However, Facebook and I have 'been friends' for seven or eight years. In the beginning, I did little more than lurk, and infrequently at that. Gradually, like everyone else, friends found me or I found them. But around five or six years ago, a co-worker talked me into playing a FaceBook game with them. I was resistant at first because I didn't want to get into anything like that, but she begged and...well, I'm a sucker if you beg me for something. So I consented. It was the much loved, and conversely, much despised Farmville. Loved or hated dependent on whether you were obsessed with it or a non-player just annoyed with unending posts and game requests. I became hooked on the game (Thanks a ton, JTS!) and played it for TWO YEARS. Finally, when I reached level 100, I gave it up, much to the relief of my family and non-gaming friends.
But, noooooo. That wasn't the end of it. Zynga, the game's developer, soon came up with Farmville 2. I had to try it! Then there was Castleville, Cityville, Chefville, Frontierville, Coasterville, YoVille, Petville, and I don't know how many other 'cow clicker' games. Most of these are discontinued now, but dozens of other developers have similar games; Facebook is rife with them.
It's hard to play games on Facebook, unless you have a lot of other friends who play also. And most of the people I actually know don't play any of these games. As a Farmville rookie, I discovered game forums or game community pages where you can find other people who play, too. So you end up becoming friends with dozens of people all over the world you don't know whatsoever, just for the sake of playing specific games.
Now this is where things get a bit puzzling. It's like there's an unwritten etiquette when it comes to your game friends. Though you're connected via whatever game, you're not supposed to actually communicate with them unless it's something to do with the game. In other words, you shouldn't 'like' or comment on someone's posts, status updates or photos unless it relates to the game or they are people you actually know.
Some players and or game forums encourage fellow gamers to 'Unfollow' them so you cannot see their posts or status updates unless you specifically go to their Timeline and look. Some people get really ruffled if you break these rules. And because you don't know these people at all, it's best never to take the chance because they will drop you like a hot potato or scream at you in a private message to MIND YOUR OWN &^%# BUSINESS. Yes, that once happened to me. Scared the bejesus out of me, too!
On the positive side, there are always a few people like myself, who are open to be somewhat friendly to you. A few tentative 'likes' on your posts, or the occasional comment consisting of a smiley face; you soon learn who you can almost be friends with.
And there is another unwritten rule: it's considered kind of rude to 'unfriend' a person just because one of you no longer plays the game. This has resulted in my being 'friends' with dozens of people for years that I have absolutely no idea who they are and vice versa. But we are unendingly loyal to each other...in silence.
Gaming aside, there are other rules of Facebook etiquette that you simply have to learn by trial and error. If you're lucky, you have kids that can explain these things to you. Otherwise, you're on your own. Or Google it. You can seriously Google anything. For example:
Essential Facebook Etiquette: 10 Do's and Don'ts
And there are dozens more online articles like it.
Now please bear with me while I indulge in a teeny, tiny, itty, bitty rant. Hang in there with me!
My own personal pet peeve and something I consider a total breach of good manners is when people share something that you posted without clicking 'Like' first. You know, as a sort of acknowledgement that they are saying 'Hey, thanks for the post; now I'm swiping it, ok?"
Then there are the whingers and whiners. These are the people whose every post is about how their life sucks, the latest unfortunate situation, this pain or that pain, their rotten boyfriend/husband, wah, wah, waaah. I'm forced to 'unfollow' these sad attention-seekers because it gets to be just too much.
Similar to the whiners, there are the dirty laundry-airers and over-sharers: Whatever happened here? When did the memo about keeping your personal life personal get deleted? All that information is nobody's business but your own. Please STOP SHARING. Tacky, tacky, tacky. I'd blame the Kardashians but this unsavory trend started long before they became famous for....well, I still don't know why they are famous.
And to the Selfie Queens (and Kings)! I could go on and on here too, but there are plenty of online articles telling us not to post selfie after selfie. Aside from the fact that it's obviously narcissistic....why? Inquiring minds want to know.
Then there is the one thing that I am highly guilty of myself. That would be reposting and sharing umpteen videos, links, memes and various other pictures/posters of uplifting, political, spiritual or otherwise moralizing homilies. Maybe my New Year's resolution will be to break myself of that habit. Hmmm...I like it!
Thanks for bearing with me and for 2016, let's give good face, or good Facebook, that is.
Till next time,
"Little girls think it's necessary to put all their business on MySpace and Facebook, and I think it's a shame...I'm all about mystery." ~ Stevie Nicks
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