I was on facebook scrolling through my newsfeed when I realized it had been some time since I had seen a post from one of my friends. Not a staus update, share, comment or even a like from one of the people I regularly interact with on the social networking site appeared on my screen. Instead I saw ads from various companies, memes and updates from pages which I had liked. Normally I’m okay with this; I understand that facebook makes money through advertising and I enjoy getting updates about my favourite movies and games. But I come to facebook to find out how my friends are doing. I want updates on their lives, I want to see their pictures, hear their jokes and get a little insight into their worlds.
Maybe I do not regularly interact with their onlune identities but dammit I still care. Facebook’s algorithm should not filter their lives from me just because I don’t click ‘like’ on all of their pictures. I cannot like everything and sometimes ‘like’ is a little innapropriate. But when I see their statuses I may nod and continue scrolling.
Maybe an ‘acknowldge’ icon would be better that acts as an invisible ‘like’.
But that is besides the point anyways. The real problem may lie with me. I should not be so reliant on a website to keep me abreast of the goings on of the people I care about. If they truly matter I should pick up the phone and call. Or text. Or write a letter. Or invite them to lunch. Or something.
I’m still going to continue using facebook as my main social networking platform because it can be useful and it is ubiquitous amongst my generation. But I realize now that I cannot be so reliant on it. Real life interactions matter more than the ones which occur through a bunch of ones and zeroes.
halfwayinsane 