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about whether facebook is evil? Not in the last decade, and I have a hunch most addicted users agree. It's been years since I've even seen a pro-facebook take

about whether facebook is evil? Not in the last decade, and I have a hunch most addicted users agree. It's been years since I've even seen a pro-facebook take on HN, let alone anywhere else. Most people echo something similar to "I don't like it, but everyone else is there, and I don't want to feel left out."

mjfl 7y ago
I just think words like "evil" and "addiction" are a little histrionic. No one has physical withdrawal symptoms when they've been away from Facebook for a week. At some point, personal responsibility has to come into play. Otherwise, how could any form of advertising be legal?
- skinnymuch 7y ago
  Personal responsibility should come in, but a middle ground can be seen probably of responsibility on both sides. Nothing as close to as truly addictive things like some drugs and cigarettes. Or even substances like alcohol. Either way in support of what you’re saying and in reference to the words — what evidence or rational is there that most people psychologically addicted to FB think it is evil? Replace FB overall with IG. IG is hugely popular. Some are prob addicted. IG doesn’t have the same negativity assigned to it so saying most addicted users think it’s evil would seem like a very silly statement.
- freeopinion 7y ago
  It is true that a crack addict is personally responsible for their situation. But that doesn't make the dealer, the distrubutor, or the producer less evil. Edit: this is not to argue that FB is an addiction or that FB is evil or that FB is equivalent to cocaine. It is just to point out the weakness of the parent comment.
  - mjfl 7y ago
    You say that you're not trying to say that Facebook is equivalent to cocaine, but your logic doesn’t work unless it is.
- scottlocklin 7y ago
  Hey man, oxycontin was prescribed by doctors; how can we possibly blame the Sackler family? FB employees: pretty close to Purdue pharma and the tobacco companies. At least tobacco prevents Parkinsons. I know, people got kids to feed and ex-wives to pay off, but FB is complete and utter garbage, and anyone who ever worked there carries a badge of shame forever.
skinnymuch 7y ago
You’re not looking then. There have been pro FB comments before. It’s also telling of only looking at your bubble. I highly doubt most addicted users think FB is evil. That’s a strong word. Regardless, people being pro some company is not a good way at all to see if a company is “evil” or not. Many times people being pro something can be a negatives indicator. We have seen various tech companies do bad things. Like the anti-poaching collusion so many participated in. But at that time Google was given near unanimous praise and pro-comments.
DisruptiveDave 7y ago
"Facebook is evil" is a hell of a lot easier than "we should be responsible for what we feed ourselves" isn't it?
OJFord 7y ago
> It's been years since I've even seen a pro-facebook take on HN, let alone anywhere else. 'let alone' anywhere else? HN is surely skewed toward privacy-conscious types that are inherently not 'pro-Facebook.'

mjfl 7y ago

I just think words like "evil" and "addiction" are a little histrionic. No one has physical withdrawal symptoms when they've been away from Facebook for a week. At some point, personal responsibility has to come into play. Otherwise, how could any form of advertising be legal?

skinnymuch 7y ago
Personal responsibility should come in, but a middle ground can be seen probably of responsibility on both sides. Nothing as close to as truly addictive things like some drugs and cigarettes. Or even substances like alcohol. Either way in support of what you’re saying and in reference to the words — what evidence or rational is there that most people psychologically addicted to FB think it is evil? Replace FB overall with IG. IG is hugely popular. Some are prob addicted. IG doesn’t have the same negativity assigned to it so saying most addicted users think it’s evil would seem like a very silly statement.
freeopinion 7y ago
It is true that a crack addict is personally responsible for their situation. But that doesn't make the dealer, the distrubutor, or the producer less evil. Edit: this is not to argue that FB is an addiction or that FB is evil or that FB is equivalent to cocaine. It is just to point out the weakness of the parent comment.
- mjfl 7y ago
  You say that you're not trying to say that Facebook is equivalent to cocaine, but your logic doesn’t work unless it is.
scottlocklin 7y ago
Hey man, oxycontin was prescribed by doctors; how can we possibly blame the Sackler family? FB employees: pretty close to Purdue pharma and the tobacco companies. At least tobacco prevents Parkinsons. I know, people got kids to feed and ex-wives to pay off, but FB is complete and utter garbage, and anyone who ever worked there carries a badge of shame forever.

skinnymuch 7y ago

You’re not looking then. There have been pro FB comments before. It’s also telling of only looking at your bubble. I highly doubt most addicted users think FB is evil. That’s a strong word. Regardless, people being pro some company is not a good way at all to see if a company is “evil” or not. Many times people being pro something can be a negatives indicator. We have seen various tech companies do bad things. Like the anti-poaching collusion so many participated in. But at that time Google was given near unanimous praise and pro-comments.

DisruptiveDave 7y ago

"Facebook is evil" is a hell of a lot easier than "we should be responsible for what we feed ourselves" isn't it?

OJFord 7y ago

> It's been years since I've even seen a pro-facebook take on HN, let alone anywhere else. 'let alone' anywhere else? HN is surely skewed toward privacy-conscious types that are inherently not 'pro-Facebook.'