Something has been slowly getting on my nerves of late and it's really starting to bother me. Like really. Have you noticed, that we are becoming LIKE addicted???
It's like you cannot do anything these days without the phase LIKE coming into the conversation or even action. Facebook is the biggest culprit and I have not been on Facebook for years now (and have officially deleted my account!!!!!). But it's spreading....like the plague....it's everywhere.....
All the LIKE this and LIKE that is enough to drive someone like freaking crazy. I can't even read an email from humble spotlight offering me a chance to win a voucher without the punch line being "just LIKE us on FB" - urgh! You lost me...delete!!
I do imagine a lot of people trying to be really cooky, funny, quirky and original with their comments or photos to obtain the most likes, and then refreshing their page to see the response as if that is the ultimate status. I think my like dislike really dawned on me when a few followers on my Instagram liked EVERY SINGLE PHOTO I have on there to date in one go. What you like all of them? Your not even going to be selective? Is that just lazy, or you can't be bothered commenting? I admit....I will occasionally like a photo on Instagram....but I don't like what I'm doing! I'd rather comment. I don't like conformity. I don't want to be like everyone else....that's half the reason I abandoned FB for the world of blogging I think. Here I can be me...you can be you and we write what we want to write and set it out in a way we want to. All those blue pages....all the same...all dictating how you do things on there....limiting how many characters you use on Twitter....things like that....I don't like.
All this liking is diluting all the goodness.
While were on the subject of liking....how do you like something that is not so good? And so I ponder over someones instagram photo of their child crying, and I'm like.... "I don't LIKE that...". Your child is crying...or you just lost all your stitches on your knitting needles....you're stuck in traffic or there is no milk left. I'm not LIKING that!!!! And why like??? Is love too strong??? How about OK? Too casual??? Pinterest, I noticed have a like button, but really it's so unnecessary, cos if you like something you usually re-pin it yourself no?
I just feel so high-school-ish and all we are doing is passing around the same note on it asking each other - Do you like me? People are on constant "performance mode" - If you aren't on FB, your on twitter. If your not on twitter...you're instagram-ing.....your liking other peoples comments, or photos, or updates. I wonder at the pressure of going along your normal day and worrying about checking in to all this social media. Where has the down time gone? The alone time when your not "on show"....
Do we really need to pat each other on the back at every single moment?
Anyone sick of the LIKE hype??
xx
The world seems to have gone freakin' mad my dear!!! I am sooooo over all these vacuous, shallow means of self validation. I really want to delete my facebook account but think I need to keep it open in order to have a "business" page. Again...this irks me too! But if I had a dollar for every market goer who asks me if I'm on facebook...then I wouldn't need to sell anything at markets. I can't get over all the people who "like" me who were absolute horrors to me at high school. What is that all about?!!! "Will you be my facebook friend?" No thank-you Mr. I won't speak to you other than to tell you your boobs are small in year 10! We are so going to chat the entire night away when you come up this way in September...my gorgeous kindred spirit.CAN"T WAIT!!!! Wishing you a great week. And no I don't like you...I LOVE you!!! :) xx
ReplyDeleteThere!! I've done it! I've deleted my facebook account. Thanks so much for giving me the push I needed. The whole thing just isn't healthy is it. Feeling decidedly virtuous as I head off to make a cuppa and knit for a while (later nights here now since the little man decided to start sleeping through!) Big hugs :) x
ReplyDeleteI read your post in google reader and started looking for the "like" tick box! Sorry couldn't resist that! It's weird how it's become a "status symbol" to have x number of likes - I wonder how many people actually like themselves as tehy are, rather than who they think they should be to other people...
ReplyDeleteWow, a great written, thought provoking post Brenda. I am not big with FB, the only reason I have kept my account is for our son in Brisbane and our family in NZ. The sad truth is I wouldn't hear from my family without that avenue. I don't use twitter and IG is a fairly new thing for me. In regards to liking...I often genuinely like a sequence of photos, as with your gardening ones, but I feel it's overkill to comment on every single image, so will often leave one comment and like the others that inspire me. I do feel the whole 'like' thing has gone a bit overboard when put in the context that you have written about. I'm going to go sit and ponder this post some more :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day.
x
I like the comments more than the likes...always
ReplyDeleteBut I think you're right...the validation, the approval, the love...its all so addictive.
isn't it funny how this is happening. Just because someone wants to "like" you doesn't always mean you have to like back. But then again it is always nice too :)
ReplyDeleteyou certainly raise some interesting points ! and something for us all to think about! x
Yes!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post! x
A fabulous perspective on this most annoying of habits {I wrote about it here: http://www.giftsofserendipity.com/2012/02/word-of-week-likeunlike.html}
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the high level of 'liking' on social media by our teens is doing to their capacity to be discerning...particularly when the adults are falling 'hook, "like" and sinker' into the trap!
A terrific addition to this month's POTM Club.
It does feel very high-school. Now I'm wondering if I have a 'like' box on my blog? I have no idea - off to check.
ReplyDeleteNow, if this post wasn't full of passion, I don't know what is!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love that you wrote this post. I don't like everything. Especially if someone is having a bad day. And I wish that Facebook had a dislike button.
But I personally like to comment, and that is even better.
I don't like this post. I LOVE it (Where's the LOVE button when you need it?)!
xx