Tuesday 8 September 2009

Deconstructing the deletion: In defense of the decison to discontinue the inadvertent "stalking"

So, I’ve been doing the Facebook thing for about 2-3 years – it’s all a blur. I think it was in about April or May this year that I posted a message on my wall, stteo: I’ll be taking a break from fb, until I appoint my FAM (facebook Account Manager). I’ve popped in a couple times - doing nothing to write home about, really.

At some point, I began receiving messages in my Hotmail account from friends wanting me to send a friend request. Of course, I didn’t remember that I’d adjusted my settings to remove the FR link. But, that’s beside the point. It took me a while to respond to one of them – that of a very dear friend – ‘cause, well, our friendship exists outside of fb! Come Labour Day, with a bit more time on my hands, by the time I was to respond to her, I saw another request from someone else. It’s been years upon years that that person and I have had dialogue, but, I decided to send the FR anyway. In both instances, I let them know that I don’t use fb often and, in the event they don’t see me on it after a while, no worries. They have my contact info.

As a matter of fact, being now in ‘da mood’, I decided to take stock. Whom did I have on the Friends list that, well, hmmm …you know? I mean, since accepting the friend request 2 or more years ago, we hadn’t even exchanged a hello. So, after posting to my wall, stteo: I’ll be deleting a few contacts from my list ‘cause we don’t talk, really, and when I do pop in to fb, I feel like I’m stalking you… I went ahead and did just that.

My sis called to let me know that one of those who’d remained responded to my message. Something about the possibility of those affected not liking it. Oh well. As my other sis said, at least I gave a heads-up. Others simply go right ahead and delete – no compunction, no angst – just delete.

And it’s not that I think fb is evil or anything. I just don’t see the sense in looking at and absorbing what’s happening in the lives of others. It’s like watching a long-running (so-called) reality TV show. While they’re living their commercial-ridden lives, you’re spending yours watching them living their lives.

The point of the class reunion now would be what, exactly? Oh! Fewer pics that would make for a less bulky wallet and, of course, you get to see your friends ‘live’.

While having a truly enjoyable time at my lil sis’ place over the long weekend, she showed me a particularly funny youtube vid about the possible effect of fb on relationships. Apparently, there are those who regard fb to be more than a social networking site and whatever happens on fb, doesn’t stay on fb, but impacts (heavily) on the real-world relationships.

As we say in our family sometimes, “This isn’t funny ‘ha ha’; it’s funny ‘peculiar’.”

Who knows? A few of those I’d let remain might decide to remove me as a friend.

Oh well.


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

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