Yet another Facebook post.

[arcadian]

Pretty sad that I have to post a query on DU because I don't know what Facebook is all about.

So, what is the over all mood on Facebook? I just friended a guy I knew back in H.S. and he's a rabid right-winger, should I a.)unfriend him, b.)hide him, or c.)confront?

So, what is with people posting stuff like "Johnnie Facebooker is in tears because the super market ran out of rice crispies." Is this a.) a joke, b.) information most people don't need or care about, or c.) a serious description of that person's mood?

So, what is the deal with posting responses to peoples threads and then not getting a response, is it a.)that person is so busy and has so many friends that they can't get around to them all, b.)that person really doesn't give a shit about you, c.)they probably decided that having befriended you wasn't a good idea and they have hidden your posts?

So, what are people really using Facebook for, a.)to gage how successful in life they are using the dipstick of their former friends and schoolmates, b.)a sincere way to get back in touch with old friends, c.)High School 2.0, with all the shame and angst that came with your old high school.

I think I really hate Facebook.

[mix]

1. i loathe facebook too

it sucks you into worlds you left long ago

[TZ]

2. I like FB

To me its like the Lounge with no mods. And yes, most of my FB friends are DU'ers. Frankly, I like it better than here of late...

[mix]

3. i suppose if you could quarantine off a section, it would work for me

i don't know enough about it to know how that works though

:hi:

[Lex]

6. you only have to interact with people

you approve as friends, so you control your own experience in that way, and even people that you approve as friends, you don't have to interact with them if you don't want to

[tigereye]

4. it's a lot of fun to connect with old friends and stay in touch with current

ones (since often people are so busy!)

I really like it, and I was surprised that that was the case. Actually when you get to be my age, the high school angst is pretty much over.

[yellowdogintexas]

15. I have reconnected with about 10 people in the first 2 weeks I was on

FaceBook!

Thanks to my niece who insisted I join to see her photo albums.

[Lex]

5. I hide people with obnoxious or stupid FB status updates.

As to posting to other people, I don't take it personally if they don't respond back to me. It's best not to invest much ego in something like that.

I enjoy Facebook a lot, but I think that's because I don't see it as something important to the way I feel about myself in general.

[Bertha Venation]

7. I'll answer "what are people really using Facebook for"

Here's how I use it:

To see pictures that my family & friends from far away post.

To say "hi" every now and then to family & friends far away. It helps me keep in touch. For example, a cousin in Oklahoma commented on some of my pictures, and it reminded me to write to her.

Infrequently I use the chat feature, usually to keep up with my ballplayer friend, and sometimes to chat with others.

I keep up with a young friend -- her mom is probably already doing this, but I check her site and her posts/replies frequently to be sure she's playing safe.

And yes, to find and catch up with friends I haven't seen in a long time.

I don't use it as a message board, a gossip column, a chat room, a twitter replacement. I just use it the ways I describe.

[suninvited]

11. That is the way I use it

you just said it so much better than I did.

[charlie and algernon]

8. like most things, it's what you make of it

some people use it as their main focus for socializing, others just have it to connect with friends old and new. I joined in the very beginning when it was just for college students. Then it, like AIM, became a major source for socializing and arranging things to do. Now I use to see how those college friends are doing and to connect with new friends. I also use it as a photo dump, where I can upload all the photos from my digital camera, so I have a bunch of albums on my page.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. oh ...good idea! the photo dump!

I like that.

[suninvited]

9. I pretty much use facebook

with family and very good friends. I dont have anybody on there that I am not very close to.

We use it to share pictures of family and just to keep up with everybody all at the same time.

I love it. And using it the way I do it in no way resembles high school, it is just family keeping touch with each other all the time. I have it on my blackberry so I can see immediately a new picture of a grandbaby, or someones birthday party pictures when I didnt get to be there.

[gmoney]

10. it's called "fun" I believe...

People are silly, random, emo, overly dramatic, etc. Just because someone ELSE posts their Rice Krispies concerns on their page is no reason that you should concern yourself or comment on it... I'd venture to say it's better to post that on their own page where the world is free to ignore it, than to post a thread on DU which sort of presumes it's a topic worth discussing.

Some people post way too many goofy things. I'd suggest using the option to "hide" them from your homepage feed. That way they're still your friends and can contact you, etc. but you don't need to be bothered with their little quizzes and whatnot. I think you can also customize your page so that certain stuff is not displayed, and certain invitations blocked, etc.

It's really "micro-blogging" and you're free to decide if the person's updates are of interest to you or not.

Or if you truly hate the party, leave?

[lukasahero]

13. I use it almost exclusively to goof around with my sister

She and I no longer live in the same state and, with FB, we're able to just goof off with each other in a more immediate, natural style.

What you do with it, I guess, is entirely up to you but it sounds to me like if the best you get is "Johnnie Facebooker is in tears because the super market ran out of rice crispies.", you either need to get a sense of humor or more interesting friends. :shrug:

[MineralMan]

14. Facebook is what you make it.

You choose who your friends are. If they screw with you, they aren't friends. I keep my facebook friends limited to those who I get along with. Right-wingers need not apply. People who over post and use up my space get hidden (facebook doesn't tell them). People who abuse me or my friends get unfriended without warning (facebook does tell them that).

It can be an excellent tool for keeping up with friends and family.