Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Facebook Etiquette

So you know how Facebook shows you when one friend posts something on another friend's wall, so you're in the loop about everything? Maybe too much in the loop? I find myself constantly wanting to add my two cents to these "conversations" between friends, and I'm constantly feeling uncomfortable about doing so (but I still do most of the time). My comments would usually be something endearing, or comedic, or inviting myself to whatever it is they're planning (as I did today).

Problem is, I feel like it's almost a private conversation between two people, and here I am, butting in when I haven't been invited to their conversation. Seems silly since it's taking place in such a public forum, but it still feels wrong. I feel like I'm eavesdropping...but I'm a great eavesdropper. I usually have to fill Jeff in on other people's conversations since he doesn't seem to care what other people around us are talking about...Let me tell you, you miss out on so many great conversations by only paying attention to those around you (or conversations you're privy to).

So what's the right etiquette for this? Should I not? Is it as weird as I think?

My future course of action is either: 1) don't comment on other people's conversations, or 2) get over feeling like a creepy facebook stalker and comment away--it's not my fault that facebook puts their conversation in front of me. I'm still deciding if I'm choosing the former or latter...although most of you can guess from my overly active facebook usage that I'll chose the latter. Unless people tell me it's wrong, in which case, I'll try to moderate myself.

On a sidebar, I feel like I've been writing and having a lot more ideas on what to write lately. I'm not sure if it's because I've lowered my standards on what I want to write about (i.e., this post), simply making more time to write, or perhaps being more inspired/motivated to write. A fellow blogger posted an entry asking himself why he writes on his blog, and I sometimes wonder about that myself: this blog has no specific purpose, I'm all over the place with random topics and mundane details of my life that I'm sure most people could care less about. And yet, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy sharing my random thoughts with [sometimes] random people. Maybe it's my way of paying back society for always eavesdropping on their conversations.

3 comments:

  1. In my opinion, you should comment! There's a reason why people post on each other's walls... to have third parties comment. If they wanted it to be private, they would 1) call the person 2) text the person 3) email the person 4) instant message the person and most importantly 5) even on the facebook, it gives you the option to privately message each other as a message or as a chat feature.

    That's why my opinion is to comment. People want you to comment, or else they wouldn't post for everyone else to see.

    That's my two-cents. And I should start blogging again. :D

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  2. Yeah, I agree with Shirley. Public posts are for public comments, though that doesn't mean you're not creepy.

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  3. Creepy commenting on other people's conversations it is!

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