Basically, I reached my limit on the bullshit that Facebook feeds us. About a year after the election, I am done. Done seeing propaganda, done seeing racism, done seeing sexism. Done seeing people just be dumb.
Facebook is like constantly having company over. You enjoy the social interaction at first, but after a while it’s time to go. With Facebook, it never stopped. It hooks you. You crave the newest update even if it stresses you out.
Facebook had some very good stuff: I loved seeing pictures of people on vacation, sharing recipes, or just random thoughts on daily life. It was a great way to keep in touch with old friends and family across the miles.
Then the Russians got a hold of it…
Political or politically charged posts started overwhelming everything else. In my entire adult life, I never cared so much about politics. I dabbled. I voted. I tried to be informed, but politics is frustrating and nuts.
Granted, I think all that political stuff helped me to see people’s true colors.
Most of the people I unfriended I probably shouldn’t have added as a friend in the first place. I had a strict policy that if I hadn’t met you in real life, you were not going to be my Facebook friend. That didn’t help weed out the folks I had only spoken three words to in junior high and high school. Their idiotic views on the world did though…that was probably why I never spoke to them. Back then I could probably sense it would be a waste of time and effort to befriend them.
When it finally came out that Russians had been using Facebook to manipulate people, that’s when I knew it was time to break the Facebook habit. I had been thinking about it for a few weeks, but then I decided I didn’t want to encourage anyone to be on a platform where propaganda was rampant.
Here’s the thing, I kind of don’t want to know people are assholes and idiots. I mean I know people are assholes and idiots, but I don’t need a constant reminder of it.
It’s human nature to focus on the negative and in this day and age of crazies running the country, I don’t need another steady stream of negativity and stress coming from people who are family and friends. Add to that the frustration of interacting with people manipulated by propaganda. Now, I’m afraid of what the Russians are doing with any of my Facebook activity. So, I’m done with it.
I might not be able to make people stop being stupid, but I can do something. I take myself out of the situation. Bye, bye, stupidity!
Facebook must do better. Secure user data from nefarious individuals. Only then will I go back to reading about kids eating ice cream and cats acting nuts.