I've figured out the real problem. We're getting more self-absorbed and worse at having face-to-face contact with other people. That's why Facebook is so great. We can post anything and have no real fear of contradiction or criticism because we can always delete the comment. We can also post just about any sad status update, and at least one FB friend will write an "Oh...poor you!" comment.


Yeah, don't do that. It's fake and emotionally manipulative.


Have real contact with people, maybe put some pants on and go out; FB isn't a suitable substitute for real-life experiences. Play a game...one that requires a board and some other people. That can always involve copious amounts of wine and someone acting stupid, which is the most fun of all.


Stop making obtaining the desired reactions from your FB friends the sole focus of your life. There's too much to do that's way more fun, and they probably don't appreciate being made to feel guilty all the time. It's like we're all best friends with the Mother from Everybody Loves Raymond.


This isn't pointed at any one person, mind you. I'm sure I'm just as guilty as anyone else; I'm just getting tired of reading postings that are obviously cries for attention. Call me and make plans if you want to spend time with me; don't post a status that says that you're lonely. Everyone is lonely. Life is about coping with that. I'm going to do my best to not post statuses that just make everyone else feel guilty about the time they don't spend with me. Also, if you'd, maybe, write and ask a friend how she's doing, she'll probably reciprocate, and then you'll both actually feel better. It's amazing how actually giving a crap about another person can do that.


Also, while I'm at it, if we could all stop posting the things that say, "If you're against animal cruelty (or child abuse or poverty or pollution or forcing people to listen to Yanni...just fill in the blank with a monstrosity), re-post this. If you don't, then you don't care, etc." I would be thrilled. What good does it do to make that a status? How does publicly saying a person doesn't like something make it go away? I don't re-post those because I feel like the person is trying to push me to repeat some inane slogan that sounds pretty and is completely meaningless, and I just don't want to participate in that. So let's knock it off already. No one likes child abuse, and maybe if people donated some time or money to helping correct the issues they choose, it would do more than giving those people a short-lived feeling of self-satisfaction.


Just a suggestion. Yep, I've got a million of them...just call me cranky (actually, I think I prefer the term, "persnickety").