Should I get on Facebook?

Discussion in 'Whatever' started by Lixx, Nov 16, 2016.

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Should I get on Facebook?

  1. Yes of course, why aren't you already?

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. No you never have really, why start now?

    7 vote(s)
    30.4%
  3. Yes but go completely private and only gather people you know or groups you want to be in

    3 vote(s)
    13.0%
  4. Yes and completely lie about your age and take advantage of Tinder- you're single now buddy!

    1 vote(s)
    4.3%
  5. No, people have trouble finding you online except here. You've been off the grid searchwise forever

    1 vote(s)
    4.3%
  6. No it's a fucking headache and annoying as shit with the likes, timelines, and endless data mining!

    5 vote(s)
    21.7%
  7. Yes and while you're at it get Instagram- go full tilt!

    4 vote(s)
    17.4%
  8. Unfortunately it's the go to comunication these days- you look like a serial killer without one

    2 vote(s)
    8.7%
  1. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    My social media ended after Friendster and Myspace- Should I get on Facebook? People keep asking me to get on to communicate and I'm very isolated here in PA. My friends are really spread out all over the world these days. I've only ever been on it once very briefly 7 years ago found it annoying. I'm kind of a private person but would like to take advantage of some of the groups on it for my interests (and finding out about stuff I keep missing out on releases etc), communicating, perhaps even get on Tinder (yeah don't judge I'm a guy and have been in the deep freeze for a few years and newly single). Those bastards charge over 30 people money- assholes! Perhaps prospective employers can't find me on it and think I'm weird. I don't think it is but you never know these days.

    Long ago I decided my angry left wing views in blogs I created etc would probably hurt me employment wise so I've gone full anti social media for about 10+ years and it's worked. Hell I even deleted Instagram as soon as Facebook took it over.

    EDIT I do have linkedin but it's just like a online resume for me.
     
  2. ungawa222

    ungawa222 Mini Boss

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    Chris, the geographic isolation and new singlemanhoodship are good arguments for trying it out, esp. if you are very private and very selective in your use of it. I was on FB for 8 years, and it was mostly great- a mesmerizing wall of links to my particular niche interests in art, music, culture every damn day, along with interesting science links and thought-provoking political posts. I reconnected with old friends in actually substantial ways a few times, made some great new art connections/correspondence-type friendships, and was made aware of/invited to many interesting local events through it which I otherwise might have missed. I was lucky, too, in that I had almost no negative/argumentative engagement on there at all… mainly because I never friended my Uncle Frank.

    Having said all that… I just quit it on Sunday night, after a planned final week. It’s a fucking time sucker and a head-and-heart filler- for me, even when used lightly, esp. in this fucking fucked year. It certainly would be a weird, and objectively very interesting, moment in time to join for the first time. For me, the break had been a while in the making, and given all that’s going on and being expressed on there right now (I encountered so much noxiousness from know-nothing right-wing sh!tbags young and old on the timelines of friends and fam recently… it was impossible not to jump into the fray a few times, and about 35% of the time that was regrettable), I only wish I had done it a bit sooner.

    When I can’t find someone on FB, it lent the person a slight air of intriguing mystique and breed-apart-ness. Maybe your prospective employers would feel the same… ;)
     
  3. topher

    topher Addicted

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I also have never created a FB account but I have no interest in connecting with people I knew.

    I see people reading the feeds (way too much) and it all seems like a never ending diarrhea fountain.

    Even though I enjoy sharing/selling my painting sidework, I will stay away from the Facebooks.
     
  4. Count

    Count Post Pimp

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I reluctantly joined in 2012 just to make it easier to see what bands I liked were doing and what shows were happening, I just found all the constant bullshit on it really depressing and angering most of the time.

    I feel a lot better about life in general without it again.
     
  5. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    Hey thanks for your input @ungawa222 @topher and @Count Yeah I could not think of a better place to pose this question as I'm always here, most of my friends live far away, and my family pretty much shuns social media so I wanted more objective opinions. Much like politics, people are hard right or left regarding liking or disliking Facebook as a networking tool, so it's nice to weigh the pros and cons with people who have used it.
     
  6. SaintOfSpinners

    SaintOfSpinners Side Dealer

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    Facebook is good for keeping up with 'friends' that you don't want to hang out with or friends that you don't get to hang out with.
     
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  7. brobles

    brobles S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    For me it has mostly been about joining groups that share my interests in regards to my hobbies.

    Using it to follow pages you are interested in (science, hobbies, clothing, toys, HONY etc.) is also a good way to use it.

    It's also useful to keep up with friends whom you see maybe once or twice a year.


    Just stay away from idiots who share stupid memes and political crap, as most of those posts are lies anyways.
     
  8. petitetoilonrouge

    petitetoilonrouge S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I'm with Mike: it's a great way to stay in touch with people you would otherwise never see. You reach a certain age and people spread out and have little time or energy to see each other in the real world. In my case, it doesn't mean I don't love these people and am not interested in what they're doing, though, so fb fills that hole perfectly of knowing them by snippets of osmosis.

    I would recommend three things:

    1) Adjust your privacy settings to 2-step identification and to "friends only" for pretty much everything (and maybe check out one of the multiple guides on fb privacy you can find online). Also find the right balance between posting private stuff (because that's sort of the point) and being careful (because if you're ever hacked, they could get -a lot- of info on you). This varies widely between individuals though...

    2) Don't get sucked up in the inevitable "everyone has a great life but me" feeling that's fostered by being exposed to only the best bits of everyone's life all the time. I know it sounds obvious, but it's good to remind yourself that most people have pretty boring lives outside the highlights.

    3) Don't add friends just to have friends? If you ever find that you're self-censoring your posts, it means you need to unfriend some people...
     
  9. SstatusSkuo

    SstatusSkuo Toy Prince

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I use fb almost solely for the groups that I'm in. Whenever I get on, I just bypass my "news feed" and go straight to checking the groups. I realized that even though most of my fb friends are my friends in life and I care about them to some extent, I really don't give a shit about their thoughts or what they're doing at different times of the day, which is why I deleted my fb once before.
    It's a good way to stay in touch, whether it's with people or with whatever topic you're interested in, but as with any other form of social media in general, it's really just a waste of time. If you can do without a fb account, I think it wouldn't be a bad decision to stay away from it.

    Just my 2 cents.
     
  10. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    @petitetoilonrouge -yeah I've actually been brushing up on the privacy guides online so you read my mind. I just don't want to get online and be inundated with information and have Facebook start instantly generating my every online move. I know what you're saying about the 'great life but me'- thankfully I'm secure with myself and had a pretty extraorindary social life in my 20's and 30's- so it's a been there done that scenario in my head. Although I'd still like to finally find a great job and carve out a place of my own called home one day (will happen eventually I hope). So I can pound sand about that I guess lol.

    I honestly don't know why I'm debating about this so much. I guess I could try and it an just cancel if I hate it but I keep hearing horror stories about people having trouble cancelling their account almost like Facebook is a embedded deep in their computer like a horrible virus.

    I really appreciate everyone's input on this- so post away on your thoughts on FB. I'll read every word.
     
  11. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    Not having Facebook is an automatic negative with numerous businesses/companies as far as trying to get hired is concerned. Basically it's viewed as you either being anti-social or out of touch with technology or lying and just unwilling to share your Facebook with your employer.

    Besides that I don't see any reason it's really necessary. The people I know who love Facebook are the self-righteous lets go get in fights on the internet because everyone's point of view is shit except our own. Or people so blind to world in general that they think sharing every single aspect of their lives and their children's lives online for everyone to see is somehow a good and safe idea. Of course there are intelligent people who use it to keep in touch with friends and joins groups that cater to their hobbies it just seems like they are the minority these days.

    I would suggest making a bland non-personal account just for your resume or interviews and leaving it at that. Keep it non-political and non-religious and don't friend your true friends on it either.
     
  12. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    See I knew it! I mean I'm sure there were other more qualified candidates but I've applied for about 20 entry level environmental science/geologist jobs over the past 2 months and I've barely gotten a sniff. Most feedback I get is your qualified but not the best qualified. I'm starting to wonder if people look for me online and just think I'm an anti-social freak (I'm not I just choose not to share every moment!). If you look you'll find almost nil on me. I never list my linkedin either on my resume- maybe I should?

    So @Waterbear no true friends either you think? Thats weird no? I mean is there an option where I could not let people load up my page with dumb ass comments? And yeah I'm a left wing liberal atheist so I'd keep that quiet. I don't feel like debating with people on FB about it. I won't be swayed, nor do I want prospective employers knowing my thoughts.
     
  13. Waterbear

    Waterbear Line of Credit

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I've never seen it used as an automatic no as far as hiring someone but as far as pros and cons go not using any social media is certainly a con.

    I would suggest adding your "safe" friends. The ones who aren't going to share stuff that would seriously raise eyebrows. Many employers don't just look at your account. They will give a look into the people you associate with as well. Helps to add family members who fall into the harmless category. Especially older people who use social media just to say hello to their kids and share recipes or the like.

    I know it sounds horrible to have to do all this just for appearances but in many cases it is a factor when you are looking for employment.
     
  14. gatchabert

    gatchabert Prototype

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    FB - You don't have to post anything and just lurk all you want. Add people you want to add. There is no need to accept every friend request that is sent to you. FB can be really handy.
    Example: I contacted a friend of mine who I met back in 2004 about a coming vacation. He lives in New Zealand but is from Finland. If all I had was his email address, I would have never thought to contact him about the vacation. Prior to his moving to NZ, he contacted me through FB and asked if I could vouch for his English proficiency since English is not his native language.
    I also use it to keep in touch with my cousins who are spread out in different countries as well as a few friends, also in different countries. By keeping in touch, I mean actively commenting on what they post or sending a ping through FB messenger, and not just clicking Like on a post. You can probably just follow groups without adding any friends. If you really don't want the noise, do not install FB messenger on your phone (you can install FB mobile without installing FB messenger). I have it because it is really the easiest way for people that don't have my cellphone number to contact me. It was very useful when my friend needed some fresh eyes on her bid for residency (on her way to becoming a pediatrician). She would ping me and ask if I had time, and if I was home she would call me on FB and send me the link to what she has written and go over it together in real time. If I wasn't home, I would tell her I could help in x amount of time and then go from there.
    If you friend me, you will get posts of art work I've done (almost daily) and once in a while, a post about a new piece for my threadless store. Once in a while, I will post music, usually something from the 80's or early 90's punk/alt/new wave that sort of stuff. On the rare occasion (and I do mean rare in the sense that I have probably only posted something related to politics 2-4 times having joined maybe 8-10 years ago), I will post something political. I hate posting political stuff because I would rather talk face to face than hide behind a monitor. @petitetoilonrouge can probably vouch for what I just said I post.
    Linkdin - I do not accept requests unless I have worked with you. I have requests from people I have played hockey with, or from toy collecting and they are all pending unless I have actually done work with them either through my 9-5 or through art shows. I try to keep Linkdin just for work related people. This means I have people on Linkdin but not on FB. I have people on FB but not on Linkdin, and I have a few people on both.

    I remember you quit Instagram. I think you need to set you IG the same way you set your FB. You don't need to follow everyone that is following you (or has sent a request to follow). If you don't care to see what your friends just ate, or what their pet is wearing, just try to find the toy makers you want to follow, or bands, or BBWs (if that's what you're in to).

    The point is, you have control over what you want to see. If you don't like what you see anymore, just un-follow, un-friend, un-whatever. If someone cries because you decided not to follow them anymore, too bad. You don't owe anyone an explanation unless you want to give one.
     
  15. hellointerloper

    hellointerloper S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I use Facebook for various reasons...

    • I run a small humor community of about 150 people where we post stupid memes, make fun of people (albeit lightheartedly, latest hilarity was sharing posts from people who can't spell, aka "sexipeel = sex appeal" and "gluten = glutton") and support each other (many members have bad parents or depression), so I need to be actively adminning that
    • To keep in touch with friends who moved far away and keep up with their lives
    • To share my art and ask for some advice
    • To keep track of and discover local events
    • To laugh at my old classmates who are complete trainwrecks and still act the same way they did back in high school, aka 8 years ago (it makes me feel better about myself. Yes, I know, that sounds terrible, but seeing people rant about how "all men are pigs, why can't I find a nice guy" and knowing they're a repeat cheater is too fucking funny.)
    Now, what sucks about Facebook...

    • Horoscope posts.
    • Constant photos of babies doing absolutely nothing remarkable, and for no specific occasion
    • Political posts that make you suddenly hate your friends/acquaintances
    • People you don't feel like talking to messaging you
    • Friend requests from family members
    • Family members chastising you for what you post (my uncle seriously defriended me because I swore on my own page.)
    It's a bit of evil and a bit of good. Honestly, if you want to just keep in touch with boardies and toy people, skip Facebook and join Instagram. More focus towards photos, less horseshit.
     
  16. useless toys

    useless toys Side Dealer

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I've never had or used FB outside of some light stalking of an ex for like 5 minutes. I still hang out with the friends I grew up with. Everyone always tells me how great it is to use to keep up with people from high school, college or whatever. My response to that is, if I wanted to talk to those people I'd still be talking to them.

    If you are that isolated or whatever it might be a good option to help keep up with friends who have moved.

    The whole work thing is another reason I don't have one. I don't need work people knowing what I do in my private life.
     
  17. hellointerloper

    hellointerloper S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    My boyfriend uses a false last name on Facebook so people from work can't find him. A lot of people I know do that, to be honest.
     
  18. blakewest

    blakewest Post Pimp

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    No
     
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  19. Biff

    Biff S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    I had a 'friend request' from someone who had passed away. My opinion of their personal data trolling algorithms dropped considerably.
     
  20. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    Yeah I'm hearing from some of my friends that everyone they know that has a FB profile completely makes it unsearchable while in job seeking mode. I guess its too easy for employers (and beyond tempting) to seek out personality and social habits of prospective employees and I can't say I blame them.

    I guess I have three choices- don't make a profile at all as I kind of like that I avoided it all this time, make a profile but make it super secret and unsearchable- just friends and I can relax and be as outspoken as I want to be (because most people I truly am friends with are as outspoken and left wing stick it to the man as me) but maybe enjoy the group aspect of FB, or go full tilt and immerse myself in shitstorm of social media- which will probably go to defcon 1 and cause me to eventually delete lol.
     
  21. petitetoilonrouge

    petitetoilonrouge S7 Royalty

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    Should I get on Facebook?
    HE LIES! HE LIES!

    (Not to digress too much, but my main issue with FB is the multiple personality disorder it brings out. I don't act the same way around my mom as I do around my friends, for example, and unless you start tailoring each post to a particular audience, it may feel sort of weird. If you happen to speak more than one language, choosing which to use and whether to translate also becomes a selection process.)

    Like someone else said, I would recommend never ever adding work colleagues on FB. It can only lead to grief and awkwardness.
     

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