DEFRIENDING FACEBOOK

A while ago, I found myself done with facebook. Done with the privacy issues. Done with the greed. Done with denying the control they seem to want so badly.

Defriending fb was one of the better decisions lately. Not as good as avoiding the Jersey Shore, but honestly, I haven't missed it at all. I originally joined only to be found. I resisted for years, since I usually choose to NOT do what it seems everyone else does. When I saw they had millions of members and it was likely they wouldn't be replaced by a new format any time soon, I figured if anyone was looking for me, having a FB account was the easiest way for them to reach out. I didn't know who was supposed to FIND me (J-Lo is playin in the kiddie pool, Rihanna is in her “experimental” stage, Eve's avoiding me, Tyra is busy, and Serena is not dating anymore!) but I left myself out there. I actually found a few people myself, when I felt nostalgic, but there usually is a reason that you didn't stay in touch. After a few exchanges, we went back to where we were.

Since I wasn't farming, friending, or updating my status every 20 minutes, I closed my account. I had already long-ago defriended everyone, since I never really was consumed by how many people were listed. If I considered you a “friend”, I am involved and know what's going on in your life. Call me old-fashioned but I consider a “friend” a person I actually care about and speak to. Life is much more pleasant when it isn't measured in how many contacts I have on my fb page.

I really dislike how lazy people can be since the internet has been around. One status update does NOT count as keeping in touch! Social media ironically is making us LESS social. Funny huh?


I dislike Zuckerberg and this money-grab of going public. He had said in the past that his goal was to make the world more connected, not be a billionaire. They were already a billion-dollar company. Apparently, they needed more billions to..... ?

Yes, he has given millions to various charities and the Newark school system, but to me, it doesn't change the questionable tactics he used, the fact he just seems unlikeable, or the image of greed that a stock offering portrays. It's not jealousy or envy. I just look at anyone who has so much money and I can't help but think of the destruction that may have happened getting there. How many people were overcharged? How many competitive companies have disappeared? How many jobs were lost? Bigger is NOT better in business for anyone except those in charge, reaping the insane rewards. When you give any company the power to be the largest conduit of information, you take the chance of them using that power and influence for less-than-saintly purposes.

I also dislike the multiple classes of stock that fb issued. While many companies have used this system to insulate management from the common stock holders, that doesn't make it morally correct. If you go public, you SHOULD lose control of different aspects of the company. You now have many investors who would like to profit from this same organization and you MUST answer to them. If you don't WANT that, stay PRIVATE!!!

I try and support companies that do some good but not at the price of their employees or customers. If I know a particular organization is awful on the inside, I won't throw any dollars from of my wallet their way, no matter how good the sale is. Years ago, I refused to consider Nike sneakers because they weren't made in the United States. (Yes, YEEEEAAARS ago, when many things were still made here!) While it sounds stupid or naïve, we all should make choices based on our own beliefs and values, not on what everyone else is doing.

Don't you think?