Most of the people I hear complaining about Facebook hate it, but don't hate it enough to delete their accounts.

Ask them why, and it's always the same bullshit: "muh frienz 'n fam'ly!"

I had friends, family, and fans on Facebook. My wife is still on that site.

I didn't let that stop me. Network effects are no excuse.

@starbreaker I quit facebook too, but the network effects aren't to be ignored. FB have been very successful at instigating themselves into the center of social activity for a lot of folks, and asking people to give up those connections is a big ask.

Also, it's particularly harder for people who are already being asked to do a lot of emotional labor to maintain social connections. Quitting FB is much harder if you're the "social representative" for your family.

@cercerilla @starbreaker
I've never had a facebook account, but I often rely on my friends who do have facebook accounts to relay critical university-related information to me from a facebook.. group? or sth...

Even some official announcements, when students and not employees are responsible for making them, are on facebook instead of e-mail, website, or RSS. Many things that used to have websites now only have a facebook page.
Surviving on university without using facebook is hard.

@Wolf480pl @cercerilla @starbreaker This is another reason why a Facebook account is so useful. It's not only huge in social connections, but organisational connections as well.

A great deal of grassroots activity within municipalities is organised via FB as well; not being involved there can mean you no longer can connect with other activists and advocates.

@ayachan @starbreaker @cercerilla @Wolf480pl
It's easy to say "just give it up" and forget the importance of close social connections. Without FB I would have no contact with my friends, be isolated from networking events, and not attending any social organizing/protests.

Some people, for a variety of reasons, don't have the ability to leave and that's OK. Each person should decide what works best for them, and it's unhelpful to judge others when you don't know their situation.

@thindol @Wolf480pl @cercerilla @starbreaker (1/2)

Consider this quote, everyone:

"I...learned what it meant to miss out and not to be part of groups anymore.

When I met friends, I needed to be updated about earlier group exchanges. I had to continually ask my wife about discussions in our kids’ school groups. She became understandably annoyed when forced to scroll through 94 new messages about the next birthday party or unexpected drama in the kindergarden of our two toddlers."

@ayachan @cercerilla @Wolf480pl @thindol I know what is to miss out and not be part of group. I actually like it.

@starbreaker @thindol @Wolf480pl @cercerilla In that case, consider the fact that the majority of people don't like that and would feel completely isolated and depressed beyond belief.

This isn't an issue of introversion and extroversion, either. Consider the fact that you communicate a great deal with people here and enjoy the community here. You're still a social creature; the only difference is that you found the right community.

@ayachan @starbreaker @thindol @cercerilla I am a social creature, but I tend to prefer smaller communities than most people prefer.

@Wolf480pl @starbreaker @thindol @cercerilla That's fine. Nowhere in any of what I said did I presume what you are. I spoke of broad concerns I had about the binary I vs E argument.