Facebook Suicide

[Billy Jingo]

Facebook Suicide


Destroy your carefully constructed virtual image in four easy clicks.





In march, at the peak of Facebook popularity, I quit. with four swift clicks of the mouse, I canceled my account. Gone was the entire online persona I had created for myself – profile pictures, interests and activities, work history, friends acquired – all carefully thought out to showcase to the world the very best version of me, all now deleted.

Ironically, the decision to destroy my carefully built-up virtual image came as a result of wanting to enhance my profile. All that particular week I’d been hungry for new quotes on my page, something to reflect the week I’d been having: something introspective. I perused a quotes website and found this one attributed to Aristotle:

“We are what we repeatedly do.”

I became despondent. What, then, was I? If my time was spent changing my profile picture on Facebook, thinking of a clever status update for Facebook, checking my profile again to see if anyone had commented on my page, Is this what I am? A person who re-visits her own thoughts and images for hours each day? And so what do I amount to? An egotist? A voyeur?

Whatever the label, I was unhappy and feeling empty. The amount of time I spent on Facebook had pushed me into an existential crisis. It wasn’t the time-wasting, per se, that bothered me. It was the nature of the obsession – namely self-obsession. Enough was enough. I left Facebook.

[Frostbit]

Joyce has a Facebook account but was not very active on it. With the cancer diagnosis we used it as a information portal for updates and I started to "manage" the site. It amazes me when I click on "home" and see some of the endless posts, updates, location indications that some of Joyce's friends put up. I swear one woman must have the software uploaded to her brain because her day is endlessly documented.

[Billy Jingo]

Joyce has a Facebook account but was not very active on it. With the cancer diagnosis we used it as a information portal for updates and I started to "manage" the site. It amazes me when I click on "home" and see some of the endless posts, updates, location indications that some of Joyce's friends put up. I swear one woman must have the software uploaded to her brain because her day is endlessly documented.

I have known a few that have done the Facebook suicide thing. I think it is harder for Millennials than for Gen X or the Boomers, though. Satchel wants an account (she is 14) but is not that concerned about it which indicates to me it may be losing its panache. But then again, my daughter is odd.

[Gramps]

I have a fb account.

Haven't looked at it since Friday.

Wonder if anything important happened?

May check on Tue.

[Frostbit]

I have a fb account.

Haven't looked at it since Friday.

Wonder if anything important happened?

May check on Tue.

I'd have Joyce friend you but then we would probably have to look at pictures.

[Gingersnap]

This is a pretty thoughtful article since it's just true today as it was when it written.

Even if FB is losing its status with the under-25 crowd, I think they are just migrating to Intsagram and other social networks - the problem of self-promotion is still the same.

I have often been derided for not using FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Meh. Luckily, I'm not at a career-stage where faking an interesting personal life is important for the interview process (it reminds me of the journals we had to fake in high school English classes).

The truth is that I don't have enough self-esteem to think that my random lunch choices or musical observations are of any interest to anyone. Beyond that, I'm just not interested in other people's lunches or musical moments unless we are talking to each other in meat space.

The screen time thing is starting to border on addiction for some people. It never hurts to take a big break from something that's becoming a little too important on a daily basis.

[Frostbit]

This is a pretty thoughtful article since it's just true today as it was when it written.

Even if FB is losing its status with the under-25 crowd, I think they are just migrating to Intsagram and other social networks - the problem of self-promotion is still the same.

I have often been derided for not using FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Meh. Luckily, I'm not at a career-stage where faking an interesting personal life is important for the interview process (it reminds me of the journals we had to fake in high school English classes).

The truth is that I don't have enough self-esteem to think that my random lunch choices or musical observations are of any interest to anyone. Beyond that, I'm just not interested in other people's lunches or musical moments unless we are talking to each other in meat space.

The screen time thing is starting to border on addiction for some people. It never hurts to take a big break from something that's becoming a little too important on a daily basis.

I'd venture to say many more are injured during a job hunt by their Facebook page than hired because of it.

[Gingersnap]

I'd venture to say many more are injured during a job hunt by their Facebook page than hired because of it.

Yeah but the under-30 crowd are viewed just as suspiciously if they don't have an Internet trail for HR to look follow. The assumption is that the normal information has been ruthlessly erased for a reason.

[scott]

Facebook is a way to interact with friends and let people I care about know what's going on in my life. I rarely do the foodie posts (unless it's a rare treat or an exotic location but haven't posted actual pictures of my food) and I don't do the random mundane stuff. My friends like to see my photos, the occasional political post, or the promotion of some activity I'm hosting or doing.

I find it odd that so many people are just so childish and then they think they are suddenly "enlightened" by their actions so instead of not being so self-centered and egotistical they cut themselves off. That won't fix the problem. If you spend time crafting a Facebook image that isn't accurate then you are probably doing the same in real life too which makes you fake and narcissistic.

It's like the asshole who becomes a loud asshole when he's drunk saying that he's giving up alcohol. He's still an asshole.

[phillygirl]

This is a pretty thoughtful article since it's just true today as it was when it written.

Even if FB is losing its status with the under-25 crowd, I think they are just migrating to Intsagram and other social networks - the problem of self-promotion is still the same.

I believe that is true. It seems that none of my nephews or my niece have a facebook account. Most of them (but not all) have an instagram and/or vine account. A couple have twitter (but don't really use it).

I like to stalk them on their social media to make certain they're not doing anything stupid out there, but I've yet to figure out the instagram thing, so I'm not very effective now at the stalking thing.

[Billy Jingo]

Facebook is a way to interact with friends and let people I care about know what's going on in my life. I rarely do the foodie posts (unless it's a rare treat or an exotic location but haven't posted actual pictures of my food) and I don't do the random mundane stuff.

A friend of mine, a Facebook freak, was late for dinner so I once posted a picture of dinner on the table waiting for her arrival.

I also posted a picture of the Boomstick (a 2 ft long hot dog at the Ballpark) because TEXAS!

I think that is the only food pictures I have posted.

Oh wait!

I posted a picture of my fridge just prior to an Independence Day party at my house. Here it is:

[Michele]

Facebook is a way to interact with friends and let people I care about know what's going on in m. life. I rarely do the foodie posts (unless it's a rare treat or an exotic location but haven't posted actual pictures of my food) and I don't do the random mundane stuff. My friends like to see my photos, the occasional political post, or the promotion of some activity I'm hosting or doing.

I find it odd that so many people are just so childish and then they think they are suddenly "enlightened" by their actions so instead of not being so self-centered and egotistical they cut themselves off. That won't fix the problem. If you spend time crafting a Facebook image that isn't accurate then you are probably doing the same in real life too which makes you fake and narcissistic.

It's like the asshole who becomes a loud asshole when he's drunk saying that he's giving up alcohol. He's still an asshole.

Agree. I see it as no different than calling people or writing letters and including photos. I enjoy seeing the photos from a family event that I've missed because I live away from my four sisters and my brother. I can't think of any friend or family member who updates their status daily. Most do it when it's something special. I also think it's no different than being on different types of sites that you find interesting ie like this one. If people make up an online persona or spend all day on it, that says to me that they have self control issues, period.

Almost all of my teenage and early 20-something nieces and nephews use Instagram, Twitter and Vine and are rarely on Facebook anymore. My 14 year old grandson finally joined (after a lot of his friends had faked their age to set up an account) and I hardly ever see him on it..he thinks it's not cool. <--- Now that could be FB's undoing.

[scott]

Facebook stopped being cool when it went after the money (30-60 year olds).

[Gingersnap]

I'm starting to think that I'm one of the few people who still have a social life - the kind where you meet people to do things with them (not the kind where you assemble and then tend to others not present).

I'm looking forward to reducing my screen time in the near future.

People can no longer even understand how I navigate the state without GPS or how I can boldly go out to eat or go shopping without Internet access on me. What if the restaurant is closed? What if a better deal on tee shirts is happening in another store? What if someone needs to invite me to a pity party that very instant? What if the road is closed? What if it starts snowing but it wasn't snowing when I left the house and it's really snowing and I need to call somebody? What if? What if? What if?

Luckily, I have some confidence that I can resolve these problems without achieving consensus or consulting an expert opinion.

[scott]

I'm starting to think that I'm one of the few people who still have a social life - the kind where you meet people to do things with them (not the kind where you assemble and then tend to others not present).

I'm looking forward to reducing my screen time in the near future.

People can no longer even understand how I navigate the state without GPS or how I can boldly go out to eat or go shopping without Internet access on me. What if the restaurant is closed? What if a better deal on tee shirts is happening in another store? What if someone needs to invite me to a pity party that very instant? What if the road is closed? What if it starts snowing but it wasn't snowing when I left the house and it's really snowing and I need to call somebody? What if? What if? What if?

Luckily, I have some confidence that I can resolve these problems without achieving consensus or consulting an expert opinion.

If you think you are one of the few people with an actual social life then you don't get out enough. Seriously, head to a random bar and act like it's your birthday.