Deleting my Facebook

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Like others here, I avoided FB for a long time. Then my daughter went away to college, and I figured I could keep in touch with her via FB. So far, it’s worked out very well. We chat once or twice a week, I see her updates, and it just helps to reassure me that she’s still alive and well! LOL!

As for collecting friends…I’ve been on FB for about six months yet only have about 25 friends, nearly all of them family. I’m way past the age where I care if anyone thinks I’m a Norman No Mates! :rotfl:I did find my best friend from school there, which was wonderful–we hadn’t been in touch for years. And there are one or two other old school friends, but that’s it. I also don’t play any of the games–if someone I’m friends with plays them, I ‘hide’ the games as soon as they show up on my wall. I know many people love them, but I find them a total time waster, not to mention a wall-clutterer!

Re the privacy issue. As far as I can see, the only thing they do with any information they glean from an account is try to match you up with different advertisers. That’s no big deal to me. I never click on to ad links. And if they want to do anything else with my account, well, they’re more than welcome to try–I post nothing that’s of even the remotest interest to anyone outside my little circle of friends. Come to think of it, even some of my friends aren’t always interested! I lead a pretty boring life! LOL!

Having said all that, I can only add this: Facebook can be a wonderful tool for staying connected, but if it makes you uncomfortable, then by all means get it out of your life.:yup:
 
Okay what I ended up doing was just deleting my account, but the thing is facebook never deletes an account permanently so if I ever need to contact someone and have no other way to reach them I can just re-activate the account temporarily and delete it again when I’ve gotten what I need. With that in mind, I have no reason to “keep up with” facebook at all now! :extrahappy: Good riddance.
 
exoflare said:
Okay what I ended up doing was just deleting my account, but the thing is facebook never deletes an account permanently so if I ever need to contact someone and have no other way to reach them I can just re-activate the account temporarily and delete it again when I’ve gotten what I need. With that in mind, I have no reason to “keep up with” facebook at all now! :extrahappy: Good riddance.
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Way to go, exoflare! 👍
Weird, though, that they never delete an account permanently, isn’t it?

Love your “condom” statement at the bottom of your posts. And I can’t believe how many people put so much faith in a little piece of rubber. Major spiritual revolution needed by the Holy Spirit!
 
luvzminis said:
Way to go, exoflare! 👍
Weird, though, that they never delete an account permanently, isn’t it?
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I don’t think it’s really that weird once you realize why they have that policy. Unethical… probably, but not weird. This is one reason why from the beginning (when I was one of the late “holdouts” to finally give in and join) I was really careful about what sort of information I put up there. It amazes me how I’ve seen people who list stuff like their workplace, address, phone number, etc, while continuing to add people they barely even know just to inflate their friend count. Of course this kind of caution is just one more thing that will get you labeled “antisocial” with most people on facebook, so it’s like you can’t win either way.
Love your “condom” statement at the bottom of your posts. And I can’t believe how many people put so much faith in a little piece of rubber. Major spiritual revolution needed by the Holy Spirit!
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thanks 🙂 it seems like I get a lot of comments about it
 
exoflare said:
I don’t think it’s really that weird once you realize why they have that policy. Unethical… probably, but not weird. This is one reason why from the beginning (when I was one of the late “holdouts” to finally give in and join) I was really careful about what sort of information I put up there. It amazes me how I’ve seen people who list stuff like their workplace, address, phone number, etc, while continuing to add people they barely even know just to inflate their friend count. Of course this kind of caution is just one more thing that will get you labeled “antisocial” with most people on facebook, so it’s like you can’t win either way.

thanks 🙂 it seems like I get a lot of comments about it
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Yup. I’ve know people whom, IMO, are a little too “social,” and can’t seem to live a moment without someone around them, even having to phone relatives while on vacations and inviting them to join them there! These are the type who hate to be alone, and this particular relative who comes to mind has been divorced several times, and I don’t believe she wants to have a quiet moment, or she just might have to face reality. Facebook and such are ideal places to hide out for such people.
 
luvzminis said:
Yup. I’ve know people whom, IMO, are a little too “social,” and can’t seem to live a moment without someone around them, even having to phone relatives while on vacations and inviting them to join them there! These are the type who hate to be alone, and this particular relative who comes to mind has been divorced several times, and I don’t believe she wants to have a quiet moment, or she just might have to face reality. Facebook and such are ideal places to hide out for such people.
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I posted a similar viewpoint in this thread because I think it is accurate. When I see people I know on Facebook and I look at their profile, I sometimes see a listing of well over 100 friends, sometimes even well over 200 and 300. There really seems to be a competition among some people as to how many friends they can collect. The people I know don’t have that many friends away from Facebook, so I know they are building their “friends” to use as a status symbol, and/or they are trying to compensate for their loneliness.

I am single and, at times, I experience feelings of loneliness. I sometimes catch myself turning to my Facebook page to connect, which is OK, but FB cannot be used as a crutch to try to stifle the need to address the reasons for one’s loneliness.

So, I go to my FB page to see who else might be on FB, only to find no one. It’s then I realize that they each have “a life.” Of course, my loneliness is enhanced by this revelation…😊.

Facebook is really good for contacting old friends and family and staying in touch with them. But people should be careful with how much they dwell on it.
 
Jersey_Jeepster said:
I posted a similar viewpoint in this thread because I think it is accurate. When I see people I know on Facebook and I look at their profile, I sometimes see a listing of well over 100 friends, sometimes even well over 200 and 300. There really seems to be a competition among some people as to how many friends they can collect. The people I know don’t have that many friends away from Facebook, so I know they are building their “friends” to use as a status symbol, and/or they are trying to compensate for their loneliness.
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This is one of the things I really couldn’t stand. Some of the people I know in real life even have well over 1,000 “friends” on there. One was a close real friend and former roommate of mine who I know for a fact just adds people he only met once or twice. He also adds lots of “friends of friends” even if he didn’t know them IRL. Also he posts a bunch of fluff on people’s walls or comments on people’s statuses just about every single day fishing for responses and “recent activity” in order to beef up his own wall. I got really sick of stuff like this because it seemed like so many people were just broadcasting their insecurities over the web and it felt like I was the only one who even noticed.

I think it also sometimes can gradually nudge people into this mindset who weren’t shallow at all to begin with. I remember that when I first joined (late) one of my engineer friends who normally eschews these kind of herd mentalities told me at the time, “yeah I’m slowly working my way closer to that 100-friend mark”. I didn’t say anything about it at the time but still thought it sounded kind of weird. This guy is still normal in person, but it seems like facebook just forces many people to adopt a double-life of some sort.
 
I have stopped using facebook. Facebook has contributed greatly to the degradation of true socializing. If chatting/posting is ‘socializing’, we have completely lost our sense of communication. Especially sincerity. Because we cannot develop true relationships without physical communication, Facebook is not particularly helpful in this.
In addition, Facebook has turned human persons into a virtual identity used to define one’s personality, status, etc. If we are defined by our profile picture, our facebook name, our posts, the things we fan, and our statuses, we are diminished to merely this. I am not exaggerating, those who use facebook can attest to this.
When I stopped using facebook, I was asked many times why I didn’t go to _____, which I wasn’t informed I was invited to. I was told I was invited on facebook. No one had bothered to see if I even got on anymore.
My friend also made a great point when he said that because we have begun to depend on people’s “presence” on facebook, we don’t feel it when they are gone (to college for example). I feel like facebook is a virtual world that has more downsides than it has benefits.
May the Lord bless you with His peace.
 
wogforever said:
Because we cannot develop true relationships without physical communication, Facebook is not particularly helpful in this.
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I tend to disagree with this. When my husband was deployed for 15 months I did have a true relationship with him, even though it was only via email and telephone.
Facebook, like all other media can be abused as much as it can be used.
In todays world it is not always possible to sustain true relationships without the means of the internet. I don’t claim that true relationship could start online and be true without any other contact at some point in time. I do however claim, that pages like Facebook enhance the possibility to maintain the true relationships. Facebook was originally not developed to make new true friends and built up relationships. It was meant to help people stay in contact with existing relations. Some kids might be on Facebook and have a vast array of “friends” and maybe even depend upon that, but even for them true friendship can only be found outside of the internet. Those problems are however not new, now that we have Facebook. Before Facebook came up there were other message boards with chatrooms, myspace, ICQ, Microsoft Messenger, etc.
The internet is not intrinsically evil. We can use it as a tool as much as we can get addicted to it. We can use it to maintain true and good friendships that have developed outside of the internet (sometimes even over a distance of thousands of miles) and we can develop false friendships.
It does not socially cripple those who are not already deficient in their social development. On the other hand it might be dangerous to those who already have social problems as they won’t be in a position to realize it or do something about it. Just as with any other tool that humans can devise, moderation is the key.
Let me take an example: Reading the Bible is a good thing. It is a very good thing indeed. If I go ahead however and quit leaving the house and only read my Bible, ignore the world around me and lose contact to my friends and family, then I have a problem. I would never tell anybody to not read their Bibles. Overdoing anything goes against common sense.
Alcohol can be a good thing too. It can help me in cough syrup and I personally use a small amount of a very strong herbal liquor to settle my stomach. Alcohol however has the potential to be addictive.
Moderation is the key.
 
So many great thoughts!

I too have wondered to myself and also with friends if facebook is “worth it”. To some extent I can agree with those of you who say that facebook degrades the way we should be socializing with people. I actually feel more comfortable texting people because I grew up in the internet generation to an extent. I am not used to having an actual conversation with people and hearing each other speak. I ABSOLUTELY blame things like AIM (AOL instant messaging), Facebook, and other online social networks.

On the other hand Facebook has made certain relationships grow where with out these social platforms they would probably completely fizzle out. My room mate from college, my neighbor growing up, distant cousins. Facebook makes it possible to easily keep in touch and still feel like I am a part of these people’s life and that is truly a nice thing in my opinion.

But then again, should I be hanging out to high school and college relationships even now? Or should I just move on and make new friends. Maybe Facebook does hinder the growth of newly formed relationships because it allows old ones to exist…

So many thoughts on both sides!
antivirus online
 
eslocklier said:
So many great thoughts!

I too have wondered to myself and also with friends if facebook is “worth it”. To some extent I can agree with those of you who say that facebook degrades the way we should be socializing with people. I actually feel more comfortable texting people because I grew up in the internet generation to an extent. I am not used to having an actual conversation with people and hearing each other speak. I ABSOLUTELY blame things like AIM (AOL instant messaging), Facebook, and other online social networks.

On the other hand Facebook has made certain relationships grow where with out these social platforms they would probably completely fizzle out. My room mate from college, my neighbor growing up, distant cousins. Facebook makes it possible to easily keep in touch and still feel like I am a part of these people’s life and that is truly a nice thing in my opinion.

But then again, should I be hanging out to high school and college relationships even now? Or should I just move on and make new friends. Maybe Facebook does hinder the growth of newly formed relationships because it allows old ones to exist…

So many thoughts on both sides!
antivirus online
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Spot on! 👍

I check Facebook once a day or so, but rarely comment anymore. I really don’t need to know every little thing everyone is doing! Still sorta gives me the creeps, too, sometimes.

How about forums? I find I waste time there; however, there are some positive things. I visit a health forum for my health issues, but only occasionally, and it’s helpful. I took an online course which has a ‘break room,’ and when I need a break myself, it can be fun finding a new recipe, giving an opinion on something, saying I’ll pray for someone who wants prayers, etc.

Yes–definitely positive and negative, both!
 
Not everyone with hundreds of friends on Facebook is trying to show off. I have a little over 100 friends and it’s because we’re all playing the same games and working together. In some games, like Vampire Wars, a person gets stronger the more friends they add, with many of the power players adding 500 friends.
 
Musicadmirer said:
Love the article title. Seriously, it’s time for people to walk outside and smell the semi-fresh air.

Oh, and I also had a FB account. It was such a waste of time.
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Yeah, cuz hanging out on the internet is always a massive waste of time… oh wait! :eek:
 
Ok then, I’ll articulate my point a bit more clearly.

PROVE to me, through logic and reasoning, that:
  1. Social interactions online are somehow inferior to other social interactions
  2. Social interactions on Facebook are somehow inferior to social interactions on www.Catholic.com
  3. Using the internet is morally or spiritually inferior to the state of being outside
  4. A state of having technology is inferior to a state of not having technology
  5. The practice of using technology is inferior to practices not using technology
  6. Technology use is somehow harmful
Oh and I would like a graded scale on social interactions and an explanation of why you graded them that way. Please grade things such as Message Boards, Email, Facebook, Telephone, Letter Writing, Face to Face… and any other interactions you feel are appropriate.

When this sort of argument is presented to me, I’ll make an effort to give a proper response in return. It’s hard when the argument is “facebook is a waste of time so lets get rid of it”. Note the complete lack of evidence supporting the “waste of time” statement. And I won’t even get into all the veiled suggestions in this thread against people who use Facebook regularly…
 
After some debating back and forth, I left Facebook nearly three weeks ago.

Don’t miss it at all. I can keep up with everyone I cared about in my friends list in other ways.

I just didn’t like the idea of a corporation having that much of a hold over my life.
 
vashsunglasses said:
PROVE to me, through logic and reasoning, that:
  1. Social interactions online are somehow inferior to other social interactions
  2. Social interactions on Facebook are somehow inferior to social interactions on www.Catholic.com
  3. Using the internet is morally or spiritually inferior to the state of being outside
  4. A state of having technology is inferior to a state of not having technology
  5. The practice of using technology is inferior to practices not using technology
  6. Technology use is somehow harmful
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Why should I bother trying to prove something that I never claimed in the first place? If you think the problem people have with facebook really boils down to that oversimplified list of six points then you need to read the entire thread (assuming you already did) over again. You’re still trying to twist anti-facebook into “anti-internet” or “anti-technology” which are totally different.
 
exoflare said:
Why should I bother trying to prove something that I never claimed in the first place? If you think the problem people have with facebook really boils down to that oversimplified list of six points then you need to read the entire thread (assuming you already did) over again. You’re still trying to twist anti-facebook into “anti-internet” or “anti-technology” which are totally different.
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Look… my point is that there seems to be an unstated assumption on this thread that social media is somehow inferior or a waste of time. It’s hard for me to argue against such a nebulous zeitgeist without replying with the same sort of nebulous thinking. So I gave a simple response that was in proportion to other posts on this thread… and got hit with an accusation of using a strawman argument. I can’t help it if the other side of the debate isn’t presenting a proper argument… How can I p(name removed by moderator)oint my opponents if I’m forced to guess? It just ends up all scattershot and I look like a jerk.

So if you, or anybody else, has a problem with my statements in this thread I would appreciate it if you could give me a detailed argument to counterpoint…
 
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