Facebook is the WORST!!

[Surfingringo]

I was never much of an internet guy until a few years ago when I joined this forum. Even then, it was pretty much only for checking email and participating here on the forum. Well, not long after, a friend convinced me to join FB in order to further my efforts as a professional kayak fisherman. The results have been pretty amazing and it has definitely pushed my efforts and sponsorship to the next level, but sometimes I really don't know if it's worth it.

Facebook is ripe with sickness. Seriously, it seems that it is way to often an example of people at their worst. Everyone has a pulpit to impose their opinions upon others and many of the rules of courtesy, respect and decency are forgotten. Nobody is listening to any ideas other than the ones that align with their own. People gravitate to others who are regurgitating the same thoughts they hold and alienate and vilify anyone holding opposing views. It seems like this phenomenon is making our world ever more divided. It has just become too easy to separate yourself from anyone with an opposing view and this separation leads to even more intolerance. What's funny is that one of the biggest chest pounding examples of self righteousness that I see over and over is people claiming to be intolerant of the "intolerance" of others. Its like a domino effect that nobody can see and everyone feels justified in their own brand of intolerance. Obviously, this whole election cycle has been an awful example of FB (which is nothing more than the people using it) at their worst.

Anyway, I wanted to hear some thoughts from some of you guys, not go on a giant rant. I will say this though. I used to be proud to tell people that I wasn't even on FB. Now I can't say that and what's worse, I find myself way too often mindlessly scrolling through a news feed that is full of the very things that I am complaining about. Shame on me. If I didn't have the fishing sponsors to appease, I think I'd be shod of the whole ugly thing.

[OldHoosier62]

Surfingringo, I could not have said it better myself. The FB trolls, SJW's, paid instigators, etc...have made it almost unusable unless you set your page restrictions so tight that nobody sees what you post or your "likes". Not exactly the way it is supposed to work, is it?? It seems there is someone to harass and belittle you no matter what your interests are. Combine that with FB's nosy attitude, targeted advertising, censorship and I have all but given up on using it. Sad really.

[Evil D]

It's one part having an outlet to express your opinion and one part inflated sense of entitlement. Those two elements combined with absolutely zero accountability for their behavior and you get the typical Facebook personality you described.

Personally I wasn't on there for a long time but it's been probably 5 years or so now since I joined. I had a very specific reason for joining (reconnecting with my father) and beyond that 99% of my news feed is about bands that I like. I don't think I have 60 friends and almost all of those are family, the rest are real friends that I know in person and talk to on a regular basis. I keep that circle as small as I can and so far I have avoided all this drama. Even within that circle it's easy enough to unfollow someone and still remain friends if they need to contact me and can't get me in person or on a phone.

So, I think like any internet forum it has a lot to do with the people you're surrounded by and how you use it. I hardly ever see anything more than live concert videos or tour updates and things like that, with the occasional Spyderco post here and there. I'm also in a couple car groups that are pretty well moderated so there's no drama there, as well as a Glock group. I think Facebook can be a positive experience if you weed out the undesirables.

[paladin]

Never been on Facebook in my life...

already got enough people looking down the end of their nose at me in real life. :mad:

[The Deacon]

To be honest, the only thing I use on Facebook is my HOA's page. Probably less than a quarter of the 200+ households in our subdivision use it at all, and most not very often, so it's lightly trafficked. Still, it's even more civil than this place (if such a thing is possible). Heck, the closest thing to an argument I can recall was be differences of opinion on how one of the rules in our CCR should be interpreted. It has occasionally been informative, so an overall positive experience. Aside from that, the closest I come to "social media" is visiting this place and a couple other forums.

[kbuzbee]

If FB were like my bank they would charge me an inactivity fee :-)

Ken

[demoncase]

They used to say that million monkeys at a million typewriters would eventually produce the complete works of Charles Dickens.

Facebook has 1.79 billion users.

The prosecution rests. :D

[kbuzbee]

I thought that was William Shakespeare?

Ken

[demoncase]

I thought that was William Shakespeare?

Ken

Either or.

I've heard the Dickens version more often.

[ChrisinHove]

Recent elections (both yours and ours) have brought out the worst on FB ... but ...

... my FB friends are all actual friends and/or relatives. They are people I respect, and so I listen to their views - sometimes the polar opposite of my own - and do end up giving those viewpoints some extra consideration.

On the other hand, rants by complete strangers are of little or no interest.

I think the real danger is that people, including myself, think we are actively "engaging" with an important process or debate, when in fact we are posting to a very small interested audience - usually of only oneself!

[Doc Dan]

I do not friend people unless I actually know them. I do not like FB in general and people should never post anything really personal on it as FB has zero security. Nefarious types, both burglars and shady government types have used FB to harm many people.

[Water Bug]

I have no use for Facebook, Twitter, etc. They just come across as more of a problem than a solution. Seems more and more you hear about a lot of issues, such as Internet bullying and the adverse results of such actions, that could be avoided by just simply staying away from such sites.

I recall when E-mail first came out how the phrase, "E-mail can be evil," eventually emerged... I find Facebook and such far worse. If we're not careful, one day we're going to totally lose our face-to-face skills of social interaction as more and more people hide behind impersonal computer screens to get things done.

[SG89]

I like Instagram. FB sux

[harronek]

I'm not on FB and I'm happy and contented with my life .
I asked my teenage kids about it the other day and they laughed at my ignorance and " old person " questions .
They informed me that the cool people don't use it anymore and there are a number of alternatives .
When I asked why they don't use it anymore I was told " because of all the mums and dads who have turned it uncool "
They then went on to educate me in the stupidity and dangers of social media .The schools that they go to have for many years now educated the kids in how online stupidity can ruin their lives and have ongoing effects that can't be erased .
Many older people would be well advised to take a lesson from my kids .

Ken

[bearfacedkiller]

I shut down my FB account three years ago and haven't looked back. Besides Zuckerberg's views on privacy, which I can't accept, I just found it not all that useful and more frustrating than anything else. It brings out the worst in people. I could go on for and a long time about how it is detrimental to humanity. It is a bastion of misinformation and people just regurgitating other people's ideas. When as people did we begin to need so much validation? Why is everybody so self righteous? Why are we so zero tolerant of everything? I better stop now...

[wrdwrght]

I loathe FB (its abuses are evident, its divisive algorithms less so), but I do use it because Native friends in northern Quebec asked me to participate.

[Liquid Cobra]

Honestly if it weren't for the Spyderco group and other gear related groups I wouldn't be on Facebook at all. Facebook is just as terrible as Lance has said. The thing I do like about it though is how easy and quick it is to post information, images and video. I wish it was quick to post images and video here on the forum.

I like Instagram because it's not really built for large discussion. It's just "hey look at me and my stuff or at what I'm doing". It's quick and not obnoxious.

[Bloke]

I'm not even sure what FB is or what purpose it serves?

I'm not of the computer age and other than use a couple of drafting programs (AutoCAD and Inventor) I can't do diddley on a computer. I can't even post photos here. :o

I like talking to my mates in person, over the phone and email to friends overseas. :)

The thing that baffles me most is why does anyone want millions of friends? I have enough trouble keeping up with the mates I already have! :eek:

[Pinetreebbs]

It's a great way to keep with friends and family that live across the country and around the world. It's fairly easy to avoid trolls and drama with settings, but frankly it's pretty easy to ignore the drama and nonsense. I happen to like discussing politics so that works for me too. There is a also a lot there for Spyderco aficionados and those interested in firearms and reloading. It's like a glass, you can fill it with water, mud or something more satisfying.

[chuck_roxas45]

It's a great way to keep with friends and family that live across the country and around the world. It's fairly easy to avoid trolls and drama with settings, but frankly it's pretty easy to ignore the drama and nonsense. I happen to like discussing politics so that works for me too. There is a also a lot there for Spyderco aficionados and those interested in firearms and reloading. It's like a glass, you can fill it with water, mud or something more satisfying.

I'm with you PT. I find a lot of interesting and heartwarming stuff on facebook too. It is pretty easy for me to avoid drama over there. I am an amateur radio enthusiast and as you say there is a lot there for someone who can navigate the swamps.

I would add that for someone whose sensibilities are easily disjointed by warped human nature, facebook should be avoided like the plague. What I do avoid is having personal details viewable by strangers or even by slight acquaintances. Pictures that can be used as ID pictures are also a no-no.