Facebook? Nope.
It’s a conundrum. Most, if not all of society is Facebook driven. Yet, Facebook is driving society crazy. It’s obsequious and obnoxious-a real love it, hate it, use it, ignore it commodity.
“Like us on Facebook”–it’s the common phrase. I just saw it painted on the back of a local police car. I kid you not.
I perplex people when I tell them I don’t have a Facebook account. I get this look:
Shock. Amazement. Surprise. Perplexed.
Definitely perplexed is the reaction I received when I joined a workout group and I mentioned I wasn’t able to access updates, tips, reminders, etc because I don’t use Facebook. That look came up. I apparently missed out on a lot of great sharing opportunities like before and after photos we were supposed to post.
No comment.
I apparently miss out on all sorts of great contest opportunities because I don’t have a Facebook account and can’t “like” the sponsor, which means I am unable to access the site, which means I can’t enter to win a —-.
Sounds like discrimination to me.
Have I ever been on Facebook? Of course. For about as long as it took to realize I don’t want to receive updates about what someone had for breakfast, what new cute pics of their pet, baby, car, etc looks like, where they went and what they did.
I get Christmas letters for that information-minus the breakfast updates.
Apparently as a writer I should consider how my social media presence suffers due to no one knowing about me due to not having a Facebook account.
Wait–you’re reading this. That means you are learning about me. That works.
“Well, there are lots of reasons.”
I’m glad you asked why I don’t Facebook–
BtW: it’s now word that is a noun and a verb, moving into the anthimeria category (Word Nerd plug).
Here are a few reasons for not doing Facebook:
1. Time commitment.
2. Boring, inane, irrelevant information.
3. How many friends can a person actually have, need, realistically claim?
4. I blog.
5. I embarrass easily.
6. Privacy issues. Even the Woz agrees.
7. I enjoy a certain anonymity.
8. If I wanted my high school friends to find me I can go to my high school reunions. (I haven’t gone to any of them–my mother has though–that’s a different post).
9. It’s overrated. I don’t do sushi either. Same principle.
10. Because.
Where are you in the Facebook issue?
Are you against it?
Have an account?
Have an account, but want to close it?
Love it?
Hate it?
Wonder what the fuss is all about?
Pam Webb 
It’s good for local news and events.
I turn to other apps like NPR for news.
Local!
Ah—I turn to our newspapers for that. Paper over screen.
I do it. I hate it. I it sparingly and always lament how trapped all its users are.
I use it sparingly*
See–even its limited, acknowledged use turns the brightest of minds mushy. Delete, delete…About face on Facebook, Chelsea
😀 I’d …blame pregnancy brain first.
I use it to grab the fun memes I post………….
Memes are indeed fun–mostly
Like Monty Pyton’s best bits – Mostly.
(On Netflix) lol!
This is good to know; from now on, I’ll let you know about my breakfasts on your blog:
Frosted Mini Wheats in 2% milk.
In all seriousness, I do hear you on the Facebook issue. It can be a major time suck and a procrastination magnet.
But FB is also an excellent way to get the word out about my blog posts (a number of my FB friends don’t subscribe to my blog for whatever reason), promote my books, and beg for reviews on Amazon.
Also, my FB friends are damn funny. Many of their posts are good for a chuckle or three.
I know FB can be an effective author tool. Once I am published I will have to consider a platform. Maybe Instagram…
But you’ve been published in Highlights and such! Get going!
Psst—I have a book in the works.
Is it about cows?
No cows at present. There are ducks though.
I am intrigued!
Intrigue is the intent.
I love/hate Facebook. It’s probably my most effective platform for my writing, but I’m not a fan of the “share cropping” aspect. Plus, scrolling through often makes me feel the same way I do when I realize I’ve eaten half a bag of Doritos without realizing it.
Junk food browsing. Yup, ranch style Doritos—can’t do with just one.
I love that comparison! And yes when you’ve spent an hour or even two, you’re sick.
Sick because you can’t ever get that time back or from someone’s post😉
Because you can’t ever get that time back. 2 hours zips by on social media, but think what you could have used that 2 hours for. :-))
Stick to your guns, Cricket!
Cricket,
I do have a facebook account and have had one for several years. I would love to get rid of it, but unfortunately that is how several groups I’m in communicate with each other. So here’s what I do, I check my notifications to see if there’s anything I need to see and I frequently don’t even scroll through to see what others have posted, because like you, I don’t care to hear people brag about their kids, their vacations, their new car, blah blah blah. So for the most part I don’t read much on there at all. If I were you and you can get by without being on there, I wouldn’t get on.
Judy
Isn’t that how it is with these good ideas? What should be a boost, turns out to be a bust: TV, cell phones, Facebook, tanning beds, sugar free soda…