Dave, I agree with your statement that I do have the choice to both use the site in the first place and also in how I choose to deal with those people on my friends list. Facebook has been very helpful to me in some aspects - considering I've lived in more countries in the past 10 years than people have taken a shit in that time, it's a very useful way for me to keep up with friends old and new. A major issue I face, and I fully realise that it is solely my issue, is that I feel both guilty at the thought of hiding someone's posts and worry that I will miss something of interest to me or important to a friend. Don't even get me started on deleting people. I can't see me ever having the guts to do that unless you knock me up and stick me with 100k in bills. Again, totally my own lack of ballsiness coming to the forefront here.
I think what's finally tipped me over the edge is that these social networking sites seem to bring out the narcissist in a lot of people. Along with that is that some people choose to use it as a vomit pool for any thought that crosses their mind. Maybe it's just my problem. The sad realisation that when I peel back the layers of some of my friends the gloss wears off no matter how they conduct themselves professionally and in social situations, and irregardless of how long I've known them. On a forum I don't care how silly, immature, uneducated or simply misguided one presents themselves. At the end of the day, other than the people I've spoken to off of a forum environment everyone is just a name and an avatar. I didn't choose you and you didn't choose me so your effect on my life is literally zero. But this whole sharing every single thing, 24 hours a day, just seems bizarre to me. What's the point of my going to meet you for a drink when I already know the toppings you've had on your pizza last night, that you've ditched Colgate for Crest and you have an ingrown toenail?
