I guess it's time I explained myself why I'm absent from FB (for many reasons) and why I'm still present on Messenger on off (for ONE reason).
Let's start with the Facebook part first.
It was in 2008 I think, when I first joined FB. And it was to try and locate 3 of my long lost girlfriends I met when I was 12 years old. I only knew them for that one year but we became really good friends in that year alone, and then lost contacts after we split up when we went to different high schools. And happy to note that within 3 hours of me opening up an FB acc, the 4 of us were reunited again, which was goals! It's a good thing I did it when I did it because I later learned from the 3 gals, that they were trying to find me all those years and were in the midst of putting up big advertising signs with my name on it on local newspapers to bring me to them, omg haha.
Anyway yes, that was the only reason I initially had an FB. And it was enjoyable for a couple of years until the friend list grew more and more, although I was particular on keeping that list to below 100. Then I not only had my own friends and relatives, you have friends of the kids adding you, friends of relatives, friends of husband, and then friends of friends, gosh! Kinda annoying, you know what I mean? I eventually had more strangers than people I actually knew. Ok lah, at first. But as time flew by, some of them - strangers AND even people I knew became a tad too demanding on facebook.
For starters, there were these bunch of girls/women who got extremely upset when I didn't comment or like their posts. You have no idea how many private messages I received ever so often, asking me if I'm angry with them, of if they wrote something wrong, just because I failed to 'like' or 'comment' on their daily posts or whatever crap they wrote! Can you believe that, seriously? Some of these females are not 20 year olds. They're actually married with kids and they get over dramatic on a stupid social media platform! Like, get a friggin hold of yourself and do something else in the real world for god sake!
Let me explain myself first yea. Me on FB was very much like this: I'd post something, browse through for about 5 minutes, then get off it. I can't be bothered to scroll forever and read, like or comment every damn thing there. You know why? I've got tons of things to do in the real world. It's called 'living'.
Oh yea and when some of them commented, it's never just that ONE comment. Make the mistake of giving a courtesy reply to their complimentary comment, and it goes back and forth, back and forth forever. They never stop. They actually expect a whole conversation to take place right there on the thread. I swear I don't have time for that. I post stuff because there are people who GENUINELY like what I write or pictures of my cooking that I share and they've even told me that they always look forward to seeing the stuff I put up each day.
Next, are the groups of attention seekers and emotional wreck. These are normally the younger ones. Fight with boyfriends, post on FB. Fight with parents, post on FB. Fight with teachers, post on FB. Dog pee on their shoes, post. Constipated? Post. And then they'll gloat over how they suffer from depression, anxiety and stress thoughts all day long, all year round. These were the things that totally put me on depression mode, to be honest. Let's admit it, most, if not all of us, grab our phones and check out FB first thing in the mornings, right? And imagine seeing all these gloomy, melancholy and glum negativities the minute you open your eyes? It does my head in, you know? It's not that I'm cold hearted for being insensitive towards these people, but what good do you get from blasting all your misery on social media? Nada. Because if you genuinely have issues, the best thing was to speak to a trusted someone over it, or see a professional. By posting it publicly, you end up getting more negative comments or worse yet, when you get substandard advice from quacks that end up making the situation even more chronic.
Haih. Even writing this post is already stressing me out because it's more or less having to re-live those miserable times on facebook.
The 3rd types are the pretentious bunch of shenanigans. Those who'll post anything no matter how fake it is, just to show off. I've personally watched how normal people turned and become slightly weirdish (is there such a word?) through facebook. They'll compete over their own peers to show who got better gifts, who ate at a better place, who's got a fatter wallet, etc. It's great to post the stuff you're proud of no doubt, but when it reeks of boasting and bragging, I'm clueless. Why the competition, or need to show off, is beyond my imagination. I feel their unhappiness and to a degree, their bitterness as well.
The 4th and final reason which led me to leave Facebook for good, is the return of the stalker. He was a foreigner, and a student at the IIU of Malaysia and used to work for me part time at my previous business. After a few months, at what I first perceived to be a decent, intelligent and trustworthy young guy, he developed a strange and over-obsessiveness towards me. I will talk about this nutjob on the next post, ok?
I can't for the life of me figure out how or why, but he found me. On Facebook.
Those are the reasons why I'm no longer on FB. And I'll admit, that I'm a much more happier person today without the dramas of FB. In fact, besides successfully locating my lost girlfriends, there's only ONE other positivity from Facebook - and I'll certainly write about that too on a follow up post.
The reason I can't delete my Facebook account is because of Messenger. Which brings us to the one and only reason why I still need that.
It's because I have my entire family chat group on Messenger and it's very active. It's our platform where we exchange family news, family infos and everything else almost daily.
I would gladly move that to a Watsapp Chat Group instead, but the problem is that some of the older Aunts and Uncles who are staying away from Malaysia do not know how to install the app on their phones. Maklumlah, senior citizens, right? Therefore, when they do get to Malaysia, it will be set up in their phones and walla, then I can gladly divorce Messenger and Facebook.
So yes, to all of you were wondering all these while, that's my explanation in detail. Try not to get offended if you are one of those who've played a part in me exiting FB for the reasons I stated, but do change yourselves to be better and more original. Life is so much better when you think positive, be positive and just dwell in positivity.
However, I do miss the others. But I had a choice of either to "Keep Facebook and Wreck The friendship, or Dismiss Facebook and Save The Friendship". '
Obviously, I chose the latter.
Adios!
