I know. I should probably post this on Facebook. But I'm thinking I may need to take a break from FB for a while. Because as much as I love keeping up with members of my family and classmates from grade school, the simple fact is that all the neverending political shit is driving me batty!!! I like deep discussions of issues. I hate memes. Even ones I agree with. And that's pretty much all I see. No one wants to hear any other opinions, they just want validation of their own. Lately, there is so much flying at me that I dread logging on. The only thread of sanity is in that small group of fellow writers whom I have befriended - some from here, some from the pitch conference I attended, and one or two from other places. Of course, if I post a screed (which I have considered), I will either be ignored or told, "If you don't like it, don't read it." True, to a point. But it doesn't feel like it's enough. I don't require agreement with my political opinions as a basis for friendship. But when someone posts stuff I personally find abhorrent, they become the meme. I like them less. I don't want to, but I wonder how someone I liked could embrace such things. I think I need a vacation from FB.
My cousins post things like a picture of one's new toilet, posters with religious mottos, and the latest dog at the animal shelter. Then there are the cute viral videos of puppies and kittens. And one posts some weird game symbols that you earn, I dunno, I'm not familiar with the game, but she's often asking her friends, "I need a whatever-they-are." Of course there are pictures of the grandkids doing mundane things, and one of my cousins has taken to posting old pictures of our parents when they were young. Those I enjoy. I can't imagine any of them posting political messages, let alone getting into a debate about it. You'd think I was adopted into the family.
Sadly, Facebook isn't the only place where I see people only wanting to see opinions they already agree with. I've seen it everywhere there is more than 2 reasonably intelligent people. I must admit, I don't find Facebook as annoying as others seem to. But I don't spend all my time on it either. I basically use it as a private messaging service and a place to post random funny things, pictures with friends - and more recently pictures with my new girlfriend. I don't go there for a discussion, because quite honestly there are a lot of people on my friends list who I don't want to discuss things with. There are few who I trust to be cool and rational - especially about politics. I have a lot of friends who I honestly enjoy time with who hold views so very different from my own. Those people on this forum who have me on Facebook might even have seen something of this - with their support for Britain First and far right British nationalist groups like the EDL. I don't want to talk to them about immigrants, because politically I'm liberal, and aside from that I value them as friends. I don't find myself valuing them less or seeing them in a different light because I disagree with them politically however, though saying that I do spend more time with people I agree with more.
The only reason I am still on FB is to play the game My Vegas, other then that I have cut all of that crap out of my daily life and feel much better for it.
@Lemex - yeah, I think I'm just going to take a break from it for a while. I've also "unfollowed" the worst offenders.
I would like a setting in FB where you only see content in your newsfeed that has been generated by the person posting it. No more shares, or stick them in a separate tab. No more likes. No more Your friend X liked a post by Y whom you have never met, heard of or seen before in your life ... Just original content. From your FB friends.
I log into Facebook very rarely, and never for discussion of political issues. People who share political memes online are almost always uninformed - the memes are usually false or misleading and people just share them without thinking because they agree with some preconceived notion of theirs.
@Lemex that's a good way to approach people of differing views. I have friends all over the political spectrum. These days, it's all too common that people create caricatures of those they disagree with politically, casting them as stupid, evil, or whatever. It's a lazy, insecure approach to politics, but that seems to be all most people have time for.
Exactly. I'm certainly of the left politically, and sometimes I'm frankly disgusted by how people who share my views act.
Yes. It is disappointing to me how often progressives are intolerant, or an embarrassment based on how they engage political disagreement.
You guys should try our right-wing prime minister. Plenty of ammo you can post on a meme verbatim for good lols.
I've been getting a tad irked at some of the posts turning up on my feed too. Like @Lemex says, Britain First is one of the most annoying. They lure folks in with emotive images to pull on heartstrings, and sense of patriotism and fair play, when more often the not, permission to use the images was never sought nor approved. They've used images of deceased soldiers, starving dogs, even predictably enough Diana.When my daughter's friend liked one, and shared as they encouraged her to do, my irritated response was, "Like it? Share it? I wouldn't even wipe my ass with it!" (She's 28) Her uncle swopped in, called me a Leftie. I slung back, "Better a leftie than a fascist!" and it disintegrated from there. I don't like arguments. I try to be tactful. I genuinely don't feel my opinion is worth more than anyone else's. I felt almost protective of my daughter's friend, more than anything annoyed that, and okay this is my opinion, she was being deceived. He didn't have to agree with my stance but he wouldn't even let me explain to her what they really represent. I grew up in a political whirlwind. Patriotic nutjobs on one side, freedom fighter supporting nutjobs on the other, and a severe smattering of religious nutjobs on both. I've already seen enough arguments to last me a lifetime. But sometimes it's impossible to hold tongue...type...whatever. And then there was the time a relative posted a 'Like = 1 prayer' meme aiming to cure a sickly infant... who had died three years ago! *sighs* Three years and the child's graphic post-op photo was still doing the rounds. All this sharing willy-nilly does my head in. Memes are like antiques... they have provenance. On my page I post things I've doodled. photos, a touch of running commentary so friends can see I'm functioning, and the rest is what we in N.I. refer to as Mad Dog Shite. But more often than not it's mine. I'd be hard pressed to think of any meme I think is worth sharing unless it relates to things I can actually help with... if my next door neighbours dog was to go walkabout, for example. Sorry you need the break @EdFromNY; you helped me keep up to date and understand what was happening on your home turf. But I do get why... I could feel your growing annoyance.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Your error was even getting involved in the first place, my friend. To quoteth a scene from a video game, “Friends who want to stay friends don't discuss religion or politics.” Never put a glowing target on your back if you can avoid it, is what I believe. And yeah, the whole ‘1 like=1 prayer’ thing is really absurd and disgusting. It's a half-hearted, crappy way to pull at all the heartstrings, yet none of that is really doing anything but exploit the sick/injured infant/kid whose picture is being used for that meme. In other words, I don't use Facebook. At all.
I find FB brings out my need for approval way too much. Plus, I scroll mindlessly for hours. Who cares, basically. Deactivated a while ago. Quality of life has been better.
I don't have any problem scrolling past the interminable political and Jesus stuff, but I seem to have friended a lot of people who enjoy posting pictures of their (and others') bald, cancer-ridden children. Please, no more. I'm sorry the kids are sick, but I don't know them and can't pray for anybody.
I think one of the things that was the toughest to deal with was finding out that people who were really good friends as kids have grown up to be such assholes. And then felt the need to relentlessly shove their asshole-ness in my face. (And, let's be clear: by "asshole", I do not mean that they hold opinions in opposition to mine; I mean that they've lost the power to think critically and to consider alternative arguments). After a weekend at the ballpark (always the best place for me to get away from it all, even in 95 degree heat) left me with a bit of perspective. As I mentioned earlier, I "unfollowed" the most egregious few. I've also found that when someone "shares" a meme, it's almost always from a site that manufactures them, and one can choose not to receive anything from that site. I use that for the less persistent offenders, especially if they occasionally post things of a more interesting and/or personal nature.
Error? Oh no. You might think so. Perhaps if you lived in an area ostensibly run by terrorists who gain support and numbers by similar tactics as those used by Britain First, you might think differently. I don't see it as an error. I see it as a duty. It is next to impossible to avoid political wrangling here; it permeates everything. It just galls me to see good and decent people turned into unwitting, fascist propaganda pushers. These innocent looking memes are insidious. This short scene from the film Cabaret comes to mind...
I have 14 Facebook friends, and won't add any more unless I want to hear from you every day. When people ask me to add them I just say no, I'm not that interested in you.
Just checked my messages because FB keeps bugging me via email and I see my sister-in-law has announced to the world there's a sale at Big Lots.
Whenever too much forum time makes me question if I have a life, my relatives remind me that indeed I do.
Screw face-palm. Nothing but eye melting memes, and repost this if you believe/support this. Yeah I will get on it just as soon as never. Seeing as if I like/share any of that dribble is really going to make a difference. Taking another long hiatus from FB, not sure for how many years yet (though last time was at least 2). Who knows maybe never, not that I am going to miss out on pictures of food, and idiotic posts that all scream 'hey look at me!'. Why bother you are not that interesting. Not to mention since being divorced and being alone so long all that mushy shit really brings me down when you shove it in my face 24/7. Like hey that's great your happy we got it. Now how about you STFU about it, some of us are really not interested in hearing it for the billionth time. Should just call it ineptitude-book, or even better narcissist-book.
