Have you ever seen or been a part of an angry war of words on Facebook? Have you ever seen a response to a post that made you cringe?
Until recently, I’d been only a silent observer on the sidelines of such uncomfortable exchanges. But no more! Just last week, my innocent comment resulted in a somewhat heated exchange, and then my “friend” said he was going to “delete.” Delete? The comment? The Facebook connection? Our friendship?
Why Am I Here?
OMG! It seems as though people have forgotten the concept of friendship. With the click of a button, you can un-friend someone. It really is as simple as that. Although sometimes we all might wish it were that easy, real life friendships don’t work that way.
The whole purpose of being a part of this online community is to connect at a rapid pace with numerous friends simultaneously. What I love about Facebook is the ability to build on a friendship that you wouldn’t normally be able to, due to distance or time.
So what to do when someone makes a truly bone-headed comment? While your first inclination may be to pound a heated response into your keyboard and hammer down the send button, firing off a brilliant message for all to see, there are really no winners in the PDA world.
Prevent a Facebook Face-Off:
- Stick with people you truly know on your friend list. It’s not about the numbers. Quality, not quantity, right?
- If you don’t agree with something, consider taking it to your local Inbox instead of waving your dirty laundry in public. If you are having a fight at Christmas dinner, you would take it to another room, right? Same thing with Facebook.
- Pick up the phone. Find out what the other person is thinking. Tone is everything.
- Remember the saying, “It takes two to tango?” Consider walking away. Delete the comment and go for a walk.
- People can interpret written words any which way. Sometimes, a smiley face isn’t enough to take the sting off a biting comment. It reminds me of the backhanded, “Bless Your Heart,” one may get down South. Consider alternative interpretations!
- Remember why you joined Facebook in the first place — to connect and reconnect in a positive way.
- And most important, remember what your mama said, “If you can’t say anything nice…”
Why Can’t Everyone Just Get Along?!
What you post says a lot about you, whether in your status or your comments *see Status Brand blog*. It is awesome when my mom declares, “You have some really great friends. I love reading your wall because they are so supportive… and funny!” Yes, I’m fortunate to have some pretty cool, funny and talented friends – not to mention, kind, loving and supportive. There aren’t any “haters” in my circle — that I’m aware of anyway. They are more into public displays of affection than aggression. That’s the way it should be. Peace out.