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It's great that, as Facebook offers you no value, you've chosen not to use it. Commenting on that in order to encourage others to do the same is great, as frank
by lucideer 9y ago
It's great that, as Facebook offers you no value, you've chosen not to use it. Commenting on that in order to encourage others to do the same is great, as frankly, Facebook is a toxic company and the more people move off the platform the better.
However, your experience is not universal and your comment, rather than criticising the platform itself, actively disparaged current users of it, which is unconstructive and offensive.
- balladeer 9y agoI have a very small sample dataset (just mine) for the statement I'm going to make - when I used Facebook it was pretty much exactly what OP said.
- bordercases 9y agoUnfortunately I saw myself in those descriptions. I need to find a constructive avenue for my argumentative impulse.
- slackingoff2017 9y agoI hoped to strike a chord with people currently using it for the same reasons I did. My post is partially self-deprecating and doesn't attack anyone specific. I'm sure there's people using the platform with no issues, and I think it's fine to criticize something for the behavior its built to induce in people.
- lucideer 9y agoThat's fair enough, but the wording of your statements do seem to broadly imply "if you use Facebook, you are either X, Y or Z negative stereotype" rather than "these people exist on Facebook".
- seizethecheese 9y agoHe basically says he doesn't like it. You have to be pretty trigger-happy to be offended.
- lucideer 9y agoHe does say that, that I agree with, I don't like it. He goes on to further imply those using it have low self esteem, are jackasses, or rich people with complexes. That's an addition to the comment that doesn't contribute to the discussion.
- seizethecheese 9y agoSure it does. Each type of social media appeals to a different type of person and determines the content you see. Yeah, the descriptions are a bit brash, but there's no need to squash discussion with accusations of offensiveness.
- jhayward 9y agoIt is impossible to discuss the utility or value of Facebook without discussing the quality of the content it provides. As witness, the role of bots and misinformation, rabble-rousing, and white supremacist network coordination and recruiting in the 2016/2017 US election and aftermath. His comment is both useful and germane.
- slackingoff2017 9y agoI appreciate other opinions which is why HN is so much better place than Facebook. Yeah I trashed it, it was bad for me. And I have a feeling it is for many others the same. And you might be right that I'm just a cynical jaded ass, I won't rule that out either. However I think opinions can be dissenting, and even incendiary like mine often are and still contribute to or spark meaningful discussion. And this is a difference in opinion I'm fine with. If I wanted everyone to agree with me I would adopt a vastly different writing style.
- em3rgent0rdr 9y agoReading slacking's comments, I feel that slacking is the type of person that slacking complains about. By putting down all those lesser people who use facebook, slacking appears to me to be just another "person with low self esteem" with a "complex to show the world how great their lives are".
- deftturtle 9y ago> unconsttuctive and offensive ️️️
- bordercases 9y agoWere we to say things only of universal import and of no offense, we would be silent, or only speak of mathematics.
- lucideer 9y agoWere we to say things only in broad abstract terms without addressing context, most of what we say would be meaningless.
- DSingularity 9y agoIt's difficult to discuss this. Facebook on paper is useful and technically marvelous. Society and humanity can certainly benefit from it. The problem is that certain types of people - irrespective of intent - are poison to other people. The problem is that we can be our own worst enemy. How can we build a social platform and protect the users from each other? To protect the users from themselves? Especially when the steps necessary might be diametrically opposed to the bottom line. No idea. I wonder if it's even possible to devise such a system. I believe the real problem is in us. It is not just the fact that poisonous users exist. We should be immune. We aren't because we lack the self-awareness and lack the courage to break free from these platforms when/if they become unmanageable. We should be mindful of others. We are taught to celebrate freedom, but when have we celebrated sensitivity and mindfulness of others?
- tripzilch 9y ago> offensive if the shoe fits...