Personal Social Media... A Disease.

[Mr.B]

I joined Facebook and Twitter many years ago and used them to keep in touch with friends and family and follow people I found inspiring.

Then one day I found myself scrolling past the same posts I had already looked at 7 times that day, while telling my youngest (who was toilet training at the time) that I was 'busy' and would help him go to the toilet in a minute. Then it hit me, I had gotten addicted to this crap and my priorities were all out of whack.

I deleted Facebook and Twitter that day and haven't looked back.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

Bravo.

Honestly, who gives a damn how someone else spends their time. Whining about it on the internet isn't going to change a thing, especially to people that agree with you. Everyone here knows that spending hours a day on Facebook posting pictures of your food, pets, etc is a waste of time, unless somehow you're monetizing it and adding value to other's lives.

Live and let live.

Most threads that compare 'us' to 'them' is the equivalent of the popular kids at middle school picking on the fat kid. A bunch of people just virtually high fiving each other for their awesome decisions.

Other people's more trivial lifestyle decisions (like facebook usage) don't affect me, or you, or anyone. If I was selling a product, I'd look to create something that they'd want to share on social media.

I totally respect OP, and he can be blunt at times, but like you said, everyone here already knows this topic well, and it serves no purpose other than to compare and denigrate a certain percentage of the population.

Everyone does something that other people might find to be a waste of time. I just got back from a 2 hour speed skating session. I got to hang out with a bunch of cool people and enjoy the site of dozens of extremely fit women wearing lycra lol. It took about an hour to go to and from the oval. To some, that would be a waste of time because there are more efficient ways to do a workout. But I did it because I love it and it's fun.

Similarly many people (as evidenced in this thread alone) like sharing pictures with their friends and family on facebook or elsewhere. I seldom do that, instead I use it as a contact list for the dozens of people strewn across different countries that I happen to know. Everyone finds different value in different things, it ain't the end of the world and they aren't doing anything 'wrong'.

 

[Esquire]

One last point ... sharing bits and pieces of your personal life on FB is a good way to build trust and foster a sense of familiarity.

It humanizes you.

It transforms you from "Attorney Z" ... to "my friend Z" ... and if you don't think that adds value ... you're nuts.

There's an old business adage that says, "All things being equal, people want to do business with their friends. And when all things are NOT equal, people STILL want to do business with their friends."

It is estimated that more than 50 percent of sales are made and business relationships are kept because of friendship.

So when something fun or interesting happens in your life ... share it.

Be a friend.

 

[smarty]

I signed up for Facebook and I was appalled by the massive privacy invasion inherent in it.
Then I discovered that social marketing does literally mean you have to be very social, at least on Facebook you do.
Screw it, at least for now.

I "love" how Facebook just wants to suck up as much personal information as they possibly can! It's a self-made prison.

 

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[Jamesdoesmith]

This is exactly my point. Great post.

Look around the next time you are at a restaurant. Couples on dates with their heads buried in their phones. Little kids too! I can't believe this hasn't created more social awkwardness than it has yet.

I've been at professional sports games, concerts even the movies. People pay to be there and they sit on their phone the whole time.

This is probably 90 percent social media. I love my smartphone, but I can tell that because I don't have these social medias on my phone, I use my phone way less than average. You'll never see it sitting on the table at a restaurant. My 6 plus battery can last 2 and sometimes 3 days.

I have also began to make it a point to not talk to anyone while they are looking at their phone.

oh trust me...it certainly has.

 

[Mattie]

They want to write a novel on you. lol

 

[Digamma]

By the way, just solved that problem. Deleted my old account, made a new one. Only my name is real, no birthday, picture, anything. Only added family and close friends.
I use Facebook to keep in contact with people, so I'll have one, but nothing more than that. I blocked my newsfeed with a Chrome extension.

 

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[Ninjakid]

The best way to keep customers is to make them addicted to your product. Social media takes advantage of that fact.

 

[luniac]

i was gonna delete my facebook but then i realized i need it for my apps... and business page... and potential advertising... and talking shit...