It’s 2014 and most people I know and interact with have Facebook pages and smartphones. It’s the age of text messaging, instagraming and status updates.
We all post things, tweet things and share photos.
I share my children’s accomplishments on Facebook. I write a blog and I am an open and out there person. However, there is one thing about it all that bothers me constantly.
It’s the lack of communication in an age where communication is easier then ever before.
For instance, someone posts on Facebook that they just got engaged. Is it enough to just “Like” their status update? That is you giving your like, a big virtual thumbs up to their exciting life moment but is it really communicating or is it a quick like and then scroll on to the next update. Here is what I would like to see more of. When you see that status update, don’t just like it. Write a comment, say “Congrats to the lucky guy” or “I can’t wait to hear about the wedding planning” OR be hater and say “Don’t do it” whatever you want but say something!!! UPDATE…If you are afraid of getting all the notifications or don’t want to publicly comment that is fine. How about sending a message, email or text? Something that says I see you and I acknowledge you specifically.
Is someone asking for virtual prayers on Facebook? I don’t pray but if a friend is asking, it shows they are in need of love and support. I always comment something like “keeping you and your family in my thoughts” I don’t just like the status because I want to actually say something supportive! I want that person to know that I AM keeping them in my thoughts! That if they are that scared and nervous that they need to ask in a virtual space for help that I am here, thinking of them and if they need to talk they can come to me. I typically will follow up with a private message a day or two later to see how they are holding up and how things are going. TOTAL SIDENOTE …..stop asking for prayers for BS stuff, it’s very greedy, ask for big things, life altering things you don’t need prayers for a meeting you need prayers for a surgery or test results.
ARE WE THAT “BUSY” THAT WE CAN’T EVEN COMMENT ANYMORE???
Recently I posted something on Facebook. When I mentioned it someone in my life a few days later they told me they read it on my Facebook page and was worried about me. My reply was. “Really? Then why didn’t you call me? Or Email? Or Comment” See there, something happened to me (I was fine!!!) but I didn’t hear that this important person cared, I just saw them “like” my Facebook status. I think people read things on Facebook and think about it but without reaching out to the other person…THEY HAVE NO IDEA!!
So that is my issue with Facebook!
Don’t get me wrong because I LOVE FACEBOOK, but I hate that so many people think a quick like is acknowledgement enough. IT IS if it’s someone from your preschool class in 1982 but it’s not if it’s a person in your family or a friend that you have a relationship with that you would like to continue to grow.
Great post! I do feel guilty if I don’t do more than like a status, but I feel kind of overwhelmed with the amount of info out there. A lot of times if I don’t know the person that well, but we’re connected through a business relationship or something like that, I feel odd saying too much (am I appearing like a stalker or something? Do they care what I have to say?) but will like the post. I’m not even sure that that’s good enough myself. And like is not always the correct default thing to say — relate would be better.
Anyway, you’re right, the whole purpose of FB is to connect. I will say that you’ve definitely touched on something that I’m going to be pondering the next time I’m on FB.
MB I think that it’s also about maintaining close interpersonal relationships and in order to do so we MUST communicate with one another verbally. Not just a click of a like button
I get what you’re saying here, but I disagree. I think that Facebook IS a place for keeping up the casual, virtual friendships. My real friends won’t comment on my big news or pictures because most likely they already know it. I think when someone posts engagement/pregnancy/big news like that, it’s for the peripheral people that they don’t talk to in real life. Also, with regards to commenting on the big news posts, I specifically don’t do it because then I get notifications every single time someone else comments in the thread. I hate that!!!
Oh I MUST update this post. I meant to say why not send a message or any way of reaching out. I didn’t mean comment as literal as I wrote it. I meant more can’t we comment OR send a note
Sometimes I will like a post but then for fear of a million notifications I write a separate post on their wall. I do hate when people mention things going on in your life that you divulged on facebook but they never give you a like or a comment. That’s stalking lol.