Facebook, and how I learned to love "the patio"

According to Marky Z, I've now been on Facebook for 11 years.  At first, it was kind of cool.  See pictures of people and their kids I've lost touch with.  Renew some old friendships, or at least find out what old friends are up to, where they are living and what their family looks like.  Join groups of people with similar interests.  My autocross club converted almost exclusively to Facebook for event notifications.  In that sense, it's also good for a little post event banter and maybe some photos.  I'm also not ashamed to admit I've used the neighborhood page to figure out the names of some of my neighbors that I probably should, by all rights, already know.  Recently, however, I'm feeling like I'm "stuck" with Facebook, and it's an unpleasant place.  Stuck in the sense that my family uses it to share information, as do several organizations I belong to.  Stuck in the sense that Craigslist (at least locally) has gone the way of Blockbuster, and FB marketplace is the only available place to find good (or bad), cheap (or expensive) crap that I don't really need. 

In every sense, it's a cesspool.  It's the new favorite hangout of that annoying aunt/cousin who, back in the day, used to send you all the stupid political emails.  Now, they can "send" you all sorts of memes and stupid "articles" with virtual impunity, unless you're willing to go nuclear and block family.  (Pro-tip: Blocking stupid "article" sources does help a little)  And then there's the arguments.  In my 11 years history with the house that Mark built, I've yet to see someone post "Your well informed and thoughtfully stated opinion has caused me to rethink my position.  Thank you."  Never-the-less, some in my circle, ever optimistic, seem to think the only reason that hasn't happened is an insufficient volume of argument, "fact checking" and "counter fact checking".  Don't even get me started on $29.99 Raybans, "click and share for a blessing" and "quizzes intended to answer common security questions." 

Anyway, contrary to how it may appear, I didn't come here to rant.  I came here to say "thanks".  To the mods, who's anti-canoe game is stellar and who's decisions to shut things down occasionally when we get out of hand are usually spot on.  To "the boss", who instituted the patio, and applies it just often enough to remove the most troublesome and remind the rest of us not to be "that guy".  And to all of you.  Although I still don't believe I've ever read "Your well informed and thoughtfully stated opinion has caused me to rethink my position.  Thank you" on this board; "I learned something" and "I guess I've never thought of it that way" are pretty common.  And none of you has ever tried to sell me discount Raybans.  So, again, thanks.  And as we hoist one (either literally or figurative) on this electronic patio, I just want to say "happy to be here", even if we do celebrate over the sizzling electronic corpses of transgressors gone by.

TL:DR - Just happy to be here.

I'll bet you wont share this picutre of a "INJURED VETERAN PUPPY CHILD" for america.. 

so that cambergie analytical can understand who you are...  what you do etc..

agree this is a good place...

#patio sounds like a great tag

One thing I've found as the internet grows and mutates is that a good forum is with its (metaphorical) weight in gold.

Reddit is filled with interesting projects, but is way too big and too impersonal.  FB has all the problems you mentioned as well as massive privacy issues.  Nextdoor is mostly useless except for knowing which of your neighbors is a horrible human.  Everything else falls short in too many ways.  

But a good forum, especially one with a good admin/moderator team, allows you to grow your skills and get to know people as you do so.  Invaluable in the modern world

Facebook is for keeping in touch with family and friends. I much prefer to post here.  I have good luck selling things on Let go.

I've got these $29.99 Raybans.  You interested?

I have one rule on Facespace: If you get political, you get blocked. I don't care what position you're taking, who you are or how you're related to me. I'm not interested in your idiotic, uninformed political opinions. I have my own.

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Just watch this doctored, un supported by facts, rant filled youtube video shot by a guy in his truck by himself.... and you'll change your mind.. 

kazoospec said:

  Never-the-less, some in my circle, ever optimistic, seem to think the only reason that hasn't happened is an insufficient volume of argument...

Wow, well stated!

kazoospec said:

My autocross club converted almost exclusively to Facebook for event notifications.  In that sense, it's also good for a little post event banter and maybe some photos.

 Our local RallyX club used facebook for that and I resurrected my account so I could find information about upcoming events.  berkeleying TRASH.  I know its probably a user thing, not necessariy a facebook thing, but Geocities sites were easier to navigate than that garbage.  Finding out information about events, results from events, etc. could not have been done in a worse interface.

As a bonus, they (and many other businesses) left their out of date website up and running as well to further confuse people.

Cat pictures.  Facebook is good for that.

But yeah... if all political content were banned I would not shed a tear.

Yeah, FB is a damn mess. I'm basically only there to hang out in some good groups, use Messenger to stay in touch with family and a few friends, and the occasional promo post for my writing. I've had to block/unfollow/delete A LOT of people since 2016 for reasons of outdoor backyard masonry.

At one point, I had to mute my own father; he likes to post those patio-esque; unfounded (and terrible) 1998 Chain Email memes all day long and I couldn't take it anymore. My oldest nephew asked me to un-mute him so we can discuss some of them (he's a Psych major and he finds his behavior fascinating) so I did. I took a lot of Political Science classes in college (enough that I should have declared a Minor) so it is fascinating how far from fact some of these memes are, and discussing with my nephew how they were engineered to deceive and incite is somewhat interesting.

In the past few weeks, trolls have infiltrated some of the groups and have been spamming with... let's call it patio furniture. I've had to leave a few of them. Considering they are supposed to be a reprieve from the other nonsense, it's troubling that mods can't control it. There's just too much sometimes.

This place is a much better place to hang out for sure.

In reply to kazoospec :

Your well informed and thoughtfully stated opinion has caused me to rethink my position.  Thank you!

Last election (should have done it several elections before that) I went through and unfollowed anyone that posted anything political, whether they are family or not. Now my FB feed is cars, memes, and a few friends and family that realise internet rambling never has, and never will change someones mind.

Yay us.

I need to go a thorough and clean sweep my FB since I too am tired to the core of the constant socio-political ranting at high volume. I only stay to keep tabs on friends and family I otherwise would loose touch with and the tasty car content. 

This place is so much more healthy and fulfilling I should spend even more time posting here instead.

You all rock....

Dr. Hess said:

I've got these $29.99 Raybans.  You interested?

 

Only if you buy my genuine imitation passports.

I have many $9.99 Rayburns.  Finest kind.  Best quality.

Anyone that is friends with me on Facebook knows ibam good for absolutely nothing other than E36 M3posting. 

Tom_Spangler said:

I have one rule on Facespace: If you get political, you get blocked.

I have a similar but slightly different rule: If you're family, you are, at best, unfollowed. At worst, I'll never accept your friend request. I literally have family member friend requests that have been lingering for 5+ years now, and I have unfollowed both of my sisters that are on Facebook. 

I was thinking about my post above while in the middle of a crappy meeting.  I kind of wonder if there's some link between the appreciation of small Vs large online presences and Dunbar's Number

private groups with likeminded people are still fun.

FNG here. So far I'm really enjoying this place. I had 300-400 "friends" on FB that were people that I shared another hobby with. I didn't know 90% of them IRL. Around the election I held the Great Purge and unfriended about 2/3 of them. I have a few friends that I never see IRL anymore that post extreme views from both sides of the isle. I usually sleep them for 30 days and see what happens when they start showing up in my feed again. After a while I get tired of putting them to sleep and just delete them. TBH it's kind of liberating. 

In reply to CAinCA :

I am doing the same thing. People I used to work with 10+ years ago aren't really friends. They can go pound sand. 

I only joined fb within the last year or so. The local autocross clubs really have no other online presence. I finally had to join since I was trying to sell a car.

I don't interact with any one else. No politics, no conspiracy theories, no bogus medical E36 M3. 

I'd still rather not be there. This is my regular online destination, and it's my happy place.

Edit: I love how I can just type in E36 M3 and it autocorrects to E36 M3.

I must be in a very small minority as I’ve never had any kind of social media account. It’s probably not something to be proud of but it is what it is. For the reasons already stated I may eventually have to cave in and get one to stay up with my hobbies.