Is Facebook one of those social networking sites? Meh.
Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
51–60 of 145 posts
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#52I used to think I should stay off Facebook, because I knew of such studies and felt the effects myself.
But I now view Facebook as an exercise in internal self-worth: Can I browse through everyone's posts of their 'best life' and be genuinely happy for them? Can I take in their stories without comparing my life to theirs?
I know that I would likely feel better if I didn't put myself through that exercise, but I think it'd be valuable for me if I can actually get to the point where I can browse Facebook and remain as happy, if not more. I'm not there yet, so time will tell.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#53The qz report suggests that users were more happy and less worried/sad if they stayed off Facebook, but it doesn't mention the (imo) more important part of the study.
The study says that most people "post their good sides on Facebook"
The study also says that many facebook users "envy" the amazing, happy and success related notes posted by their friends on facebook.
So it seems like you can stay happy on facebook and not feel worried if you
(a) understand that you should not envy your friends
or/and
(b) understand that you shouldn't take all facebook posts as face value and understand that you shouldn't assume that these posts represent your friends lives in entirety. You shouldn't assume that life is a bed of roses for your friends just because they posted the best parts of their life. It is likely that they have just as many problems and troubles as you do even thought their facebook posts may not capture all of these problems.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#54Facebook was a great form of communication in high school and college, for events and meeting up with classmates and things. Afterwards, people drifted apart and it became kind of an empty place - hundreds of friends but only a handful I kept in touch with.
As time went on and as my friends list stagnated, facebook kept me attached to the past ("that was so much fun, wasn't it?"). It covered some 7-8 years of my life. Logging on was a bit like falling backwards in time. It makes me remember mistakes I can never undo and moments I can never relive. I was following the events of very old friends I'll most likely never see again. I decided this was not very valuable, so I stopped using facebook.
Deactivating facebook brought my attention back to the present and the future. I'm a bit less distracted. There's no more thoughtless, routine clicking of the facebook link in my bookmarks. I focus a bit better at work. I've put better effort into my proximate relationships (family, friends, coworkers). I've put a bit more effort into my own health and fitness.
These are all small changes, mostly due to a change in my own mindset. But, while it was easy because my close friends and I post very little, deleting facebook was a good first step.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#55I deleted my Facebook account and I believe doing so did (marginally) increase my quality of life. It has forced me to focus more on real-world interactions with people. I also find it emotionally draining to be in constant contact with people you never actually see... it feels as if Facebook allows fake or weak friendships to continue that would naturally die off without it. The only thing I do miss is the ubiquity…
> I also find it emotionally draining to be in constant contact with people you never actually see... it feels as if Facebook allows fake or weak friendships to continue that would naturally die off without it.
I agree. One of the reasons I left is because constantly checking FB (ironically) made me feel really lonely.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#56Agh, this thread is just full of people boasting about their immunity to interest in Facebook. Congratulations, you're fantastic, oh that we could all be as enlightened as you. Personally, I find that Facebook has become my address book - while I still text people I see every day, Messenger group chats are often used instead. Plus the voice and video calls have been a great way to keep up with people further afield.…
That's a pretty uncharitable reading of what people are saying about their experiences.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#57I used to think I should stay off Facebook, because I knew of such studies and felt the effects myself. But I now view Facebook as an exercise in internal self-worth: Can I browse through everyone's posts of their 'best life' and be genuinely happy for them? Can I take in their stories without comparing my life to theirs? I know that I would likely feel better if I didn't put myself through that exercise, but I think…
There are a few people I barely knew in High School that I follow on Facebook specifically because their posts include many about how they are struggling. "Today I tried to not drink, but I failed. I need help and I never knew how badly until today." I am grateful for these people. They remind me of what it is to be human. I comment from time to time, or send them messages both on that topic and off.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#58Agh, this thread is just full of people boasting about their immunity to interest in Facebook. Congratulations, you're fantastic, oh that we could all be as enlightened as you. Personally, I find that Facebook has become my address book - while I still text people I see every day, Messenger group chats are often used instead. Plus the voice and video calls have been a great way to keep up with people further afield.…
Yeah, I'm not sure why some people make such a huge deal about avoiding Facebook personally. Some of my friends use different apps like Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype etc. more than others so I use multiple apps to keep in touch with friends. I can keep in touch far better compared to when we only had phone calls, emails and txts, and don't see what detriments Facebook is causing me at all. Is it really that difficult to not check it too often and unfollow people that post content you don't like?
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#59Agh, this thread is just full of people boasting about their immunity to interest in Facebook. Congratulations, you're fantastic, oh that we could all be as enlightened as you. Personally, I find that Facebook has become my address book - while I still text people I see every day, Messenger group chats are often used instead. Plus the voice and video calls have been a great way to keep up with people further afield.…
> Agh, this thread is just full of people boasting about their immunity to interest in Facebook. Congratulations, you're fantastic, oh that we could all be as enlightened as you. Finally someone brave enough to stand up and break this hype about "stop using Facebook." > I'm not sure what the answer to that is. Some say Snapchat is a much better place for people to be their true selves - I can believe it. I am in my t…
Sending Snaps to other people is often pretty genuine. It's a great way to build a connection with someone you don't quite know just yet, as you get a lot of face time with that person. And of course, drawing lets you express your creativity. You can manipulate your looks, or the environment around you. It's a lot of fun.
Conversely, Snap Stories can indeed get very Vine-like. They can be quite fun, but if you're making them for the wrong reasons (to get attention) then they lose their meaning.
Re: Study: Staying off Facebook can make you happier
#60Same goes with TV: http://lifehacker.com/5095892/happy-people-watch-less-tv-stu... Is it about social status? Or is it the ADs? ADs seek out holes to fill with product. Ad-support-media use analytics to more effectively show me my particular holes. After a while, I begin to feel empty.
It's the medium, not the message. I would suggest that it's excessively stimulating and this causes maladaptive neurochemical changes. The same applies to computers.
Of course, no one seems to understand the precautionary principle. If something is potentially implicated in health issues, the rational reaction is to exercise caution. Instead, it's full-steam-ahead, and before we know better it's too late.