them access to my life without picking up a phone or shooting an email my way. Sad situation and I have already discussed it here ad nauseam.
However, isn't the whole point of Facebook to connect with people in a way that defines our society today? Keep up with friends, acquaintances, and family that you don't regularly keep in contact with? These aren't enemies of the past...these are people who I might have passed every day for six years in the halls of my junior/senior high school. These are people that were neighbors, family friends, or work colleagues. These are family members that I no longer see on a regular basis but is now fun to keep up with everyone and see photos and hear their announcements that would normally be reserved for those (sigh) annual holiday letters...except Facebook is better because you (more or less) see a real picture compared to the glowing perfectness of year end letters.
I was recently defriended by a guy I went to high school with. I can't say we were "super duper" friends other than having a few classes together, maybe, and he was on the football team and I was a cheerleader. Have I seen him since 1984? No. But, here comes Facebook and we were friends and I tolerated his extreme left political status updates and his I'm-going-to-kill-myself-my-life-is-awful updates.
Then a couple of weeks ago he posted something about "if you are reading this you made the cut" and I thought, oh, goody. My life is complete (give me a break buddy). However, he also wanted some kind of recognition from those of us lucky cats who made this self-important "cut".
I ignored it. What was I going to do? Liking the update seemed pimp-ish and totally unnecessary so I didn't say anything. The next thing I knew I stumbled onto a mutual friends page where this happy fellow left a comment and then it hit me that I haven't seen him on my home page in a while. (Okay, perhaps I have too much time on my hand. Don't judge.) So, I clicked on his page and at the top it suggested I add him as a friend. Which means he defriended me.
I was irritated. Not because I care whether or not this particular guy defriended me but are Facebook members so needy that you must comment with concern and compassion every time someone has a bad day? Or makes an announcement? Or spouts a witty quote? Jesus H. Can't I lurk occasionally? I'm sorry this guy is/was one drink short of jumping off a tall building (Yes, I am thinking of music by Gilbert O'Sullivan, stop shaking your music-judging head!) but look dude I hardly think me saying something like "take care of yourself" is going to make him pause, look around, and thank some past high school cheerleader he once knew 26 years ago.
Please.
So, why do you defriend? And, more importantly, if you write "KIT" in a high school yearbook, shouldn't you at least try and stay true to your word? Geez, what is this world coming to?
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