8.22.14 Wrestling With Facebook, and Other Social Media Sleeznesses - How I Don't Really Give A Crap

There have been some conversations, once again, on Facebook, about the idea of not "liking" other people's posts, because dear old Facebook has all kinds of stupid machinations that change our freebie pages, altering the visibility of the people and places we are interested in ; a strange manipulative response to who and what we "like".

Myself? I don't give a crap. I'm on Facebook because I'm interested. I'm interested in reading what other people feel like posting today. I'm interested in what they have to say and how they're feeling and what they want to show the rest of the world and their photographs, either of their own life,or 'found' things.

I want to share photographs of things I see in the world that strike me. Share words about things that matter to me . And what Facebook may or may not do with all this pales in comparison with what really matters to me.

I'm glad that we have a free access site, I'm not surprised that they will keep on developing more and more invasive ways of making money off of it. They own it. What can I say?

But, intermittently, I so enjoy cruising the newsfeed. And when I have the energy? Spending the time opening and watching or reading what people I know wanted to share. Making that effort. Seeing what it is that really mattered to them today.

And while we're on the subject of social media; blogs? And the new predictable profit calisthenics that LinkedIn and every other spot is wiggling into? How Facebook often sends a friend request from me to others, pretending I sent it? How LinkedIn just put a big one over on a bunch of us who are less savvy (!), just click that little button and boom, they request connecting up to everyone you've every known (exaggerating a bit here) and suddenly people are writing to you, and saying, "Oh, ok. Hi!" . When it was never your intention. Or the hoops one can jump through just to relish some favorite, really-show-up blog favorites some of you have, like a mine field sometimes, trying to get to simply check out what others are creating. But in the end, who cares.

So myself, I'm going to keep on liking. I'm going to read your stuff and I'm going to look at your stuff, and just like you, if I'm tired or busy, I'll stay off , or have a quick perusal. But if I have more energy, I'm going to take the time to sit down and really listen to it. Because it matters to me. A whole lot more than anything Facebook  or any of these other social mediatronics can fiddle around with.