the stupid thing about facebook
April 29th, 2009Today I found out that a school friend is engaged… via facebook.
Since when did Facebook become a means to announce an engagement?
Or even to announce a new relationship or a break up? I find it slightly awkward when I see that one of my friends has changed their status from ‘in a relationship’ to ’single’ all of a sudden.
I blame Facebook for creating all sorts of social dilemmas where there wasn’t any before. I have recently had people add me as their ‘friends’ who I consider acquaintances who I would barely recognising passing in the street. Since when did they become my ‘friend’?
When I started seeing a Scottish guy while living in Edinburgh, I discovered that he had not only checked out my facebook, but also had been through all of my photo albums, checked out my friends, my interests, favourite movies. Suddenly he started mentioning things I knew I hadn’t told him (yet) or photos from events that were from 3 years ago. He knew everything about me without the traditional ‘getting-to-know-you’ period. Slightly stalker-ish. Needless to say, I didn’t stick with him for long.
I think I am all facebook-d out.
Categories: random stuff
Monique said
April 29, 2009 at 11:44 am
Ugh, I know exactly what you mean. It’s so awk (speaking of which, I ran across your blog through other expat blogs I read!)
There’s a way of blocking features from being published such as relationship updates, etc. Definitely enabled that on my account…
Nikki said
April 29, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Ah yes. Worse when you blog.
Deney and Em are both engaged.
Personally I don’t really have too much of an issue about finding that stuff out on facebook. Maybe it’s because I can’t be arsed ringing people to find out news. Quite convenient when it pops up in my feed! ha. Totally lazy, I know. If it was a really close friend that I communicated with regularly then maybe I’d be a bit pissed.
I feel ya on the friends that aren’t friends thing. But then I also am friends with a whole lot of people from my hall who probably won’t remember me because I didn’t stay for my whole degree at Otago but I like to feel part of it all by totally facebook stalking them. *muhahahaha*
I saw one of those uni people in the post office the other day and didn’t recognise them (until I left the post office). I felt like suuuuuch a fraud having them as my “friend” when I couldn’t even tell who they were! heh.
parlezvouskiwi said
April 29, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I know what you mean Nikster. But I still find the whole facebook finding-out thing strange, even if its not close friends. My cousin is in and out of relationships and the only way we keep up is facebook. Its bizarre.
I would beat up one of my close friends if they told facebook before me hehehehe.
L said
May 2, 2009 at 9:53 pm
A lot of people found out I was married through Facebook… But then they were the ones I’m not really in contact with.
What was maybe weirder was when my feed was full of pictures of my best-friend’s ex-boyfriend (with whom I’m still Facebook friends because neither of us ever canceled the friendship) with his twin baby sons and wife. Talk about weird. Needless to say, I didn’t mention to my friend that her ex is now a father, married, etc etc…