(Un)social media

These last few weeks I've been removing "friends" from Facebook. Not actively, but in between, when I see an update from someone I barely even know. It's not that I don't like those people, I just don't keep in touch with them. I don't mind people stalking my posts, I don't post anything personal anyway, but I'm just not interested in knowing about them. What's the use? I mean, when I never see them anyway nor talk to them. Why should I want to know about their life? Because I'm nosy? Well maybe I am, but not in that extent.

I never send any friend requests on FB. Well, very rarely at least. I also have a hidden profile, so nobody should be able to find me in the search. Still I keep getting friend requests from people I don't know, or barely know. Some are relatives or friends, that have seen me in other relatives' or friends' friend lists. Other are just random strangers. Or that's what I suppose at least. Why not send a message along with the request, if you have a reason to send a request to someone you don't know? Mostly I just deny the unknown requests.

Don't get me wrong, I mostly like Facebook. It's a great way to keep in touch with friends and family that lives far away. It is a fantastic way to send party requests and plan travels. It's a decent way to share your thoughts. What I don't like about it is that it screws up the physical relationships. Just this week one friend of mine posted a status update about how she hates that nowadays everything happens on facebook. Nobody visits, sends birthday cards, calls or meets live anymore. Are people really so busy that everything has to be instant? I got over 130 congratulations on FB on my birthday. That's great, but I wonder how many actually would've known it's my birthday, if FB wouldn't have told them. I wish I could just keep all the good parts about FB and remove everything I don't like about it. Maybe they could add a feature, that people could only communicate if they have a certain distance between them?

I have a wish: The next time you want to know what's up with me, just call or come and visit. Or send me a real card!

And next year, I will hide my birthday from FB and see how many actually remembers.