Social Networking - how ironic

reply to post by facchino


First I want to say congratulations on the use of the word drivel. I was extremely excited about this but then I noticed you were in the UK and I understand it gets used more there. Still in today's world most of the lumps walking around give you a funny look if you use the word. Your topic gets a flag because it is important, your post gets a start for the word.



I do not nor have I ever had a MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter account. I also plan to never have such accounts. I agree with the total lack of thinking most have and the idea it is important to keep up with the most unimportant things; sadly though that mentality has moved not only into the digital realm but into the realm of reality as well. People spend hours talking about garbage on the internet be it on a pc or mobile phone. However, I have started to notice they spend as much time at least in areas that they cannot access the internet verbally discussing the same unimportant rubbish rather than discussing real world events. It is very similar to the video you posted.


A part of the latter problem I mention though might be nothing more than a regional thing. Regardless I will mention it as well as I feel it is relative to the topic and just as important. It involves discussions that take place at work. Granted I will admit that some of this takes place on break and people like to unwind a bit on break, but to me it is still rubbish. I hear people talking about who got drunk and what stupid ordeal they got themselves into just as often as I hear people discuss and follow sports teams. They will go on and on about how this person is great or this person should not be playing. It is a discussion that last not a few minutes as I would think such pointless topics would go but for hours.


I watch as they are on their phones on social networks or getting constant updates on games going on as they should be working. It would be pointless to bring it up to management as they are doing the same thing with them. It is like some sort of disease.


The worst part is when they try to get me involved. Normally they say something about something and I give them a look of confusion. They seem completely astonished and even insulted that I am not a part of their "social society" or that I am not keeping tabs on some steroid filled meathead.


Their communication is not that of normal sentences but more suited to a minimum of words. If you try to bring up word events or things of importance like "real" real life they give you the same look of confusion that I give them about the drivel they discuss. I am definitely a fish out of water when it comes to "socializing" in today's world. I was actually just thinking about this the other day, as being around those I am I get a lot of time to think.

I think we are becoming a minority in the not social networking. It seems we are the dysfunction in the modern digital world. Maybe we are old fashioned or something is "wrong" with us.


Do not get me wrong. I enjoy a conversation about things that lack importance from time to time as well that is where entertainment comes into play. However, in today's society the entertainment seems to need to be constantly there. I would blame the food/water/or big pharma but we live in two different countries, so the chances of that are slim I would think.


Raist

S&F

I just don't get it either

Wonder if some people get a sence of self importance from having so many friends on there page and then sharing trivial things amongst them , as if these people cared ?

Reminds me of a commercial I recently seen.








Raist

Originally posted by facchino

Any time I have ever posted anything remotely "real world" -not too controversial - just something about MP's expenses, fuel prices, all topical news items - I get zero responses from anyone. Their minds are closed to anything beyond farmville and who has been drunk that weekend. Sad that it is like that really - people closed off to anything beyond the inane.

Agreed. I've had the same experience. A couple months back I got back on facebook on a regular basis (I made an account about 4 years ago, but rarely went on). I decided that if people are unwilling to hear me out when we talk politics or society because the social experience in the real world is about mindless drivel only, then I was going to just link to good articles and fascinating or revealing stories.

Same result, most of the time - little interest, a few reply comments by a hand full of friends who care. Sometimes I think it's because I don't ever comment on their stuff. But their stuff is what happened at work, what they did last night, and what they just saw on TV. I try my hardest to be cordial, but I run out of vacuous, aloof comments to make about things I could give a flying...about.

Sometimes, I don't think "care" even comes into the equation. Sometimes I think we're actually on such different pages that they don't even understand what I've written (or are incredulous because if they watch the cable news the stories I post will sound like another reality to them). I think that if you've spent 20 or 30 years in my culture, with the advances in tech and the distractions of modern infotainment, you are incapable of 1) comprehending complex issues, 2) critically analyzing their content, and 3) having enough patience to get through something more than 140 characters or whatever FB limits you to (something like 400 letters, whoop-dee-doo).

**Side thought, since most Chinese characters represent a word (and sometimes two or three together represent more complex concepts or names) does that mean that Chinese people tweeting get across a lot more information?

**Cosa vuoi dire "facchino"? Non parlo bene...non lo so...

EDIT:
reply to post by Raist


I just realized I used it too, probably from reading it in the OP's...talk about echo chamber...

reply to post by TechUnique


I think "like" on its own is strange enough. Think about it, when did "like" become an active verb. Liking something is in your head, it's not something you do. It's static, like "Be" or "Know".

Think back to your 90s self. If someone said, "Can you please like my new business/puppy/charity/restaurant down the street?" how completely nonsensical it would seem to you????

Not to mention the irony of Liking things like "Genocide in Darfur", "Obama prosecutes whistleblowers" or "Polio on the upswing in Central Asia"...

reply to post by facchino


Actually most of what I do on Facebook is either talking to friends who live to far away to go see them face to face or setting up time with friends who live closer to hang out face to face in the future. There's also talking to my best friend who's in Iraq right now. These sites don't have to melt your brain in order to be useful for things.

As for Twitter I disagree again. I felt the same way before I had a twitter account but then I realized how much MORE brain power it takes to condense what you have to say in 140 characters. Plus if you have something longer and more sophisticated to say you can just post it somewhere else online and then post a LINK to it on Twitter.

I understand that other people are using these sites to drool themselves into a coma playing farmville but many people, at least many of my friends, are also using these sites to carry on real conversations. So I can't say I agree with you entirely.

reply to post by Titen-Sxull


I think if you're getting some benefit from it that's great - I dont think FB is entirely useless and can see the fact you can communicate easier with people far away.
I would rather either call a person once every few weeks or chat via Skype.

I hope your friend comes back safely from Iraq...

Twitter - obviously many people use this and love it -but unlike fb I think this is the most useless inane piece of garbage around and wished it would fade away like the fad it hopefully is. Real intelligence rarely gets displayed in 140 character statements. The celebrity stalking thing with it is weird as well.
I listen to radio 1 quite often - but everytime Chris Moyles starts going on about twitter - which he does a lot - I turn to another station, even if it's an advert because I can't stand it at all.

reply to post by facchino


No im not in coventry im in warley (near oldbury/west brom) just outside of birmingham

reply to post by CrankyPantsUK


Yes sorry was poster below you in the thread about explosion in Birmingham - Dave something -who's a Coventry resident...

reply to post by Raist


Good advert - cleverly done.

Turns it on its head a bit...sort of agreeing with the point that I made and others agree with and add to...

i came across this clip recently on youtube and i laughed because that guy without a facebook is me, its a creative comedic clip on the movie "the man without a face" instead its "the man without a facebook" enjoy

Oh, the irony...everyone hates Facebook because people are not face to face, and we are losing the human connection.

Did you forget you are on ATS? We are all virtually socializing right now.

Originally posted by GeorgiaGirl
Oh, the irony...everyone hates Facebook because people are not face to face, and we are losing the human connection.

Did you forget you are on ATS? We are all virtually socializing right now.

virtually socializing Yes... virtually networking, No. Their is a difference.

reply to post by GeorgiaGirl


Don't think ATS is the same as FB - Internet forums and groups have been around far longer but they don't have the same "social" twist to them that FB and twitter do - and those 2 are aimed at everyone whereas forums like ATS attract a person looking for specific subject matter, topics etc etc.

Thanks for all your comments - good to see a lot of people think the same as me..
I noticed a few similar threads crop up after this one so the topic must be more prominent in people's minds...

There are coworkers that I have, whom 80% of the time have their noses buried in their "smartphones". It quite a ridiculous sight to see, and I even notice some of the my close friends that I have known for years who will get real quiet and text away and lose track of whats going on around them.

It's ridiculous because I don't understand why people like to be on the internet all the time...
It's ironic because I myself am on the internet right now....

Originally posted by camouflaged

Originally posted by GeorgiaGirl
Oh, the irony...everyone hates Facebook because people are not face to face, and we are losing the human connection.

Did you forget you are on ATS? We are all virtually socializing right now.

virtually socializing Yes... virtually networking, No. Their is a difference.

Wasting time

An update on this - finally deleted my FB account I just cannot take looking at the inane toss that is poured on there daily, so I will do so no longer.

reply to post by facchino


I do not have FB, twetter, or myspace, but I thought I read that you cannot truly delete a FB account.

I am interested in this and I am sure others would be interested in finding out how you did this.

Thanks.

Raist

reply to post by Raist


Hi

I followed this link here

My friends have said that my account is showing as deleted now anyway, so looks to have worked.
I already deleted all pictures from it a few months ago anyway.