The current trending and portending fall into two categories:
1) The Blatant: Some folks are just flat out declaring opinions and beliefs, some of which surprise me - not so much for the declarations (I generally have them pegged) as much as their willingness to put them out there. They are not always popular opinions and will put themselves in opposition to those the do activities with (I am wondering, for example, how some things like Highland Games will ever function well again. It is a small community. And we have some very divergent views).
2) The Disappearing: Some folks - at least as many others, if not more - are disappearing. Sometimes it is declared - "If you want to talk to me, message me or call me. I am taking a break" - and sometimes they are realized to be gone only after some period of time of simply not posting anything at all (I tend to fall into this latter category). They may post for serious things, like the death of a relative or to wish someone a Happy Birthday, but that is about the extent of it.
Obviously if I am The Book of Face, this is not the development I want. People becoming bold and combative or people walking away are not going to drive my commercial viability because, as we know, once you learn to live without something, it is hard to convince people to go back. You need people involved, contributing content, and coming back - otherwise you are simply on your way to becoming the next MySpace.
But it is indicative of our society as well. There are those taking sides blatantly and those that, while they may have opinions, have simply stopped communicating those opinions - or much of anything else - with others.
It surprises me that the people who follow such things are not more concerned about this. This has all the makings of a truly dysfunctional society. And that, of course, leads no-where good.
While I agree about the types of people that trend in the Book of Face, I'm sure the same types existed at the birth of the alphabet, the printing press and the newspaper. It existing now on social media including the Book of Face and will continue in the next form of media that has yet to revolutionize the world. People have always been divided into such groups and always will be. It is human nature.
ReplyDeleteThey probably have Ed. The thing that has surprised me is the fact that people are becoming much more blatant about it in a way they have not been before. I have lived through these cycles before, and it seems that there are always less that come back after the cycle.
DeleteI am Linda Grem on faceless book. Same icon as here. I tend to post updates. Share things that I believe in.
ReplyDeleteBut I am sometimes not there for a few days at a time. It just varies.
I think what we see on there is what we are seeing in some places in real life.
Agreed Linda - I think it is a reflection of the larger world. I am just surprised to see so many taking "a holiday". I suspect many will not return to the same level they were at.
DeleteAgain, if I were a business that was actively losing customers, I would be rather concerned.
One of my favourite younger pundits said that kids are bailing out of FB en masse. They are looking for spaces where they can interact without mom and dad and grandma and grandpa looking over their shoulder. That is a big thing for me too. I come from a very progressive and liberal family - and when you have all the wrong opinions and beliefs you learn the value of silence and distance very quickly.
ReplyDeleteGlen, I have been told the same thing from my own children as well. The older two have an account where they occasionally post pictures for their grandparents.
DeleteAgain, if I am The Book of Face, I am dealing with a declining market long term.