Typically, I’m the type that’ll blast my CD player while driving, but this day was different. I randomly switched the dial to a local radio station and was pleased to tune into a great conversation about Facebook friends.
The mildly offensive disk jockey was clearly bothered as he explained the weekend’s exchanges between himself and a female. During an event he approached a woman he was Facebook friends with and genuinely tried to pursue her. When she turned around she rolled her eyes and walked away, looking extremely bothered that he had the audacity to even talk to her.
Initially shocked at what just took place, he went home, got on his computer and messaged his ‘friend’, according to Facebook standards of friendships. After she read the post and recognized whom he was, she was completely embarrassed of how she acted. Furthermore, she tried to explain she was tired of being harassed by men all night and he simply looked nothing like his pictures online.
Hearing about this experience really had me thinking about the loyalty of my over 2,000 Facebook friends. I honestly don’t consider a majority of those I befriend online as friends, more so advocates.
Undoubtedly, Facebook is a great way to connect and communicate with people from our past, present or future. Without Facebook, I’m sure some friendships would have withered and died or perhaps never even developed. With any social media platform, you have to take it in perspective and not at face value. Effective use of Facebook, in my opinion, is leveraging conversations both online and offline. Taking this approach allows individuals to gather a deeper understanding of who their in cahoots with and who they can justly call a friend.