houseboy wrote:I was pondering today about what Facebook does to people. It seems to turn many into the most self-centred and egotistical obsessives. What with selfies (look at me - another picture of me - look at what I'm eating/wearing/doing etc). What got me thinking was a post by someone who I am friends with, a nice enough bloke, musician, intelligent and general good chap, he posted this morning about how he'd never watched an episode of Game of Thrones and never would, followed by umpteen other 'sheep' declaring the same thing. Now, if someone doesn't want to watch it (or any other programme for that matter - the programme isn't really important) then that is up to them, my point is why do people feel the need to proclaim to all and sundry that they don't like something that they have, by their own admission, never seen and by default therefore have no qualification for making that judgement. Someone even posted that they had watched 'a couple of episodes' but couldn't get into it after saying they had 'never seen an episode'.

Forget Game of Thrones though, my thinking is that there is a kind of snobbery that says 'I won't watch/listen to/read something because it is popular and then I'm going to post it on Facebook and let everyone know I am special because I don't like it'. I suppose if someone thinks that everyone wants to know where they are, what they are eating or wearing, what they are doing and who they are doing it with all the time then this follows logically.
I just cannot understand why anyone would feel the need to post things about that which they supposedly have no interest in just to show everyone they have no interest in it.

I suppose my interest in human nature just gets the better of me sometimes.

Baffled of Baxenden.

thatdberight wrote:It makes them lose the ability to use apostrophes correctly.

FactualFrank wrote: Another thing that gets on my wick... the "Share this if you agree" crap to grow their page. No - if I agree with it, I'll nod my head.

Devils_Advocate wrote:To be fair houseboy you are here on a social media platform seemingly feeling the need to proclaim to all and sundry that you don't like the way people on a different social media platform feel the need to proclaim to all and sundry when they don't like something

I barely use Facebook but if people enjoy using it and posting selfies and sharing their views then good for them its not doing me any harm. Bet there's plenty of people on Facebook would think its pretty sad that loads of people come on a messageboard bickering and obsessing about a football team.

claptrappers_union wrote:Similar to this, I gave up on my Grandma on Facebook, she'd share horror stories about people visiting the 'local gas station' or the 'grocery store' or a story that featured on 'Channel 9 News' - the usual story goes that its some gang flashing their car lights and then mugging single ladies, chalking symbols on fences or leaving bits of paper on your back window to steal cars when you get out.

I direct her to Snopes, or post a link to show her it's not true, but her opinion is - 'its better off letting people know, for just in case it is true'. And she continues to share the nonsense. She can't comprehend the bigger picture.

I honestly believe theres a generation of people, particularly the over 50's who can tell a lie when its spoken to them, but if they read it on their computer or if its packaged as news or delivered by a supposed authority - they swallow it up.

The amount of times by Dad has shared something from the Southend News Network and then backtracked that he knew all along that its parody, it's embarrassing. He only reads the the headline and it makes him angry. It's frightening.

claptrappers_union wrote:I think I'm one of those people you are talking about. My relationship with Facebook changes, the way you use it and who you are connected with dictates you the information you receive.

On reflection, I used to collect as many friends as possible - all my former school friends, people from the local pubs, people I've worked with, the people I share common interests with, Burnley fans and people I've met abroad. I had a feed delivering me content from people from all walks of life and I discovered something... Most people are morons and morons like broad entertainment.

So no, I haven't watched Britains Got Talent, X Factor or Peter Kays regurgitation of some crap or that fat fella doing Carpool Karaoke. Because it's ****, it's all **** and you're a moron, just like the rest of them who like it, that's including your stupid wife and thicko kids. Yes, we know you like Baby Shark, use your ******* brain for crying out loud. Oh, you like Adam Sandler films do you? You like his films because you can 'switch your brain off' and 'mong out' - you're a disgrace.

Now, I cleared my Facebook friends, removed 99% of the school friends because I never spoke with them anyway, people from pubs I don't speak to: purged, most Burnley fans are muppets, all gone. Now my facebook feed is an echo-chamber. It's very anti-Trump, anti-Tory and Social Justice topics, which isn't good either.

For the record, I haven't watched Game of Thrones

claptrappers_union wrote:Similar to this, I gave up on my Grandma on Facebook, she'd share horror stories about people visiting the 'local gas station' or the 'grocery store' or a story that featured on 'Channel 9 News' - the usual story goes that its some gang flashing their car lights and then mugging single ladies, chalking symbols on fences or leaving bits of paper on your back window to steal cars when you get out.

I direct her to Snopes, or post a link to show her it's not true, but her opinion is - 'its better off letting people know, for just in case it is true'. And she continues to share the nonsense. She can't comprehend the bigger picture.

I honestly believe theres a generation of people, particularly the over 50's who can tell a lie when its spoken to them, but if they read it on their computer or if its packaged as news or delivered by a supposed authority - they swallow it up.

The amount of times by Dad has shared something from the Southend News Network and then backtracked that he knew all along that its parody, it's embarrassing. He only reads the the headline and it makes him angry. It's frightening.

Bosscat wrote:When GoT came out I didn't watch it, several in the Pub said "awe you have to watch, it you love things like LotR etc its not just "that sort of thing with Tits" but well scripted etc..."
I didn't believe them I just dismissed it as hype, and said if I wanted to see that sort of thing there is always the internet....

When my stepdaughter was ill my wife went south for a couple of weeks and left me to my devices.
Nowt on TV so I looked at catch up TV and thought bugger it will see what they are on about and watched the 1st episode on "Sky Box sets" by the time the wife came home I had watched the 1st 3 series.... I was hooked. The intrigue and storylines are brilliant and the nudity and violence just seem to disappear.

I have caught up and now am awaiting the final series with bated breath and I can't wait....

But as far as facebook ... not for me.
The wife is on it to keep up with grandchildren etc but I don't bother.

FactualFrank wrote:Facebook, like many things on the Internet, all depends on how you use it. If you simply use it as a way of keeping up with people you LIKE, then it's a perfectly useful tool.

The problem is, so many people don't use it like that. They use it to make themselves look more popular. Which is why a lot of people feel worse when they log off compared to when they logged in - because they see people only posting/highlighting the best bits of their life - so it makes them feel other people's world is so much better than theirs.

A rule of thumb - anybody with close to 1000 friends is one of those people. Unless you're a celeb, there's absolutely no way you keep in touch with 1000 people. You're there to make yourself look popular.

Another thing that gets on my wick... the "Share this if you agree" crap to grow their page. No - if I agree with it, I'll nod my head.

houseboy wrote:Actually most people think it's about violence and dragons and tits but the fact is, as you have found out, most if it is overwhelmingly 'talky' and political

houseboy wrote:It took just four posts to get the one I knew was inevitable. Of course it's social media, just like this, but I'm not being critical of the people who do it, as I said (quite clearly I think) it just baffles me. As I was writing the post I was thinking that someone would inevitably compare the two and I tried to think who it would be - your name was one of the ones that came up. I think that might say a tad more about you than me.

My post was an observation, the ones I was on about on FB are personal statements. If people want to do that and post endless pictures of 'me' then let them, that's okay if it makes them happy. i just wonder WHY they do it, that's all.

Lord Beamish wrote:I think that Houseboy is more annoyed at the idea of people not liking Game of Thrones.

houseboy wrote:Actually most people think it's about violence and dragons and tits but the fact is, as you have found out, most if it is overwhelmingly 'talky' and political and,as you say, very intelligently scripted. There is also an underlying modern humour about it as well, with the occasional sarcastic one-liner that makes me laugh out loud (usually delivered by Tyrion).

Devils_Advocate wrote:I get where you're coming from but just seemed a bit judgemental in the way you described some of the people. I rarely use it and can see why lots of people don't but it baffles me that people (not aimed at you) seem so opinionated and negative about something they admit to not using and not caring about.

Each to their own but posting selfies or wanting to tell the world what you think about Game of Thrones seems a lot more normal and balanced to me than getting excited about making up song lyrics about a bloke who plays football or getting worked up by football fans from Brighton

Vegas Claret wrote:I never used to be on facebook but when I moved over to yank land I signed up to keep in touch with a few people - at least I know what they are having for tea

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:The weirdest thing about Facebook is people being friends with someone they don't know.
Not sure which is the weirder of the 2, asking someone to be your friend you don't know or them accepting.

FactualFrank wrote:Another thing - those "98% of people won't get this correct" posts, and then show a straightforward puzzle. They're annoying too, yet Facebook allow them.

claret2018 wrote:How do you know if someone's not on Facebook?

They are educated and reserved with self respect. Not part of the big brother celebrity wannabe fan club They have skype and whatsapp to talk to family ?

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:The weirdest thing about Facebook is people being friends with someone they don't know.

Not sure which is the weirder of the 2, asking someone to be your friend you don't know or them accepting.

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:The weirdest thing about Facebook is people being friends with someone they don't know.

Not sure which is the weirder of the 2, asking someone to be your friend you don't know or them accepting.

conyoviejo wrote:Just as an aside,what effect does in have on otherwise non normal people ?

Bertiebeehead wrote:Facebook, made by idiots for idiots.