This is a pretty important topic. At least, I think it's important, and it's my blog so I can definitely choose what's important. No, it's not about Pegasus, but he is pretty important (there's just the one, and it's a he...more on that another time). Today, we will be discussing one's Facebook etiquette, or lack thereof, and what one can do to knock it off.


Or, I will discuss it and you will read it.


Facebook is a way to communicate with one's friends. However, all too often, I see a post that is what we like to call a "status killer." This kind of post usually doesn't pertain at all to the story the first person posted in his status; rather, it's a story about the person who is commenting on the status, and it completely diverts one's attention from the original posting. This kind of posting is everywhere on FB, but that's not an excuse. A person who did that in real life would be considered a jerk, and no one would invite him to parties because he would always have a bigger, better story than everyone else.


We all have stories. Post yours on your own page unless it's short and compliments the story you're posting on. Oh, and you're not fooling anyone with your big stories, Mr. Over-Compensation.


Another way of killing a status is by posting a gross picture or comment. Lots of people post cute pictures of half-naked babies on FB, but that doesn't mean anyone wants to see his 80-year-old grandmother in a tube top. It's also best not to write overly sexual comments or anything too detailed about personal time in the bathroom. One should also refrain from cussing on people's pages, especially if the person upon whose page one is posting is a teacher or has contact with a lot of churchly people. I've been know to drop an F-bomb in my time, but that doesn't mean I want it on the computer screen for the whole world to see. I have a lot of young FB friends that may get the wrong impression about me if there's a lot of profanity on my page. Plus, my mom's on there and, as I recall, she has a mean backhand. 


Keep it clean and don't ever ever ever post a comment with the word "panties" in it. Ew.


Finally, please don't get snippy with your FB friends' other friends about politics. It's fine to argue, but when you have to resort to name-calling and nasty personal comments about the other people on the thread, just because they don't have the same political ideology as you, it really just makes you look stupid. Every person has a different background; therefore, every person will have a set of political opinions and ideas that is slightly different from every other person's. That's why we should all be happy we live in a place where differences are not only tolerated, they're celebrated. Or they should be. Plus, a 40-year-old man calling another 40-year-old man names doesn't look awesome. I know, shocking, right? It mostly just looks like someone didn't get his nap in, or maybe he lost his blankie. In addition, since you don't know how your FB friend knows that particular friend, generally, you may be insulting someone that's a lot closer to your friend than you are. You may find yourself minus a Gardens of Time neighbor, and that really hurts. Especially when it's time to expand your garden.


Shut up. Grow up. People have different opinions, and that's okay. Go drink a beer or something.


I realize there are many, many more FB breaches of etiquette, but I just don't have the time to fix all of the world's problems. I am only human, after all. Well, mostly.