Welcome to Buster's Blog

Irregular commentary on whatever's on my mind -- politics, sports, current events, and life in general. After twenty years of writing business and community newsletters, fifteen years of fantasy baseball newsletters, and two years of email "columns", this is, I suppose, the inevitable result: the awful conceit that someone might actually care to read what I have to say. Posts may be added often, rarely, or never again. As always, my mood and motivation are unpredictable.

Buster Gammons















Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I Am A Facebook Failure



It's truth-telling time. I'm a Facebook failure, a total washout. I tried, but I just can't get into it. It's hugely influential all over the world, it's changed the way people communicate, its founder was just named Time's Person of the Year, and meanwhile I haven't even checked my Facebook page in a month.

I joined Facebook a couple years ago, for a very good reason -- everybody else was doing it, so me too! And I could force my teenage son to friend me so I could spy on him via his page. It was OK. I became Facebook buddies with a small, predictable group of family, some old friends, and a few neighbors.

A few things soon became obvious:
1. Adolescent male drivel is no more interesting on Facebook than it is in person.
2. Adult drivel is even worse. I don't give a shit what you had for breakfast.
3. Worst of all, way too many people use Facebook inappropriately. It's THE go-to place for bullying, harassment, and crackpot conservative political/religious ranting.

Is it disingenuous for Buster (of all people) to object to political opinion on Facebook? Possibly, but I believe those who click on the link to Buster's Blog go there by choice and know what they're gonna get. If I go to your Facebook page, I'm hoping for light and breezy, not some bit of ugliness encouraging me to pray for the President's death.

So, in what's certainly an over-reaction, I rarely go to anybody's Facebook page anymore. These days, I almost never accept a friend request. And I had to unfriend a couple of over-sharing acquaintances who had not the slightest thought that they might want to self-censor the stupid shit they posted. Couldn't take it. The result is that while the average Facebook user has 150 "friends", I have about 15.

Facebook is the Land Of TMI. I may visit now and then, but I just can't take up residence. Hence, I fail. Oh well.

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