I have Opinions (Wow!)

Now for a rant from the top of my head..

I'm writing my very first opinionated post about life...yay...

...moving on...

Over the last month or so, I experienced some Facebook woes which stemmed from some slightly unsettling posts made by a person who I know but don't really see very often in my everyday (non-cyber) life. These posts were subtly aimed to upset me and make me feel like a rubbish person.

Now before we start jumping to conclusions about this, I just want to mention that these posts were in response to a comment I made to this person when I met him at the train station (i.e. real life). Basically I told him that the hat he was wearing didn't really suit him and he got touchy about it and decided he would (subtly) accuse me of being an unsupportive friend on Facebook.

sigh

So, here's my question to you, my dear (and very scarce) viewers of this blog: Is Facebook really the best way to communicate across feelings and messages to a specific person (subtly or otherwise)?

Clearly, after this incident, my anwer is no. To be honest, up to the point that this happened I was completely indifferent to the whole question but it's now clear to me that subtle hints on Facebook can be more caustic than face-to-face remarks.

Yes. I was really upset by this. Thank you.

I'm by no means implying that we should all boycott Facebook for its anti-social tendencies because I am just as bought into the Facebook culture as everyone else...

...I mean, I post random statuses, make weird notes, tag people in funny and slightly inappropriate photos, stalk my lecturers (I joke), etc. etc.....

...However, I do not believe Facebook should be a place for personal battles to take place. I recently wrote an article about how non-Facebook users are actually happier than hard core Facebook users and I'm beginnning to see why - to live your life on Facebook is to subject yourself to any hurtful comments/messages which people are too afraid to tell you to your face in real-life.

Let's face it - what we say/post on Facebook is not said by us but by our cyber-persona. And unfortunately, our cyber-persona has a hell lot more confidence than the real 'us'. Basically, what goes onto Facebook are normally the things we don't say in real life mainly because it is either something that could get you into trouble or something that could hurt someone else's feelings. But yet, we still post it up with the intentions of expressing displeaure towards another (to all 1000 of your Facebook friends)

Woot...social interaction just got more complicated.

But anyways, that's my rant for today. I can't be bothered to end this properly because I just can't be bothered to form a proper conclusion to this rant...but then again, what rant has a conclusion?!

Again, if you've bothered to read all the way to the end of this post, why not leave a comment to tell me what you think? Besides, I want some reassurance that I do have visitors on this blog.




I shall now leave you with a smiley face --------------------> :D