It seems like people becoming increasingly physically isolated and not connecting even with neighbors makes online connections valuable. It's pervasive and avoids moving physically. And of course, the network effect of others being on Facebook.
Why do we keep using Facebook?
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Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#12Based on the other comments so far, it sounds like HN'ers mostly don't use facebook and don't miss it. Fair enough, but I'm in the same camp as the article's author, and looking for a way out. I might be unique, but I didn't really have much of a social life before facebook. That's not causal relationship - before 2007ish I was a very introverted kid who didn't know how to make friends or form strong relationships. All of my good friendships came into existence after about 2009, when I started to learn how to socialize better, and for the most part, facebook is my main contact point with all those people. That's only because facbook was the dominant communication method during that time. But there it is, and I'm stuck with it, and I can't seem to get unstuck. I want to hear about the new babies, jobs, city moves, projects, and parties that people have going on, and facebook is the best way to get that info. But 90% of what you get there is political garbage, pointless memes, MLMs, and facebook's own "manufactured content". It's frustrating and it's making me unhappy too.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#13Ok, I a
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#14The blog poster seems to be missing the critical point - maybe he's never smoked. It's an addiction. To your phone, to social response, to 'new'. The way way to give up is to treat it like an addiction.
Actually, I would say that you were missing the critical point that he is making in the article. It's not an addiction in this case, I also would like to get off Facebook, and I am certainly not addicted to it since I check in on it maybe once a month. But I stay for the same reason the author does, which is that everyone I know is on there, and I don't have an easy way to stay in touch with them otherwise.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#15I don't know about others, but I use it primarily to keep up to date on bands I like, and because it's a convenient way to manage an event and invite people.
Same here. Most, if not all, bands/labels/party organizers I know are on FB. Even the more underground ones eventually switched. And last time I checked there was still no proper alternative (and the forums I used to frequent for that same goal are gone or close to dead, mostly because of FB). For me this is the key value of FB, the solcial aspect is close to non-existing for me, most of my 'friends' being blocked so their messages don't generate noise amongst the messages from bands I do want to see.
I do realize this makes me a bit of an outlier though: none of the typical science/articles about FB, like this one, applies to me because I'm not in it for the social part. I do understand it though; just like I'd urge hose who are like 'I got rid of FB and didn't miss it one moment' to realize that while it's possible that worked for you, some people just don't have that luxury of being able to easily quit. I'd also miss FB if it were to disappear tomorrow, but mainly because I'd had to spend time and search for a new practical tool which does the same as what I use it for now.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#16Ok, I am not be the "usual" reader of Hacker News (HN). I am reading HN since 2012 for disclaimer.
So basically, Facebook (FB) is for socializing in real life. Since I am currently in exchange, It is useful to create parties and to invite people to them. It is also useful to talk with your friend on the other side of the earth (more than Whatsapp), to keep up to date with them. And it is also the best way to get into groups, to exchange ideas, or into the group of your university.
So basically, FB is my social life. Do I like that ? No. But would i have a social life without FB ? No. Most of the people here are seeing FB as the devil, but it helps me to invite to parties girls I want to hang out with or get invited to parties, and since everyone (or most of the people, more most of the people) are looking for raising their number of friends on Facebook, it is really useful to connect with new peoples. But, yes, I am invited to parties without FB, but not as much.
Also, for group projects, it is the closest thing to Slack for College students.
So as much as I hate FB, it is really useful, sadly.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#17Based on the other comments so far, it sounds like HN'ers mostly don't use facebook and don't miss it. Fair enough, but I'm in the same camp as the article's author, and looking for a way out. I might be unique, but I didn't really have much of a social life before facebook. That's not causal relationship - before 2007ish I was a very introverted kid who didn't know how to make friends or form strong relationships. A…
> I want to hear about the new babies, jobs, city moves, projects, and parties that people have going on
This is the point. We non Facebook users decided we don't care enough about that stuff. Or at least not until someone tells us about it in person.
There's no real problem with hearing half a year late that a friend of a friend, who is also a direct acquaintance of sorts, became a parent.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#18It seems like people becoming increasingly physically isolated and not connecting even with neighbors makes online connections valuable. It's pervasive and avoids moving physically. And of course, the network effect of others being on Facebook.
>It seems like people becoming increasingly physically isolated and not connecting even with neighbors makes online connections valuable.
This kind of thinking never held much water with me. You don't get to choose your neighbors, the odds that they'll be compatible with you in the way that might lead to meaningful friendships is extremely low.
None of my parents friends are former neighbors. Lots of them are former church-goers from the various churches they've attended though. I think that shows that you really only need one thing in common to help filter out the majority of the population. If you like bowling, take up bowling, and I bet you'll find quite a few people you get on with quite well. Ditto paintball, and obviously ditto friday night drinking.
But the idea that Facebook is "ruining the connection we used to have with the people around us" is pretty much nonsense. We never really cared that much about the people around us, neighbors were always just acquaintances.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#19It's been 2 years that I have deleted both my FB accounts (one for family and friends, the other for business), my IG account and my Twitter account. All accounts had many years of activity and substantial following. I never looked back and I am very much happier.
What made me decide is that I realized that I had become an self inflicted obligation to create content to feed my online personas every days. Basically I was doing things in my real life that I did not want to do just to feed a virtual person's life (mine) on other people's websites to impress my friends and contacts. This is insane.
Re: Why do we keep using Facebook?
#20Unfortunately the amount of groups on Facebook is nowhere else to be found, especially important for people who move/travel a lot. Not to mention the majority of events & co often only is posted on FB.