Social networking on the internet is serious business, at least to many people it is.
I have 285 "friends" on my Facebook page and I probably know about 250 of them in real life (yes I'm that cool). When I use to blog on Myspace I had about 700 "friends". But were they really friends?
Myspace had a bulletin feature and quite often people would post bulletins "Cleaning out my friends list, if we haven't talked in a while you will be deleted..." or something of that nature.
Get a fucking life. The odds were on space that, that person befriended me for some reason (my blogs would be an excellent guess). It's a social networking site, key word networking. My life will go on even if the number of friends is lighter one day than it was in previous days.
You see folks, some people get carried away and take social networking too seriously. If you get so upset that some of your "friends" haven't poked you, took a quiz about how well they know you, or sent you fancy glitter comment, then maybe you should re-evaluate your life.
Would you be upset if not everyone on your wireless network didn't contact you? NO! So why would it be any different on a website?
Since I've left Myspace for unspecified reasons I've been trying to whore my blogs out on Facebook to get people to read. There's a big difference between the two sites: Myspace is like a sleazy night club and Facebook is like rehab or church. Your grandma, your Aunt Edna, or your boss is more likely to be on Facebook than on Myspace because Facebook censors a lot of us free thinkers.
But since I've left the uncensored Myspace (it's a lot harder to be censored there) I haven't changed the way I think or who I am. I'm still the same smart ass with a warped sense of humor and what is even more humoring is when people delete my comments or wall posts. It's means I've struck some kind of chord and that's music to my ears.
I will befriend just about anyone and I'm sure I could just about offend everyone, but I won't be deleting anyone because we've never corresponded since we became "friends". And if you are offended that someone on your list has had no contact with you and you plan on deleting them, maybe you should cancel your internet service altogether and get some real life friends.
It's easy to make and delete friends on the internet but have you spent so much time social networking that you've lost any social skill you had to make or delete friends in real life? I think there may be quite a few on my list that have socially decayed.
Remember, networking sites are in place to stay connected with people. If your life has come down to who leaves comments and who doesn't, then all you're doing is taking up air. I know this isn't the case with everybody but there are some out there like this and I'm certain everyone has at least on person like this on their "friends list."
So from me to you: if you feel I haven't been in contact with you enough feel free to delete me. If I deleted everybody who didn't read my blog, I wouldn't have many friends.
Stop taking social networking so seriously, it's only the internet!
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I'd never delete you and love reading your blogs. You know me, though, I only add people that I have a connection with. On myspace, it was hard to grasp the intent of people friending you--once I learned it was so they could GAIN more readers... I hit the delete button. Here, I know everyone.... and wouldn't delete them b/c they didn't comment or post things.... I know their lives are busy. Hugs to you.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was aimed at people who tent to be superficial. Life is not about who can get a bigger friends list or becoming upset when someone isn't in constant contact with you (not you Deborah, but you know what I mean)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, some people do have lives outside the interwebs!!
I totally understand what you are saying Mike, I've all but deleted my myspace account, actually I think I will today. Facebook has become a way to kepping touch with people I actually know in real life and can see whats going on with them. My biggest thing is I'm too nice, If I get a friend request of someone random from high school that I may have said Hi to at some point and they friend request me I'm too nice to deny it...eben though I barely remember them......
ReplyDeleteI love your assessment of Myspace vs. Facebook. I always said Facebook is like the office and MySpace is like the bar. LOL
ReplyDeleteI totally get what you're saying. It's one of the reasons I stopped blogging at MS and unsubb'ed to a number of blogs over there. Drama, woe-is-me-my-girlfriend-just-broke-up-with-me-six-months-ago-and-I'm-still-seeking-pity-because-I-can't-move-on, bashing people in the likes of which I've never seen, and people getting WAY too caught up in it to the point that they get their panties in a wad if you don't post a comment every now and then to the 5 blogs per day that they post.
But that's just me.
And I would never delete you. I TOTALLY DIG your humor! And anyway, you (with respect to Kindra) and Suga' are my internet boyfriends! :-)
Very sad but true Mike. I know quite a few people, who are in a "tiff" if their friend list is 1 short of what it was the day before. Also, back in the space world, people "rated" their friends into the top positions. I can say honestly...I sure as hell dont miss the drama over there! Keep bloggin bro!
ReplyDeleteAng, I'm the same way with accepting friend requests. I kind of got use to accepting almost anyone for the sole purpose of reading my blogs when I was on myspace. Facebook is a more useful too to contact long lost friends or stay in touch with family that lives out of town.
ReplyDeleteTammy, I know you wouldn't delete this internet boyfriend! The last month or so before I left myspace the blogs were really heating up with drama; people taking sides and bashing others while comedy writes like myself (if you want to call me that) and Sugar Ray were losing readers to the drama. Myspace is almost like a high school that serves drinks.
ReplyDeleteAt least here I can be as bipolar with my writing as I want to be, and not have to live up to comedy category people expected when I blogged. Now I write what I want and my loyal readers always seem to find me where ever I go, so its nice!
I'm with you on the drama, they can keep that shit!!!!!!!
You know Mike I tried the top friends thing but people would get so aggravated "why am I not a top friend? why is so and so on there and not me?" I was happy when time came up with the "randomizing of top friends".
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I miss about that place is the fan base I had with my first account, but in time I'll build up that following. In time. I'll keep them coming Mike.....you know me. Got a lot to say all the time!
I think you're right that many have come so dependent on social networking through the internet that they have very few friends that they contact in person or that they know in real life! In fact, I am guilty of that myself! I love and appreciate facebook so much because I have very little time to talk on the phone or to even get together with friends or family. I agree that it is very silly for people to get so upset over not getting comments or 'glitter' or whatever! I remember when I was on myspace what a big deal it was to some people to be on somebody's top 8 friends list! Apparantly, not being on somebody's top friends list was reason enough to delete a friend. I don't have time to contact everyone on my friends list on a daily basis and I don't expect all of my friends to contact me regularly either...except for you, Mike. If I don't start hearing from you twice daily, you're deleted. LOL Just kidding!! =)
ReplyDeleteAimee, I hear you on having time constraints. I don't work but some days I'm the busiest man on the planet. I was happy when Tom made a "randomization" of top friends. What was neat about that feature is that some people who were on my top 8 wanted anonymity because of some of the stuff I would post.
ReplyDeleteThe internet is a resourceful tool, but taking it as serious as some do is just foolish.
HAHA.....don't delete me bro!!!!!!!