Are your Facebook friends really true friends?
by Rachel Sarah
Filed under Relationships
You’ve started an interesting discussion at Single Mom Seeking about Facebook and your relationship status.
We even touched upon this at Singlemommyhood recently, when we asked how your Facebook status plays a role in your love life.
Many of you — such as John at Single Parent Travel and Mindy at Single Mom Says — commented about how amusing it can be to watch folks’ reactions when you change your status from “in a relationship” to “single.”
No matter how you feel about Facebook, social networking experts agree the site is exploding. A recent New York Times article described how far Facebook has come since it began five years ago in a college dorm at Harvard. This week, in fact, Facebook expects to add its 200th million user!
Although we’re both users (sorry, makes us sound like addicts!), we can’t help but feel a bit skeptical.
So, we’re curious. What do you use Facebook for?
– Do you keep updated hourly on your friends?
– Are they “real” friends whom you know in person? Or, have you also befriend people whom you solely know online?
– Do you keep tabs on your teenagers?
– Do you search for old friends from high school?
Of course, we’re also curious: what’s your Facebook status? (Rachel set the settings so that her status is not public.)
Neither of us likes the fact that Facebook lists the presence or absence of relationships — but says nothing about the quality of these relationships. Do you agree?
We also can’t help but wonder if Facebook is really just a popularity contest. Sure, you’ve had real relationships with many Facebook friends — and maybe even a romance? But you might have survived a rigorous high school math class with others, and nothing more? Is this really a friendship, or more of a cherished but moribund souvenir of your past?
Don’t get us wrong: there’s definitly one plus to Facebook… such as the recent high school Facebook reconnection that led to one single mom’s marriage proposal!
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Twitter @ http://www.singlemommindy.blogspot.com
Thanks for the shout out!
Yes, I also have changed my relationship status to be hidden. I prefer to keep ‘em guessing.
I’m FB friends with real life friends, online friends, (including Rachel and Dr. Leah) high school friends and people that are in common groups for networking purposes.
I find it’s a great way to stay connected with real life friends and for keeping in touch with old friends.
I’m a FB junkie. It’s electronic crack.
MindyMom’s last blog post..Keepin Up with the Jonses – Social Media Style
Twitter @ http://wondermom-pickingupthepieces.blogspot.com/
I’m like Mindy…all of the above. I have current real life friends, family, work contacts, old friends and acquaintances (from high school, military, etc.), online contacts that I really consider friends, etc.
Wondermom’s last blog post..I think lightning is about to strike…
Ok, I’m pretty sure I’m the odd man out here (no pun on my being male).
The person who finally talked me into having a FB account is the only person I have as a friend on FB. So by default she’s also the only person who can view anything on my account. I probably need to take the time to find out why she wanted me so much for me to have a FB account. She’s the only person who can view my information. She already had access to all of it anyway, since we were in a relationship. Although I found it very amusing to see the reactions of her family and friends when she changed her status from single to in a relationship.
My children are not my FB friends (their my children and I deal with them in a more direct manner). Other real (face-to-face) friends that are on FB just call, email or see me.
Good grief the typos. Can you tell I’ve been up 23 hours?
The only thing I don’t use it for is to advertise my business. I have friends, school mates, business associates, some people with the last name, and a few ex girl friends.
I do broadcast my relationship status since I’m pretty open so I don’t care. I actually got a date or two out of it. Wasn’t trying though.
What I truly use it for? I have no clue. I just have fun and keep connected with some people.
Mike’s last blog post..Ear Seeds
I have been “unexpectedly single” for the past year. My kids recently went to spend Spring Break with their Dad and his girlfriend and her child. It is the first truly alone time I have had in eight years. Six weeks ago, I broke my neck in a car accident.
I spent five days glued to FB. Until now, I have only used it from time to time to check in with a few old friends. Now I have reconnected with three really close friends from my long ago past. We caught up in no time and I feel my world is a better place for these reconnections. Words can’t convey the appreciation I feel for finding these people who might have slipped away forever if not for the popularity of FB!