As I type this blog post, I hear thunder and see flashes of lightning. Given the spirit of a storm, how can I not spark a controversial post? This isn’t completely controversial, but it certainly can stir up good conversation. Tonight’s topic is Facebook Friends: To keep them or not to keep them… that is the question.
At the start of finals week, I found myself looking through old photos from high school and the start of college. I remember adding people I met ONE TIME and hoped we would stay friends because of the Facebook request. I began to wonder how many, of my 1,261 friends, were actually my “friend.” The definition of the word friend (according to dictionary.com) is “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” I hate to admit that at least 1,200 of those Facebook friends do not fit that definition. And so the deleting begins… or does it?
Do you find yourself hesitant to click the unfriend button? You may wonder if deleting a person will cause “drama” or you will lose networking opportunities. I used to feel this way. I decided to leave networking to LinkedIn and drama out the door. We worry too much about what others may think. The act of unfriending a person can be interpreted in many ways, so why does it matter? If I unfriend you, it is for one of three reasons. 1. We do not talk/you do not post things that pertain to my life. 2. You are a bad influence. 3. You are not a nice person.
You may call it harsh… that is fine. I call it reality. When I went through old photos, I realized that over half the people I was friends with no longer talk to me. I have walked down hallways with people I used to be best friends with and we make zero eye contact. Can we just make it official, now? Unfriend.
Photo Credit: Giphy.com