I’ve decided to unlink my blog from Facebook. I’ve never been very comfortable with knowing that my blog posts will appear on Facebook and I’m now listening to that discomfort. Tanya takes the view that if people don’t want to read the posts, they don’t have to. I, on the other hand, am terrible at marketing and would rather no one read my blog than parade it in front of people who don’t want to see it. After all, if someone wants to read the blog, they can subscribe to it.
The final impetus for this decision was reading Tim Urban’s blog post called 7 Ways to be Insufferable on Facebook. I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Facebook anyway because I fluctuate between wanting to show people what I’ve been doing, and thinking that showing people what I’ve been doing is rather narcissistic.
Tim Urban categorizes the 7 different type of statuses that are insufferable. Some of them I hadn’t consciously thought of as bad, but others just scream at me. My least favorite type of status is the one that should be private. You know, the “I’m so proud of you, my dear husband / wife / son / daughter. You fill my heart with joy and blah, blah, blah.” I also dislike statuses that are too obviously attention seeking: photos of the person doing something amazing thirty years ago; posts telling me they’ve just checked into a $1,000 a night hotel; etc.
Few of my Facebook friends share interesting articles, unlike Tanya’s friends who share some fascinating stuff. So I don’t even need to go to Facebook to learn about interesting articles – Tanya tells me about them. And I’ve come to the conclusion that getting Likes or giving Likes is a poor substitute for genuine face time – you know, actually being with the other person.
Tim Urban says “To be unannoying, a Facebook status typically has to be one of two things: 1) Interesting/Informative, or 2) Funny/Amusing/Entertaining“. I like to think (or at least I hope) that my blog posts are interesting or informative to other people (although in the end I write them for myself.) But I’ve decided that if other people find them interesting or informative, they can subscribe to the blog, or at least look at it periodically. I also suspect that I’ll write more (interesting or informative 🙂 ) blog posts when my blog is no longer linked to Facebook.
So this will be the last blog post I link to Facebook.
Links and other Clicks
Here’s the 7 Ways to be Insufferable on Facebook post.
Cycle Uphill 
Right on. You have helped me clarify m own perspective!
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Glad to be able to help!
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I’ve found FB’s “On this Day” feature to be very instructive as to whether I post useful items or not, because I look back and realize I am proud or embarrassed about the things I said or shared a year or few ago. I think it’s changed my behaviour in choosing what I share and write now.
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I’ve never used “On this Day”. I’ll take a look at it. Thanks for the idea.
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Mostly I like FB as a way to see what people (friends!) are doing in their lives. So I don’t mind some of The Seven as long as they don’t pop up ALL the time. I love hearing about your adventures abroad, for example. I guess for me it’s just another method of communication……..but I can certainly understand unlinking your blog.
Hope you guys are well, and I look forward to hearing/seeing more of your adventures in life!
best,
Pam
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Okay, I’ll keep posting photos of our trips! I’m glad you enjoy them.
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OK. I’ve been saying for some time that what I love about FB is that it not only connects people, but it connects lives. Like a … well, like a virtual mesh web. Lately however I suffer something close to a mental breakdown every time I see or read (mostly scroll quickly past them) yet another new age/spiritual bullshit advice, quote, saying. I love Buddha, Christ, Ram Dass, Mr. Rogers, et al. but people. Stop! Just. Stop! My mind is melting with these sayings. It’s like (from the 70’s) “If you love something set it free. If it returns it’s yours. If it doesn’t it never was.” No. Don’t set it free. Just fuckin’ shoot it.
So, I loved, loved, LOVED “7 Ways To Be Insufferable On Facebook” – and am going to post it. Thanks for the link. I admit, I’ve been insufferable, but I’m learning and trying not to be. I think a lot of this attention desperation stems from the fact that most of us have lost our Mothers. At least it is for me. (“Mom! Look what I did!” “Oh, honey, you are so brilliant, beautiful, perfect!”)
I enjoy your blog, Alec, and will check in here and there.
-Carol
I believe Facebook was invented for the large majority of people who’ve been waiting their whole life for an audience.
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