While having dinner with a friend last week we got into a passionate conversation about social media. She is a huge Twitter fan and I favor Instagram, but one thing we had in common is our disdain for Facebook. Here's the thing: I used to love it -- I could see what my friends were up to, view pictures of their families and maintain some sort of connection with people out of state.
Yet over time I started to notice a disturbing trend. Rather than using Facebook as a place to be social, people began using it as a platform to bully, insult, rant and curate an image of perfection. Although incredibly blessed and happy in life, I found myself walking away feeling down, as if I were the only one with an imperfect life. Talking to my friend I realized I was not alone. I have a feeling you too might relate to the top five things that drive me CRAZY about Facebook!
1. Tell your wife how much you love her, not us! I always know when a marriage is about to dissolve: A spouse will begin posting how amazing and in love he or she is with their spouse. Why tell 500 strangers when the person you love so much lives with you?
2.Stop pretending your life is perfect! Seriously? Your marriage consists of going on a steady stream of romantic getaways, your kids are straight-A students, sports stars and vegans, and you're solving world hunger and poverty through your volunteer efforts? So what exactly are you NOT telling me?
3.Stop shoving your political views down our throats! This is America baby, where people have died to protect my right to free speech. While I respect your political views, clearly you don't respect mine. Reading your vicious post makes me wonder if you want solutions or simply to be right. By the way, do you even vote?
4.Have some pride. While I empathize with the fact that you're in AA or were beaten with a belt by your mother, do you really have to have a conversation with hundreds of people about it on Facebook? Isn't there someone you can personally talk to or confide in? Have you ever thought how this makes your spouse, kids or mother feel?
5.Why don't you stop checking your feed and pay attention to the person you're with? Is Facebook really about being social? If it were, why would you neglect your child, friend or spouse who is sitting right next to you to visit with a bunch of imaginary friends online?
With each passing month I've found it harder and harder to get on Facebook. I've had family members write and say they miss my post and would love to see me participate more. But the truth is, the people who really love me, not just "like" me, that are vested in my life and care enough to call, visit and spend time with me already know what's going on in my life.
Posting seems inauthentic, and while I continue to use Facebook to connect with women who are fans of the Get Your Girl Back movement fan page, I rarely log onto my personal one. Want to know what I'm up to? Pick up the phone and call me and I'll fill you in. While at a conference this week I heard a speaker say, "It's pretty sad that Robin Williams had 11,000,000 friends on Facebook but not a single person he could talk to when contemplating ending his life."
Written by Traci Bild- Author, Speaker & Entrepreneur. Get a FREE Get Your Girl Back Dream Journal and spend some time off-line filling the pages with the hopes and dreams you hold close to your heart. Simply email Tara@TraciBild.com. And put Dream Journal in the subject line.
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