For the last few weeks I’ve been writing a post in my head about the things I most love about the Internet’s favorite meeting spot. It’s got classic colors, fun applications, I’ve even gotten used to the new format.
But then something happened to make me question that. Something that put a little tint on my Facebook fantasy. Well, luckily I’m over that and back in love. But just for kicks, here’s my pro/con list of five things I love-and one thing I hate-about Facebook.
Are you on FB? Wanna be friends?
I love Facebook because …
1. it’s reconnected me with old friends.
Ok, so this was a given. If you know anything about Facebook you, too, know this. Let’s move along.
2. it has introduced me to new people.
And not only the random, creepy kind. I’ve been “introduced” to dozens of new people on Facebook via my real life friends who think we’d have something in common-whether it be cooking, Italy, travel or two people just looking for a laugh.
3. it has done for social media what Audrey Hepburn did for the little black dress
Or maybe it was what the little black dress did for Audrey? Either way, Facebook has exploded the world of Social Media and introduced it to thousands of people who wouldn’t normally have engaged in social media-type communication.
I use Twitter and follow many blogs through their RSS Feeds, but Facebook brings it together for me. When I don’t have time to get to my favorite blogs, which is becoming a sad habit, I can find their latest posts on Facebook.
4. it is great for business
The last few weeks we have had some fantastic guests at our bed and breakfast. While we’d love to stay in contact with them, we all know we would lose touch and stop emailing on a regular basis. This is where Facebook comes in. You add them, they add you and instead of worrying about sending lengthy emails, you can stay in touch with a few lines or a “thumbs up.”
I also love that you can create a fan page, like I did for My Bella Vita and easily stay in touch with your most loyal readers.
5. because you gotta love a place where brevity is king.
Ok, so you can use more than 140 characters to make your point, but Facebook rocks because you can have short bursts of conversations with people without having to send a full-length email. Just this week I commented on an update from one of my oldest friends, she quickly replied and that was it. It was nice. She knows I’m alive and I know she is taking her kids to the zoo. Or was it the circus? Mah …
Even the best of things aren’t without their faults and so it is with my friend Facebook.
Here is one reason I hate, or rather, don’t love (hate is such a strong word!) Facebook.
1. Because sometimes you see something you wish you hadn’t seen.
One of the worst things about living a few times zones from your family is that things go on during their day that take place during your middle-of-the-night. Without thinking they might post something on Facebook that everyone around them already knows, but that you have yet to be let in on.
Confused?
Ok. This weekend, I woke up and played around on Facebook for a few minutes. Wondering what a particular member of my family had been up to, I clicked to her page and read something along the lines of “I’m so sick of getting bad news.”
If you pay attention to Facebook, you know multiple comments get compressed and you can only read the first and last message. The last comment read, “I’m sorry to hear your uncle died … can I do anything?”
Gulp. WTF?
Yea. Bad day.
Anyway, things are smoothed over and I forgive this family member for momentarily forgetting that I could read her message on Facebook before they had a chance to call me … but it wasn’t a good start to my sunny Saturday.
So there you have it. My top five reasons to love Facebook. Are you on Facebook? What are your favorite reasons to use it and how do you try to use it responsibly?
Buon Weekend!
Sorry you had to hear the news that way.
I agree with your five pros however. It’s great to reconnect with old friends.
I don’t like it when random people I don’t know and have never met what to connect. Not sure why a wannabe actor/actress thinks that’s okay.
Yea, I like to have some connection, even if it is someone who reads the blog or wants to visit Calabria or even just someone who likes Italy!
Not too long ago a cousin of mine in Sicily wrote that he was sorry to hear that my grandmother was in the hospital with a broken pelvis.
?????????????
So I deleted the message and called my Dad and scolded him telling him that he should have warned me and that he should tell my sisters before the saw it on Facebook!
Good for you! Hope your sisters heard from your dad first.
I know what you mean about the creepy people. Occasionally, I’ll catch something on Charlee’s page, and see comments from YOU KNOW WHO that I asked you about!
ha!
andrea’s last blog post..Come on get happy
I have to say i have my good and bad times with facebook. I don’t feel comfortable with lurkers etc which is the main reason I don’t have a blog. Facebook I like because you can control who your ‘friends’ are. What i DON’T like about it is for eg if i make a comment on your FB that all your friends can see it. Why does that matter? I also am not a fan of those status updates, although lately i’ve been thinking they are not bad just to see what people have been up to, and even been commenting on them. I don’t like it when someone gets 20 replies to something I have commented on and I get 20 emails saying x has commented on y’s FB post that you commented on. WTF cares…..
I DO like the photos. Which is the main reason i signed up, to stop my Mum nagging me to email pictures all the time. I’ve only recently starting putting my pics there but will be adding a lot more. Is so easy! I have also, shamefully, become addicted to the quizzes and those stupid name generator things. Great way to waste the day and lots of fun. Times like these i wish I still had a boring office job with time to waste!
ha. Very funny about the office job. I don’t like getting all of those comment, either. I’d like to know the original poster commented, but not everyone else! I usually delete those without even reading them.
I’m so sorry about your uncle.
I was facebook, back in the day when it was called The Facebook. Because my boyfriend of the time begged and pleaded for me to join. So, I did. and three months later he dumped me by changing his status on facebook from “in a relationship” to “single” and “likes hanging out with gina.” But I decided it wasn’t facebooks fault, you know? But then I couldn’t deal any more and deleted my account.
In summation, finding out news that should be told in person via facebook is never a good thing.
Ouch. No, definitely not a good way to learn your bf is into someone else. That is just tacky!
Deidre’s last blog post..Happy Birthday Queenie.
Sorry about your Uncle. I have to say I am weaning myself OFF of Facebook. Not a big fan of late. They changed their format and since then it has been downhill. I still post and check in now and again, but more like once a week.
Ah, see, I got used to the new look. Still preferred the original, though!
My Melange’s last blog post..Travel Photo Friday : Caption This!
Well, there are just a few blogs I try to read (like this one), but I just don’t have time for on-line social networking.
Thanks for reading My Bella Vita, J. I agree, FB, Twitter, other blogs, etc can get time consuming!