Social Media and Wishes
I am a social media junkie. I do not even attempt to deny it. I need my fix of facebook, twitter and now G+ in regular doses. One thing that forever bothers me is that the notification that it is XYZ’s birthday today and that I am supposed to wish them. Am I the only one who gets irritated by that?
I have 500+ friends in FB and to be honest I can pick out less than 50 who I am regularly in touch with – these will be the people with whom I want to share pictures and status messages. The rest are people who I have interacted with but never become good friends. (I do not even want to talk about family on facebook here. Let us start and stop with friends on facebook.) Yes it is nice to know what is happening in the life of an almost stranger – the curiosity and the total pleasure in peeking into someone else’s life. But I really do not want them wishing me on my birthday. And does that make me mean?
And on my birthday, do I want these 500+ random people sending me a wish? And do I be a nice person and reply to everyone of them? Or act busy and put a common status thanking everyone? And that brings me to what really a “happy birthday – hope you have a gr8 day” actually means? Do they really mean the words or is it something their hands involuntarily type?
I understand, some people need reminders to wish a friend. But do all the 500+ people need to be wished? This guy whom I went to pre-K with? The guy who I will not remember if we crossed each other on the streets?
I really cannot put into words what I feel about these notifications. But my two cents, “90% of those who matter do not need reminders. The 10% who matter and need reminders, would have made sure they have a backup and not just depend on FB to remind them”
Finally got it out of my chest!
And I do not have my birthday listed on FB. Honestly I do not want random messages/wishes popping in my mailbox. Does it make me anti-social? Does it make me snobbish? I have no clue but it is my comfort zone. My birthday is something I safeguard and I am not too comfortable sharing with everyone. What is your take? Come on spill the beans! Indulge me
P.S And on that note, I have G+ invites incase you need one – just let me know
Anonymous
July 14, 2011 at 12:41 amHi Vinitha that Anonymous was me.. I didn’t realize I hadn’t put my name… – Merlyn Fraga. 😀
pooh
July 13, 2011 at 8:42 pm@Shruti – Thanks 🙂 It is not that you should not wish me – Thank you again
@Ani – That is my problem – I have 500+ friends on FB. I have privacy settings but I still feel that my birthday is not something I want everyone to wish me on. If they remember it – great but if not I really do not mind it. I rather not have wishes. I want it to be just another day and not something else. Will send you an invite 🙂
@Anon – thanks for stopping by and love twitter just like you do 🙂
Anonymous
July 13, 2011 at 1:15 pmI feel a lot same about FB..one of the first things I did was to disable all notifications. I stopped sharing much on Fb as more than 50% there are kinda strangers… That’s one reason I love the Google+ circles. Also I don’t like the fact that when u put a status message there is this inert obligation to comment and be commented… That’s why I like twitter better to put status messages on “how I feel”. But all said and done I am one social media junkie if the mere number of times I visit fb, twitter and G+ can be any consideration….
Ani
July 13, 2011 at 8:25 amnow with this post you are going to get more wishes than expected 🙂 happy birthday Pooh.. (we mostly tend to post about the happenings so assuming your birthday was closer.. ;))
On the wishes part I don’t bother more people wishing me.. isn’t it a feel good factor? and I choose my friends on FB.. If we don’t want them to know about us then why do we need them in our friends list? perception differs 🙂
Can you pls send me one G+ invite?
Shruti
July 13, 2011 at 6:37 amerrr .. was it your birthday recently???
Happy Birthday 🙂 .. or shud I be not wishing you… Now i’m utterly confused!