I love Facebook. It's a great way to keep in touch with far-flung loved ones who I don't get to see or can't phone often because we live in different time zones. It's also handy for keeping up with local events, current affairs, other mums from the school ... as social networking goes, it's everything I need. It has made it easier for me to be in touch with people I haven't always kept up with in "real life" - I may not have spoken with someone from my school days for years, but we can share photos and keep each other informed of happenings in our lives and it feels like the friendship is kept alive, when it would have otherwise fallen by the wayside years ago. I have also been able to re-connect with people I hadn't seen or heard from for years (even decades!).
My only gripe with Facebook is the number of hoaxes filling up my Wall. This is not Facebook's fault. The blame here lies entirely with people who follow others and share blindly without checking facts - rather unkindly referred to as "sheeple".
Anyone who has had anything to do with Facebook will know the kind of thing I'm referring to ... everything from famous people being credited with speeches they didn't actually make (Bill Gates, Bill Cosby, Robin Williams, to name a few), sick children and injured animals to those touching "memes" that ask you to "share if you are against (insert word here)" - drink driving, abuse, racism, cancer, bullying, etc. The underlying message is that if I don't share, I don't have a heart.
Of course I am against all those things ... but sharing a picture on Facebook isn't going to do anything to help the cause. No doctor is going to treat a child according to how many "likes" they get and sharing pictures of injured animals does nothing except cause distress to animal lovers who see them. Trying to push me into sharing something if I'm against bullying is a form of bullying in itself - a bit ironic really.
That's not to say I don't like all the memes I see. The difference is, if I want to share a lovely poem that has the usual "Share if..." at the bottom of it, I will type it out myself as a status update, or even google the poem - chances are it can be found on another picture, without the added line, and that's the one I'll share.
I was joking just last week that I am probably getting a reputation as a "hoax-buster" among my friends. The person I was speaking to immediately responded with "Yes, you are!". I was a bit hurt by this, to start with. I don't like to think I am annoying anyone by pointing out if something they have shared isn't true - I guess I prefer to think that I'm being helpful. My usual response is to share a link to an article as proof that something is fake, along with a friendly message and a smiley face emoticon so they know I'm not trying to upset them (because we all know a smiley face fixes everything, right?).
Then, when I thought about it more, I realised that I was being too sensitive. There are plenty of other people out there who share their opinions with others without a second thought for whether they are offending anyone. If anything, I've always been a bit mousy and shy about having my own opinions, especially if others disagree with them. So I am now happy to be a hoax-buster. I suppose it could be considered a form of research - which, if I'd discovered this enjoyment earlier, could have led to all sorts of interesting career opportunities too!
I try not to comment too often - I know that can be annoying, just like someone picking others up on their spelling all the time. That's another gripe of mine actually - incorrect spelling - but I am proud to say I've managed to turn a blind eye for the most part where Facebook is concerned.
I do prefer not to take things too seriously, including Facebook. When it comes to the Share memes, I generally just scroll past without commenting at all. I often get a giggle at seeing just how many hoaxes do the rounds over and over again. I am also aware that none of my friends would knowingly share anything false - they really think they're helping in some way, and who can blame them for that?
The Caveman used to call me "Madam Teacher" (he is a terrible speller, so he has often found himself on the receiving end of my corrections!), but now it's "Madam Google". I guess there are worse things to be called.
Oh, time to end with a smiley ... :-)
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