Ever since I finished junior year of high school, Facebook became increasingly aggravating to me.
I was very much into the Myspace days where you’d friend (or whatever the Myspace term for it was?) as many people as you knew (or didn’t know–it didn’t matter).
I did that with Facebook in highschool when I first got it in ’07. I friended basically everyone from my school regardless of whether I met them or not. Most of the time we never spoke to each other, it was just a means of reference for when someone said, “Oh my God, did you see so-and-so’s status/picture?”
Being “friends” with someone on Facebook didn’t mean we were real friends, it was just a means of “creeping”–and that’s starting to really irritate me in my old age.
After high school, I did this wonderful thing I dubbed the “Hi Test.” Here’s how it worked: I went through my entire friend list (probably over 1,000 at that point…. jeeze) and if I wouldn’t say “hi” to the person, I’d promptly delete them.
That may sound harsh, but why do I need someone on my News Feed if I never talk to them?
The Facebook Etiquette today is still struggling. I currently have 400-500 friends (I need to do a clean up soon) but I feel as if most of them would be weirded out if I commented on something they posted or chatted them. Why is this weird? Why are we even “friends” if I’m a weirdo for someone I’m “connected” with on this social networking site?
I’ve also found that after my Facebook sweeps, occasionally people I’ve deleted due to never… ever talking with them… friend me back. Occasionally I’ll message them and say hello and ask them how they are and usually they get flustered and not know what to say. Has Facebook made us more antisocial?
So I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t add me as a friend if you wouldn’t want to be my friend. If you’re my friend on Facebook don’t be all in a dither if I instant message you and ask you about your life or if I comment on your status. This whole we’re-only-friends-so-I-can-track-your-post-high-school-weight-gain (or other reasons) is so…just…old.
Talking at Myself 