Facebook Fatigue

I think I'm suffering from Facebook Fatigue. Granted it's not as bad as the heartbreak of psoriasis but it is what it is.

This has nothing to do with the over-hyped and underwhelming IPO by the company. It's all been documented, once in a while accurately by local and national media. I'll leave any thoughts of buying Facebook stock to you, your investment advisor and possibly your pastor. I'm not any sort of financial expert but Facebook is essentially a platform for about a billion freeloaders. I've never bought a product or service through Facebook and likely never will.

My question about Facebook is exactly what is it good for? (See above paragraph) It's supposed to be a fun place. One friend described her circle of friends as an online "Class Reunion" on demand. A cool notion for sure.

From a business point of view, it is a good platform to engage customers. Some businesses do a great job, keeping followers posted on good deals, new products and responding quickly to suggestions and complaints. Too often however, most companies presume that it's the 20-sometings who "get" social media because, well, they're kids and are experts at all things social.

Wrong.

Social Media, like traditional media is all about messaging and content. To paraphrase a great Duke Ellington tune, "It don't mean a thing if it don't mean a thing."

My main cause of fatigue however, is just how hateful so many posts are becoming. The source of it all is the current Presidential Campaign. One recent post from a friend accused GOP Candidate Mitt Romney, and by extension the entire party of "Hating women." Poppycock. Another post had a picture of President Obama next to a communist flag. Disgraceful. Whether or not you disagree with the man, respect the office.

Yes I agree that Candidate Romney should disclose more tax returns than he has, but at the same time I'd like to see the sealed school records of President Obama. Sealed? Why? But both can be asked for politely, and discussed politely. Granted it's the campaigns, sadly that are setting the tone for all this, but why must we be sucked into the cesspool?

Both campaigns produce lots of dubious graphics and videos, post them, then too many of us blindly click the "share" button. Which in turns ignites the firestorm of responses.

Then there's the foul language in so many posts. Why? Aren't we supposed to be friends? What ever happened to civil discourse?

I'm not going to leave Facebook, it's so much fun to see pics of family and friends, or hear about what they're doing and where. Love it. I've got so many friends I haven't seen in person for years, but this is the next best thing. I don't want to lose touch.

But the other stuff, at least right now is simply so much hoo-haw so no offense, if you post crap, I'm cutting you off. Glad to re-engage after the election.

I'm just so fatigued.

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations