Facebook Statuses

[2012 Wont Happen]

A well-known law of human behavior on the internet states "normal people + anonymity = assholes". I propose a new formula "normal people + facebook = depressed people".

code-green (low alert level) rant warning in effect

It seems like every other status on facebook is some pseudo-poetic, overly depressed crap. People that I hang out with, am good friends with and know damn well are happy post BS about darkness and falling and other played out metaphors for depression seemingly for no reason but that they are on facebook, as they act entirely different in real life.

I think that facebook is actually a pretty decent tool for keeping in contact with people, as if you loose an email address or phone number, you can get in touch with them and ask them for that information again as long as you remember their name (and if you don't remember a persons name, they probably weren't very important to you anyway). However, the sheer amount of fake depression on facebook irritates me. I've dealt with some pretty crazy shit going on in my family (insanity, violence, abandonment, attempted suicide), but I don't feel the need to act depressed about it on the internet.

What inspired this thread was, earlier, I was singing along to Anti-Flag and posting links to web comics on facebook while my parents yelled at the top of their lungs three feet away. Right about that time, someone posted some depressed stuff about how unreasonable their family life is. Here I am listening to music and laughing at web comics while my parents are fighting about a meter away (after which my dad stormed out and probably won't be back for the night- which bothers me none), and here they are whining, most likely over nothing. The funny thing is, the person is actually pretty reasonable if you talk to them in person.

/rant

Have any of you had similar experiences on facebook or other social media sites?

 

[Lazarus Long]

Normal people + Facebook = Drama. Not sure why. It's not exactly anonymous. Maybe it's some kind of competition for attention? No one's going to leave comments making you feel like a special snowflake when your status is "Feelin' fine."

EDIT: Right, you asked a question. I try to avoid social networking, so I have no personal examples. But Openbook is a fun way to kill time.

 

[SturmDolch]

How do you know the person's life isn't like yours? Sure, they seem reasonable, but what if they just don't mention their home life when you two talk? The general ease of posting something on Facebook probably gave them more incentive to say something. You're not the only one with problems at home. Sure you can keep it to yourself, but it doesn't mean others can.

On my end, no one I know really posts stuff like that. I've only seen the people I know that have problems at home post things like, "Not again..." or something along those lines. No one else does.

 

[SharPhoe]

I have seen this happen, on several occasions, I'm afraid. More often on MySpace than Facebook. The worst offender I think I ever came across was my own roommate in college. He was laughing and joking with me like he always does not two minutes before posting this little ditty on his Facebook status:

-Blank- "Wants to cry, but his tears dried up long ago."

I sat less than 6 feet away from him and watched him do it. He then went right back to his normal self. I didn't call him on it (directly), but it definitely rung the wrong bell in my mind.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I have seen this happen, on several occasions, I'm afraid. More often on MySpace than Facebook. The worst offender I think I ever came across was my own roommate in college. He was laughing and joking with me like he always does not two minutes before posting this little ditty on his Facebook status:

-Blank- "Wants to cry, but his tears dried up long ago."

I sat less than 6 feet away from him and watched him do it. He then went right back to his normal self. I didn't call him on it (directly), but it definitely rung the wrong bell in my mind.

This is the sort of thing I'm talking about. If somebody has a problem, and they are around a close friend, why not just confide in their friend. There is a better personal connection between two people in person, their problems are not broadcast to everyone they know and advice and complaints are not limited to 420 characters.

 

[Yarkaz]

I used to be a facebook emo too. Then again, I used to actually be an emo, and I confess I was just one of those stupid kids with great lives who felt depressed for the heck of it. I got over it though, and stopped posting emo stuff on facebook.

Personally, I think people do it for attention. There are those who look at another person's drama, take it seriously, and see it as a chance to swoop in, change moods, and be a hero. People like the attention these "emotional saviors" give, and post emotional, dramatic statuses to feed on their attention.
Of course sometimes you have some real jerks on your friend list, and when you mix them with stupid facebook posters, this happens: http://failbook.com/

 

[DividedUnity]

I don't know I think it's something to do with sympathy. Don't know if there's a definite explanation

 

[BeeRye]

I'm guessing a lot of your contacts on facebook are the same age as you? In that case, maybe it's a question of age and not facebook. Personally I have never come across anyone posting things like that.

 

[The Ambrosian]

IMO Facebook is shite except for the keeping in touch aspect. Some groups are funny too, but generally I never use it.

 

[WaysideMaze]

Nah, my mates never come across as depressed. Most of mine seem incredibly happy.

Get the odd one, but nothing note worthy.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

How do you know the person's life isn't like yours? Sure, they seem reasonable, but what if they just don't mention their home life when you two talk? The general ease of posting something on Facebook probably gave them more incentive to say something. You're not the only one with problems at home. Sure you can keep it to yourself, but it doesn't mean others can.

On my end, no one I know really posts stuff like that. I've only seen the people I know that have problems at home post things like, "Not again..." or something along those lines. No one else does.

It might well be just like mine, and there's a damn good chance chance its worse because I'm quite happy in my life. That doesn't mean they should post pseudo-poetic depresso things over their facebook. I posted a small sample here just to make my point that you can have problems without breaking down over it, but I'm certainly not about to break down all over the internet anytime something goes wrong. Sometimes life is good, sometimes its bad. When its good, be thankful. When its bad, deal with it. Now, someone who just had a loved one die, or who is older and truly has a horrible life, has a right to depression, and I try to be really supportive of them in all cases (even if they try their hand at 420 character emo poetry on facebook). But middle class high schoolers who act fine in person don't need to be breaking down in front of everyone they know just because its the internet.

Everybody has problems, and everybody needs help sometimes. When that's the case with me, I confide in my very best friends who actually care. I don't post it on a site where 130 people, mostly passing friends or just acquaintances, are going to see it and respond in a certain number of characters or less.

 

[Necator15]

This coupled with the fact that a lot of people hardly know most of the people on their facebook. Why the hell are you broadcasting your depression to hundreds of people, most of which you hardly know!?

I really don't understand it. I try to keep my status updates either funny or angry (Which is generally also funny.)

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Edward Heffner]

I have seen this happen, on several occasions, I'm afraid. More often on MySpace than Facebook. The worst offender I think I ever came across was my own roommate in college. He was laughing and joking with me like he always does not two minutes before posting this little ditty on his Facebook status:

-Blank- "Wants to cry, but his tears dried up long ago."

I sat less than 6 feet away from him and watched him do it. He then went right back to his normal self. I didn't call him on it (directly), but it definitely rung the wrong bell in my mind.

i know exactly how you feel its happened to me as well

 

[Penguinness]

I propose a new formula "normal people + facebook = depressed people".

YES YES YES!

My mates have picked this up with one of my mates.. he was perfectly fine in person but on facebook he was as depressed as shit.

I hate how people will always leave status updates wiht depressing stuff on, but never enough to actually know what they're on about. It's the equivilent of walking around and saying "Sigh, I am sooo saaaad"

 

[zehydra]

We must be abnormal people here at the Escapist, because most of us here are pretty friendly people.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I'm guessing a lot of your contacts on facebook are the same age as you? In that case, maybe it's a question of age and not facebook. Personally I have never come across anyone posting things like that.

They are almost entirely around my age. The few people who are a lot older don't post these sort of things, so this makes sense. However, they don't act that way in person, so must have at least something to do with facebook/the internet in general.

We must be abnormal people here at the Escapist, because most of us here are pretty friendly people.

Well, since MaxTheReaper was banned anyway hahaha.

 

[monkyvirus]

I tend to air all the crises in my house out in my statuses but I've never done the emo thing usually I just make a joke out of it I have a difficult family life and I find it easier to express how I really feel online instead of in person. Maybe your friends are similar? Or maybe they're just wemos who need to be slapped with a wet kipper? Alas it is often hard to tell...

 

[Larsirius]

The only formula for internet behavior is as follows: all people + anonymity = their true nature.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

All of my friends are pretty upbeat, they never post really depressing nonsense on Facebook. One of my cousins does get a little over-the-top, but he's a wimpy teen so I kinda let him off.

I should also mention that about half of my friends are satanists, cutters, at least four of them have tried to commit suicide (I was one of the people around when one of them tried to kill themselves, that was fun).

Yeah, a group of some of the most emotional and depressed people ever and they never get depressed on Facebook, funny that.