March 1, 2011
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Criticism on Facebook
I was reading this blog elsewhere about this young woman who had just lost a friendship because she didn’t agree with her friend’s life choices. Basically she felt that her friend’s persona, morals and lifestyle were one way and was shocked when he chose to do something that she deemed to be against what she perceived his morals to be. Instead of talking to this friend, she wrote a Facebook note about it, which the friend could definitely see.
Just a hint, criticizing your friends in a Facebook note usually doesn’t go over well.
I’ve ranted and raved about using Facebook as a vehicle to share important (okay, and not so important as well) news or thoughts before and this is definitely another situation that I’ll rant about. If this person thought that their friend was causing harm to his or her self (morally or otherwise) by choosing whatever particular job path they had chosen, she probably should have thought about speaking to the person in… well… person.
It’s easy to criticize or judge people from far away and the internet, even places like Facebook where you probably know most of the people on your friends list, offers a bit of a protective shield. It’s so not cool to criticize someone like that and to essentially open them up to public criticism like that.
Having different beliefs from one another is awesome. I always think that you can learn more about your own beliefs by listening to people who have different beliefs than you do. I’m not sure that I can really get on board with attacking someone’s personal choices like that. What gives us the right to?
Comments (10)
Sounds like she wasn’t really his friend if you ask me.
@NightlyDreams - Yeah, I just can’t imagine why you would do something like that and then be sort of surprised when the friend gets upset.
There are some things which are not meant to be posted on Facebook. People should understand that.
Sounds like what she wrote was more appropriate for an obscure xanga post and not facebook.
I have just totally disactivated my facebook . At the beginning I thought it was only a way to find again old friends . But I realize it becomes a kind of monster that is infiltred everywhere and as you say all of what you can write is known by all of your friends . Besides you cannot anymore delete what you have written of put by error on your profile . At last this worldwide network may dangerously manipulate the opinion .
Well I am out and prefer blogging .on Xanga
Love
Michel
I totally agree. People are far more conscious of word choice and kinder when they address each other in person. This should have been handled in person!
So confusing why people have the nerve to post something on facebook they would never say to your face.
At the very least, if she didn’t want to say it to his face, she could have sent a personal message to him instead of posting to everyone about it. Very tacky.
I have a feeling people are going to look back on this era and ask… what was all th fuss about Facebook?
The more interactive social media becomes, the more people find out more what makes people “tick”… and it’s scary and uncomfortable to some.
If you wont say it face-to-face, don’t say it all. That’s my philosophy.