You know what really annoys me about Facebook? ( I'd say it over there but I'm tired of being combative). One of the myriad things that annoys me is those stupid bloody groups that people keep joining. Groups like "Stop Child Abuse".
This may seem strange if I tell you that I joined the group "Everytime I hear Matt Damon's name I think of him in Team America", and that indeed I started the Air Appreciation Society :) Both groups are totally pointless, which is fine (pointlessness is underrated). The first was joined because it was fun and the second is ironic, started in response to stupid groups like "I love having fun". Like, shit, seriously?
But something like "Stop Child Abuse", what is the point of joining a group like that? Not for fun, obviously, or wit or irony. It is a political move to join a group like that. But what is achieved exactly? Who is the "stop" directed at? The populace at large? Some big thing "out there" that is going to magically stop child abuse if a million people join a Facebook group? Are they talking to the long arm of the law? In that case, they should join a "Make Taxes Higher So We Can Afford to Pay for a Better Police Force" group. I imagine that would not have as many members. Or join a "Hey, You, Yeah, You, Snap Out of Your Denial and Look at What Your Husband/Wife/Son/Daughter/Cousin/Next Door Neighbour is Up To" group. How about the "Bad, Awful Shit Happens in the World All the Time Every Day Because That is an Element of What Humanity Is - Even You, Unfortunately" group? Or the "Legislating the Human Condition Out of Existence is Unfortunately Not an Option" group?
Do people join this group to show everybody that they are against child abuse? Cos, like, um, duh. Their statement ends up carrying the same weight as them saying that they had oatmeal for breakfast.
Okay, I am being a little facetious here. I know people joining these groups is a way of standing up for something people think is important, their own little way of trying to give weight to something awful, to stand behind it, to say that their hearts are heavy. Trying, in a society grown so large that it's run away from us, to show that this particular thing is wrong. Perhaps I miss their lamentation under the irritation.
But in the end, it just reads like spam to me. Accords the same inch-high status to everything. Child abuse, oatmeal eating, Matt Damon, air appreciation.
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I so agree with you, Sue. But yes, also, pointlessness is very underrated:)
ReplyDeleteYou are a most eloquent and likeable ranter, and I allways enjoy reading your stuff.
You rock:)
Harry
Now come on Sue, The "Bring Hey Hey it's Saturday" group has achieved amazing things ;) Dont underestimate the power of cyberworld!...Seriously though, I was just thinking the exact thing yesterday when I joined the "Bring Ikea back to Moorabbin" just because I wanted to seem nice (Andrew's cousin started it and it only had one other member) ;) when in fact I couldnt care less about Ikea being in Moorabbin. Of course I have joined more serious groups, mainly animal welfare But basically you join, you forget...so really in the end all these groups are rather pointless.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of this before reading your post, but I wonder if actually joining one of those groups makes people feel they're doing something when actually it has no result. So they could be actually harmful at the expense of real political and/or local grassroots action.
ReplyDeleteyou have made a fine point about the pointlessness of it all :)
ReplyDeletecloudbusting, will i show my age if i clap my hands with glee at Hey Hey's return?
tess, you also have a point! but perhaps that first small step, declaring something on facebook, might turn into a giant leap into the real world - if all our best intentions came true :)
i must declare this: not on facebook, was, very actively for several months, something was very disturbing about it all so i deactivated my account
MysticBrit - thank you very much, sir :) And yes, I think I would prefer pointed pointlessness over political pointlessness :)
ReplyDeleteCloudbusting - Haha! But at least the Hey Hey group and the Ikea in Moorabbin actually DID something!! It is "for" something not just "against" something :) I do hope Hey Hey is gonna be good and not cringeworthy, but we shall see :) (And I shall see you - later! :)
Tess - yes, I think that is the problem I have with it overall. That people think they are participating in a democratic society by saying "stop child abuse". It's weird!
Kel - I agree, I do think that somethings good things can be achieved from a group, but how exactly is the "Stop Child Abuse" group going to start its campaign? I agree too about the slightly freakiness of Facebook, I've deactivated my account before and then started it up again :) I was actually planning, with my last load of whingeing about Facebook on Facebook, to deactivate mine again after I finished but ... I just haven't ???? (Creepier that you can't delete it, too)
I must confess, I never had a Facebook account. Am I missing something?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think so really, Barbara. It's addictive but I have far too much to say to fit it into those tiny little status updates :)
ReplyDeleteFun though to keep up with people and their photos, though, definitely