Inspired by Leonie, I gave Facebook the flick at the start of the year – only to go crawling back not long later to tell “The World” I’d got my Ps. Then I gave it the boot again… all through the rest of January, February & the start of March… yesterday I was feeling bored & logged back in. Spent about 5 minutes faffing about in there & realised I am absolutely & completely over it. I shall not be returning again any time soon.
In the 5 minutes I was there yesterday I saw waaaaaaaay too many advertisements or enticements from “friends”, countless pointless quizzes & more whinges & rants in the thinly veiled guise of a ‘status update’ to last me another few months at the very least. (So if you ARE on my friends list over there kids, I’ve not ‘de-friended’ you, one of the most awful things someone can do to you in the online era I believe, I have de-facebooked myself…!)
Maybe if I hadn’t gotten into blogging – reading copious amounts of them & “writing” (..I do use that word loosely…!) this one, I might still cling to the perceived social interaction of Facebook, but I find the parts of blogland I hang out in to have so much more depth & texture than you can really hope to find in Facebook’s shallow status updates or daily news feeds.
If you Facebook, have you ever tried to give it up? How’d you go & why did you do it? Deactivating my account again yesterday felt SO GOOD. Like there was this whole bunch of rubbish I was closing the door to – a whole bunch of mundane nonsense that I just don’t have to waste my energy on, or even read. I don’t want to offend anyone mind you – if you are on Facebook & you love it then hooray for you – I used to love it too, but I’ve moved on, happily.
I had removed my Facebook page numerous times, just to crawl back in a week later and hate it even more. You right, but then I am being told I need it for my business (never got a client that way, ha-ha), I think I will just keep it, because of family.
ReplyDeleteI've never deactivated myself ... and I log on every day but I use it only to keep an eye out for messages from friends and my daughter overseas ... all the crap on their eg quizzes and looking for stuff ... it drives me crazy too. I much prefer blogs as well ... I feel as if I've met so many more real people that I much prefer to expend my energy on blogs
ReplyDeleteI was so addicted to facebook when I first discovered it. Little Guy was brand new and I could happily look around at facebook with one hand while I sat breastfeeding away my days. I didn’t read many blogs back then and the connection with the world while stuck at home was comforting. I am a bit over it now, I still check what has happened there most days, but all of the game announcements and nonsense has put me off. Its funny Curly Guy won’t set up a page, (he says it’s for nerds and kids!) but he is on facebook heaps more than me via my page! I am conflicted about setting up a “business” page when I get my Etsy shop up to speed, it seems it is the thing to do and may be a way to direct more people to my shop. Has anyone had much success with this sort of use of facebook?
ReplyDeleteI agree Vic there is lots more depth and interest in blogland. I now log on to my reader to try to keep up with all of my favourite blogs a lot more regularly that I look at facebook.
I must admit I'm a little Facebook addict. I guess I have had better experiences. One can block the adverts by using the package Adblock Plus, it can block ads on Live Journal as well. I have noticed a lot of crafters have created businesses pages, if you become a fan you hear the latest. Also I find it useful hearing about different Craft societies, shops etc. However saying all that, yeah I do hate the quizzes etc
ReplyDeletei totally agree with the rest, it's there, it was there before blogland & it still is like a train wreck. I do not update, do not own a farm or a cafe or whatever they amuse themselves with, but I log in to find out that someone has "just finished cleaning their bathroom" or "went to 3 ACDC concerts (or george michael)" because it is like a TRAIN WRECK!!!
ReplyDeletemy partner cannot stand it.
I have proudly never even set up a facebook account and I never will. I can never understand what others are talking about with farms and cafes and stuff, but I don't even care! It's funny to me the thought of having a cafe (??), isn't it meant to be social networking or what ever??!
ReplyDeleteFirstly, GODD on You! I hope to find your guts and go for it very soon.
ReplyDeleteSee i move around the country a lot and it seems FB is the best thing for keeping in contact... kind of.
But when i found out my sister was preg for the 4th time with a status update of " who wants to be an aunty again?' I lost the plot. I don't want to find things out through FB. How sad is it that insteasd of picking up the phone or at very least texting seems to be too hard for even family.
I got talked into signing up when it was all new and exciting to keep in touch with friends etc , and always felt uncomfortable with it... I had an ex boyfriend want to be my friend which I just found a bit creepy as I felt like he was trying to spy on my life or something...? Plus other very vague contatc wanting to be my friend...? why?? I deleted my whole profile about 6 months ago and its the best thing I ever did. If people want to tell me something about their life they can email me. I don't get twitter either. Etsy is always talking about how great it is for sales but... I am not going to spam my frinds about new items in my shops... I much prefer my blog, and reading all the other blogs I love.
ReplyDeleteGyongyver - You know - I think that is absoloutely part of it - the longer you are away, the more you realise how ridiculous it is when you go back!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Blogs rock. The end. ;)
Kylie - WOW - that could have been the story of my early days with fb too! Exactly! While I worked people would as me if I 'facebooked' & I'd be like "Hell no!" but when I was suddenly away from work & waiting for a baby to be born/whingy newborn in arms, I thought fb was it & a bit. I could share pics & whinge (it really is a favourite passtime)... but now... who really needs it? The Boy does nae have a fb account either, but unlike yours he really has NO interest. As for the business side of things - I don't know about everybody else, but all the ads & "Visit my shop!" bullshit drives me UP THE WALL. Like Cath says below, I just don't think it's good form to spam your friends about your business - if they're your friend then, duh, I think they know you have a business, or read your blog or SOMETHING lol. As for fanpages - how did they know about you to get to your fanpage in the first place... your blog maybe..?! Then why the need to double dip? I don't get it. I have never, ever bought anything because I saw something posted on fb. Blogs however... just last week I ran & bought one of Curlypops' new rainbow brooches when she blogged it, and those delicious M-Cups everyone was blogging about a while back... maybe because things that come up on blogs I like are things I am actually interested in... or because I feel like I am choosing to read (and choosing to buy!) rather than being dictated to or having things forced upon me. It seems like fb has turned into just one big advertising oportunity. *rant over* ;)
Beky - maybe if I'd found that blocking thing some time ago, I'd still be happy, but now, well... the whole thing just turns me off!
Cathie - Train wreck indeed. The best thing about fb lately I think is 'Lamebook' have you seen that? Total cack - but when you read it you think - wow - these are the people that use facebook - lol.
Selina - GO YOU! We know who to turn to when we need help resisting peer-pressure... SELINA!
Tracey... *ahem* So if I were to tell you I deliberately did nae ring my Mum to tell her about my pg because I thought it would be great for her to see it here, on my blog, with the rest of the world... you would be disgusted...?! (For the record, she thought it was great...)
Cath - I hear you on twitter, I do not get it. Have you seen the slogan: "Forget the TER, you're just a TWIT"?! Hooray for ChunkyChooky not spamming... ick, ick & yuck. Really, nothing makes me less inclined to buy something than shameless over promotion.
Oh I agree 100%, but I have teenagers (as well as the baby) and so I like to check up on them to make sure they are keeping safe on the net you know, and that's the only reason I'm on Facebook. I hate that its so shallow and BORING, oh so boring [yawn], but for me for now, needs must! Any secret information I get on my teenagers is helpful lol!
ReplyDeleteI dispise FB.
ReplyDeleteMy FB's death is eminantely near.
I too was inspired by Leonie's act of braveness. And now yours..... I just cannot be stuffed signing in and doing it!
I find it nice to chat with family & friends every now & then but you're right, it is so full of junk, I tend to bypass those bits...
ReplyDeletei haven't really thought to deactivate my account but i never go on there anymore. i can't stand it. i don't really care if someone that i knew at school is bored or what they had for breakfast or whatever.
ReplyDeletei agree that blogland is much more satisfying and people tend to blog about stuff that is interesting and useful. Also i've found so far that blogland is a lot more supportive and nicer. Facebook to me kind of seems like its all about status or coolness.
I don't get Facebook!
ReplyDeletebut I am old! :P
Good for you! I think the trick is to just do what you enjoy and that's that.
ReplyDeleteI like facebook, I use it a lot for chatting, pics, finding out events, and yeah doing dumb quizzes and playing games when the mood strikes. I like reading blogs, I like FB, for different reasons and I get different things out of them :D
I still don't really get Twitter though... but I'll even have a play on there too.
I must say though, I am soooo sick of ADS ADS ADS from everyone on every platform. Luckily I'm good at ignoring stuff :P
Cheers, Steph
I can take it or leave it actually. I don't do quizzes or any of that stuff. I'm on about twice a month. I find it's a useful tool concerning music. I sing/play a few benefits a year and it seems the best way for musicians to get in touch and network.
ReplyDeleteI do see how it can be a bit of a fall down the old rabbit hole though. And I'm not saying that I didn't once or twice tumble ass over teakettle in the first week but, after the third "old flame" asked to be my friend (or whatever you call it) I was well over it.
To each his/her own!
My WV is fuctiest! I can think of a few ways to use that in a sentence ;)
I was a FB user for maybe 2 years. I uploaded photos of my holidays, put up staus updates and snooped into other peoples buisness alot hehe. All until about 4 months ago. It came to this conundrum - I had accepted people who really weren't my 'friends' i just clicked on 'accept'. I really did not like a few of them much, but I would still check in and see what they were up to. I thought "no. this is rediculous". all that aside I started to blog and enjoyed it so much that FB seemed silly, and I could no longer deal with reading blogs, blogging and FB status updates. since giving it the flick I feel sensational (hehe just like in a dieting ad on tv), strangely lighter and less bothered by what others are doing. I do miss my o/seas friends though. thats the only downfall :(
ReplyDeleteI've never bothered with Facebook. Probably cause I never really heard anything good about it. Much prefer blogging, emailing, picking up the phone and even an occasional letter to keep in contact with everyone.
ReplyDeleteI find FB really convenient for invitations (sending & receiving) and sharing photos with family & friends. That's my excuse for checking it every hour! :-D
ReplyDeleteNever used Facebook. Just a blogger at heart. Although I love when my Sister fills me in on what everyone is up to. Still happy not to be a part of it all.
ReplyDeleteI gave myself a challenge to give it up for lent (the 6 week sleading up to easter) just cause i found myself signing in every day...and for what to fluff around really! HA but my sisters are doing a photo project with me and that's where they post their photos and one of those sisters had a VERY cute baby which she posts losts of photos of her too (they live in sydney and we in adleaide so we don't see each other daily!)! so it's mainly to see their photos. I haven't missed it too much though as you said Vic getting into blogging has been way more interesting and inspiring! So good on you for...revolting!?! :)
ReplyDeleteHello, i just popped back in to see what others p.ovs are re: FB. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI just realised there is another 'Tracey'... hmmm.. thinking I may go change my username
:)
Hey Vic, no i wouldn't be disgusted at all a blog is a bit more personal than FB, well i think so anyway :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, majority of facebook is quite lame (have you checked out lamebook? great blog there!)
ReplyDeletebut yeh, so many people i chat with on facebook have no blogs, and such so i would not know whats happening in their worlds etc, and chat with them.
my friends from where i grew up, and all my cute cousins are there, as are the partners sisters and family, so its nice to keep in touch that way!
its easy to ignore the invites, groups, quizes, and lame updates :)
i would of never of been able to start talking to alot of my old teenage pen pals from over the world without facebook and they are pretty awesome im glad for it!!
blogs are good to read but yeah not all the peeps have em, which is just crazy right? lol
xx
oh and a coool cool thing about fb is, ive started chatting with relatives from czech republic where my pop was from, which is VERY COOL, and i would not be able to do it without fb :) its awesome i even learned that my surname is not in fact the one i always thought it was if you counter in the translation and even spelling, the females have a different one to the males of the family over there, and i kinda wish i got to have the real version would of made life easierrrr. lol
ReplyDeleteFirst Leonie, now you...
ReplyDelete... got me seriously thinking about giving it the flick.
I noticed you were gone and I really don't blame you. If it weren't for the ease at which I can keep in touch with my far flung family then I'd be off it too. I have blocked or hidden most of the silly games and applications.
ReplyDelete