Though I've discussed social networking sites before in Social Networking (men and their issues) and Random Whatnots - Part II, at the utterly disgusted request of a girlfriend in the South, I’ve taken a look at the following topic, and here are my thoughts.
Let me just say right off that I think social networking sites are fantastic. It gives us a quick way to keep up with our friends, brag about our dogs, promote our businesses or websites, send impromptu invitations for drinks, and waste valuable hours we can never get back playing games no one else wants to hear about.
Sadly, with every great technology stride forward, there comes the inevitable social backslide. We’ve now found the electronic version of “hate books,” passing notes in the cafeteria, or tossing a drink in someone’s face. Apparently this has been going on for quite some time, but we all know I live in my own little Me Bubble and rarely take notice of things that don’t directly affect my ability to eat, drink, write, or buy shoes.
This disturbing practice is, for lack of a better way to put it, “Facebook fighting.” People play out their barely suppressed immaturity by posting statuses and/or snarky comments – supposedly employing “code” or innuendo - to insult, anger, or admonish someone else within the network.
Wow...
First, these folks must think mighty highly of themselves to believe something like that will even be seen, let alone read by the intended party. But for the sake of argument, let’s just say it is. Then what? What, exactly, is the point? What is the expected course of action? Is the person the comment was directed at supposed to return the insult? Lash out wildly in retaliation? Tuck tail and run? Are their “friends” twelve years old?
I kinda get that teens and tweens do this. They have a lot of time and all those uncontrollable hormones. But it’s shocking to me that supposedly grown adults participate in this behavior. They try to be a bit more sophisticated about it, but it’s pretty much like the kid-version. And sadly, it comes as no real shock to me that it’s mostly women playing in this.
*heavy sigh*
The most entertaining Facebook fighting I've found is what I call “pissing on the tree.” This is when one part of a “couple” stalks the other’s page, reading into every comment from anyone perceived as a possible threat to the relationship, then leaving not-so-thinly-veiled salacious remarks of their own in an effort to be the Dominate Female. For example:
Random Girl: “Great running into you last night! Don’t be such a stranger!”
Girlfriend: “Can’t wait for our super-special getaway weekend! xoxo”
*gags*
*gags again*
Then there’s the *heart* pissing. That’s where the girlfriend (why, oh why, is it always the women?!?) writes on Her Man’s wall repeatedly: “i *heart* u!” after every female post. It’s pathetic. She’s the same girl who will insist he “untag” photos of himself with other women. I propose that these little chicky-monkies be banned from all social networking sites due to their innate lack of language skills, then shunned into single-dom for their sins.
For even more entertainment, catch the the girl-on-girl “cat-fighting.” These comments are always catty and always embarrassingly obvious. It begs the question, “were you trying to confirm your uselessness, or are you just not very bright?”
All of this behavior makes me hang my head in shame for my entire gender.
We know a lot more about each other than we used to, and the information is being used for evil as much as good it seems. It’s a sad commentary on our society; the discovery that instead of embracing life, finding love, or investing a week’s pay in a pair of this summer’s gorgeous strappy sandals, folks are locked down with their computers, Blackberries, and iPhones – terrified they’re going to “miss” something online.
I don’t understand the thought process behind this ridiculous carrying on, and frankly I don’t want to. From where I sit cross-legged in my twirly chair, it appears that some people have entirely too much time on their hands and no drive to do anything productive with it.
Read a newspaper!
Learn a language! (start with your native tongue since it seems to have escaped you)
Unplug and repeat, “I’m not that important!”
Go live your life!
*switches off computer*
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