6 Reasons We Love to Hate Facebook

Facebook has always irritated me. I had an account in 2006 or so and committed Facebook suicide because I felt the connections were all phony, and it was selfie central. Plus, I was seeing way more of people’s personal lives than I was comfortable with.  I signed up again one day in 2013….and it was much the same…except that it was littered with things like homemade bubble solutions and tutorials on how to play with your kids. I mean, who knew there were a gazillion ways to make a s’more? I saw my former teachers talking politics and using cuss words! Facebook, during my absence, got awesome!

Don’t get me wrong, it still had all the crap that made me leave in the first place, but it also had some quality entertainment, and my village. Even still, let’s be honest, there are  6 REASONS WHY WE ALL LOVE TO HATE FACEBOOK.

6 Reasons We Love to Hate Facebook

1. The Animal Cruelty Awareness Images

It is totally important to spread awareness about great big issues, and putting an end to animal cruelty is surely at the top of the list. The images. Rip. My. Guts. Out. Every time.  They make me feel angry, sad and largely inadequate all at the same time.

Share your passion without the horrific imagery.  Let your friends know how they can help, with words not horror videos, and links to animal shelters that accept paypal donations.

2. Open Letters

What the hell is that anyway? A letter, in this case electronic, that expresses some deep heartfelt emotions, be it gratitude, anger or remorse, to one person, but addressed to the entire world? Whyyy?

If you want to send a letter to someone, by all means that’s awesome. If you want to rant all willy nilly to the general public, start your own blog. (ahem, or find a friend who has one, and ask if you can rant on theirs.)

3. Bad News

Bad news is bad enough, but it takes on a life of its own on Facebook. It shows up multiple times in news feeds, and once it starts, it breeds like rabbits. From terrorist attacks, to natural disasters to freak accidents. Bad news, plus bad news, plus more bad news… you get the idea. It is depressing, and can suck you down the deep dark hole of despair

Let’s start a thing – for every bad news item you see on your news feed, click hide, and find a good news story to share.

4. Hot Topics and the Subsequent Keyboard Experts

You know what and who I am talking about.  A political opinion can quickly turn ugly with anonymous people attacking one another with name calling and more. And don’t.  Even. Think. About approaching anything child rearing thinking you can go unscathed.  You will be judged. And the faceless masses behind the keyboards are your jury. Bonne chance.

Let’s start another thing – for every post out there that gets slammed with angry people missing the point, contains any comments that are shaming, judging or name calling, comment with something like ” I value your opinion” and then move on my friends, move on.

5. The ‘My Life is Better Than Yours’ Posters

My house will never be clean enough, my food will never be healthy enough, my kitchen is green AND sometimes my glue gun is more like a weapon, less like a crafting tool. The all put together houses with the white picket fences and the matchy matchy everything just remind me of how totally crummy we are at adulting. But then, number six is worse…

6. The ‘This is My Real Messy Life’ Posters

Facebook use to better when people were only showing their good side. I know we say and hear that people like to see the real.  That they can identify with the mess…they can relate to the stress, the screaming kids etc….but is that really how we want to be entertained?  I like to vacay from my messy kitchen to see how it could look in never never land. If we are all crazy stressed in real life and take that to Facebook. …it’s like my once hot pink bathroom…the place you go to unwind and relax, but the walls are screaming at you.

Let’s find a middle ground between the matchy matchy perfect and the real life shit storm.  How about, if it involves bodily fluids, don’t share it.  If it is a picture of a pristine family room, with white furniture, and no dust anywhere, add a disclaimer that in about three seconds you’ll likely spill your coffee on the white rug, and that all of the debris has been shoved under the couch cushions.

Regardless of the many reasons we love  to hate on Facebook,  it can’t be overlooked that it is a great place to connect with friends, and find some really neat stuff. And hey it is part of the village.