Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Well, I have finally thrown down the gauntlet, and deactivated my Facebook account.

Why, you may ask? Simple: Facebook, the great "social network" does not encourage you to be yourself, or to create real relationships. Far forom helping you connect with other people in your life, it makes your friends seem much less important, it raises the "status update" above the friendly smile, the shared joke, or a warm, loving hug. It is has become one of the greatest popularity races ever."Let's see, I spent a week at the same camp as this person, and barley talked to him. I think I will add him to my 'Friend' list" . It is a rat race of the highest caliber, and addictive, mindless morass of "hey, lets hang 2-nites LOL" messages, devoid of meaning and real, human feeling.

I am glad to be gone.

I may just go visit a REAL friend tomorrow.

_Tim?

Well good on you _Tim? if thats the way you feel about "good" old facebook, il agree the place is a crapfest almost constantly around the clock, and im thinking the only thing that is keeping me from doing the same as you is i have friends that live in germany and its the only way i can stay in touch with them.

It's only like that if you let it be. The only people in my friends list are people I know, and it's a great way to keep in touch with them when I normally wouldn't be able to, like my friend who moved to Korea, or my family in different states. I don't accept odd friend requests, so I don't have a popularity contest. Biggest contest I'm ever in is who can score highest in Robot Unicorn Attack. It lets me keep up on whats going on with my friends who I can't see every day, it reminds me when people's birthdays are, etc. Facebook is only a bad thing if you let it be.

I quit for five days and it was very difficult for me. I've managed to keep my friends list down to people I actually want to talk to, and I'm spending a lot less time playing some of the nonsensical games. I'm still pretty nuts about it though.

I think my problem in general right now is that I am looking for something that is both entertaining on a basic level and provides something deeper and more meaningful as well. Facebook is my default because it is easy and requires no thought. My husband says I am being too picky and that something being merely entertaining is fine for the moment. I believe I suffer from chronic boredom and that constant amusement is part of the reason that I am always looking for the next big obsession.

Flaming_Spider wrote:It's only like that if you let it be. The only people in my friends list are people I know, and it's a great way to keep in touch with them when I normally wouldn't be able to, like my friend who moved to Korea, or my family in different states. I don't accept odd friend requests, so I don't have a popularity contest. Biggest contest I'm ever in is who can score highest in Robot Unicorn Attack. It lets me keep up on whats going on with my friends who I can't see every day, it reminds me when people's birthdays are, etc. Facebook is only a bad thing if you let it be.

Pretty much that right there. It's as bad or as good as you let it be.

Yep, have to echo Flaming_spider too. If you want to let it turn into some kind of teenage popularity contest, then it will.

I don't know anyone who uses it for anything else then keeping in touch with a network of actual friends, as I do.

Ifalna wrote:Yep, have to echo Flaming_spider too. If you want to let it turn into some kind of teenage popularity contest, then it will.

I don't know anyone who uses it for anything else then keeping in touch with a network of actual friends, as I do.

Especially if you've got kids drawing your free time down to zero. I wouldn't even be able to stay in touch with 1/4 the people I know without Facebook.

Aye, I'm the same as few here, most of my family and friends are on the other side of the country, so its the only way to keep in touch.

I think I have about 40 friends total, and its only that high as I have about 15-20 people from my WoW guild as friends.

Cool story bro

I've met a lot of close personal friends on facebook, and gotten to know a lot of different people and groups. Facebook gave me the opportunity to be social with people I'd usually be too nervous to talk to. I've got a hundred (more or less) friends. I probably know about 96 of them. I've had several long relationships with women I've met through other friends, on facebook.

I have no idea what you're talking about, actually. I think you're just mad because you're not a teenager.

Agreeing with ifalna here. +1


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Flaming_Spider wrote:It's only like that if you let it be. The only people in my friends list are people I know, and it's a great way to keep in touch with them when I normally wouldn't be able to, like my friend who moved to Korea, or my family in different states. I don't accept odd friend requests, so I don't have a popularity contest. Biggest contest I'm ever in is who can score highest in Robot Unicorn Attack. It lets me keep up on whats going on with my friends who I can't see every day, it reminds me when people's birthdays are, etc. Facebook is only a bad thing if you let it be.

Also, quoting for truth.

Yea Im with the spider on that one. The only people on my list are my family and thats it. No problems for me.

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:Aye, I'm the same as few here, most of my family and friends are on the other side of the country, so its the only way to keep in touch.

I think I have about 40 friends total, and its only that high as I have about 15-20 people from my WoW guild as friends.

I'm sure you often say insightful and amusing things but that Av just distracts me every time.

Oh god you should have seen his old one...Oy, that was distracting.

He has a history of it. I'm sure one day I'll read one of his posts.

@Samus - Nothing wrong with Daffney.

@Tyyr - it goes with the username, it would feel wrong if I didn't have some kind of eyebrow raising Avatar.


Back on topic, I should stress as a side note, that our WoW guild is pretty chatty, a fair few of us go on about much more than the game.
So having a select few of my guild as facebook friends to me isn't odd either.

Several of us are even meeting up in London this November, catching a show on a Friday, dinner and chillout on the Sat. Should be good.

Here is the clincher: I have only added people I know to my list. My friend list never topped 20 people! I just got fed up with all the people who have 300-500 'friends', most of which they don't even know that well. It just annoys the heck out of me. Sure, it is a tool, but it is a useless one if you never use it, or don't even know anybody.

@Samus_Aran: Actually, I'm 18, so I am not just a bitter older person. Actually, all the old people I know that are one Facebook are one all the time, so yeah...

_Tim?

Facebook is a curse on all humanity. Just like Id4chan, and The creators of Cartoon network.

Some_Call_Me_Tim? wrote:Here is the clincher: I have only added people I know to my list. My friend list never topped 20 people! I just got fed up with all the people who have 300-500 'friends', most of which they don't even know that well. It just annoys the heck out of me. Sure, it is a tool, but it is a useless one if you never use it, or don't even know anybody.

Sooo, what are you on about again? Because some people who use it, not you apparently, have so many friends that annoyed you so much that you decided to quit it?

Tyyr wrote:

Some_Call_Me_Tim? wrote:Here is the clincher: I have only added people I know to my list. My friend list never topped 20 people! I just got fed up with all the people who have 300-500 'friends', most of which they don't even know that well. It just annoys the heck out of me. Sure, it is a tool, but it is a useless one if you never use it, or don't even know anybody.

Sooo, what are you on about again? Because some people who use it, not you apparently, have so many friends that annoyed you so much that you decided to quit it?

That is partially why I left, the rest of the reason being that I had to wade through mindless posts by people who do not know the difference between a comma and an apostrophe, whenever I wanted to say something to real life friends. The whole thing just feels cold and impersonal. Of course, I am also just old fashioned, preferring vinyl music to digital music, old, junky iPods and PCs to new, sleek iPhones and iPads. I will take the tangible over the digital any day.

_Tim?

Asherian Command wrote:Facebook is a curse on all humanity. Just like Id4chan, and The creators of Cartoon network.

I'm afraid I can't ever take anything you say seriously ever again. Adult Swim is one of the few things on Television worth watching. Though I suppose you have a point about 4chan.



Regarding Facebook:

I have friends and family scattered all over the place, so it's a good way to keep track of them and a centralized place to put up pictures of the kids and all that so that they are easily accessible for those that care about those sorts of things. Also, if I quit, what would happen to my farm?

Have you seen the new cartoon network? Adult swim is all that is good on Cartoon network!

I have a facebook account that I hardly ever use. Facebook is crap, go Dakka!

Even I don't use my real name and only really use it to talk about random nerd stuff with my friends. Although I've convinced many of them to join dakka, which is much more entertaining.

Monster Rain wrote: Also, if I quit, what would happen to my farm?

The rightful black owners, imperialist!



/mugabe

Albatross wrote:

Monster Rain wrote: Also, if I quit, what would happen to my farm?

The rightful black owners, imperialist!



/mugabe

I loled.

Also, just had...Relations with a girl I met on facebook. Go me! Facebook also gets you laid! Isn't that reason enough to use it?

Asherian Command wrote:Have you seen the new cartoon network? Adult swim is all that is good on Cartoon network!

Cool story hansel.

I didn't go on it for 10 days to challenge myself, it was on one hand not that bad but on the other hand I had to stop myself from going on it. Now that I am going on it again, it feels really weird! Hahaha

I use it PURELY to keep in touch with actual friends I have no other contact details for.

ALL of my FB 'friends' are people I actually know and whom are actual friends. I do not receive status updates - if I wanted meaningless one-liners I'd become a gakker - twitterererer - whatever that craptacular site is.

all the people who have 300-500 'friends', most of which they don't even know that well.

Only have friends and family so that keeps numbers right down, well except for the extended family.
Which is the nice thing about it.
Really don't understand why people think there is any kudos in having the biggest number of so called friends they have never met and never chat with on FB.

What bothers me is the potential for misuse that FB seems to want to foster.
Default settings afaik will allow your friends to access your telephone number and your location via the FBmap thing. If you are young, leave such info up, and post photos it could get dodgy when one of these "friends" wants to get to know the kiddy winks in ways most unbecoming!

Make sure you keep personal info safely protected in the privacy settings area
Except you guys already do that so end of concerned avuncular post.

Edited for typo and grammar.

Tyyr wrote:

Flaming_Spider wrote:It's only like that if you let it be. The only people in my friends list are people I know, and it's a great way to keep in touch with them when I normally wouldn't be able to, like my friend who moved to Korea, or my family in different states. I don't accept odd friend requests, so I don't have a popularity contest. Biggest contest I'm ever in is who can score highest in Robot Unicorn Attack. It lets me keep up on whats going on with my friends who I can't see every day, it reminds me when people's birthdays are, etc. Facebook is only a bad thing if you let it be.

Pretty much that right there. It's as bad or as good as you let it be.

Malfred likes this post.

rubiksnoob wrote:

Asherian Command wrote:Have you seen the new cartoon network? Adult swim is all that is good on Cartoon network!

Actually I hate that show.

Don't have a facebook and the only thing it really means is that I avoid having to talk to old "friends" and that I never get invited to any parties. Gatecrashing is always more fun anyway.