Do you think it is easy to unfriend anyone?
If this word did exist before I discovered Facebook I had never even heard of it. There were only two categories I knew of: friends and not-friends. Demarcation was easy and precise and it made one’s social status quite clear to everyone involved.
Whenever I was with my friends we made merry, picked on others, were mean and possessive and were like a flock of birds of the same feather. We had our reservations about who could join us and who could not and were vocal about any disagreement. We had a comfort zone where we could be ourselves. It wasn’t bad to be wrong or to fail. We were like a big unit which was made of several small ones and glued only with a one element: friendship.
Not-friends were no less important. After all one needs someone to b***h about, yes? 😛 Right from what someone rode to college in, what he/she wore or which people he/she mingled with was an issue of deep concern and gossip. There were virtual wars regarding whose team would win or who would dare an unprecedented stunt. There were some about whom we couldn’t be less bothered too. They were a mere speck in the whole scene and were meant to be ignored. In a way, this category was what cemented our friendship further.
Life was less complicated and it was simpler to put ourselves out there and prove a point if we had to. Alas, its not the same anymore.
Facebook has changed the way people perceive friendship nowadays. A person’s popularity is gauged by the number of followers he has, which inexcusably leads to an exercise of locating long lost and completely forgotten peers/colleagues/relatives and adding them to the friends list. For the real desperate ones there’s always that ‘Find friends’ option which introduces them to a welcoming world of potentially interested friends/mates.
And what do these people do after they’ve made friends? ‘Like’ each other’s photos (sometimes by a reciprocation understanding), comment on them and start assuming that they form a part of their inner circle. More the time spent on Facebook, closer they feel to each other, even if they’ve probably never met in person. All caution about breach of privacy and security gone in the wind.
If and when something doesn’t work out there’s always the ‘Unfriend’ option which is undoubtedly an easy way out. It is quick and clear and involves much less investment of time or emotion. Nobody can expect any relationship born out of the click of a mouse to work now, can they?
What if such a thing existed in real life though? Could we be chums or strangers with a moment’s notice? What if we had to ‘Dislike’ the memories we had? Would we tell others that we’ve ‘unfriended’ each other? Wouldn’t it be cold and heartless?
I don’t think I could ever do it. I’ve always believed in sticking to my friends, come what may. Also, our closest friends are those who never make a noise about it. Guess the ones who proclaim so but aren’t so, well, fit and deserve the word.
If real life was like FB I would be social misfit because I just don’t get that life, I don’t get that need of sharing every single emotion with the world, I don’t get the number game. Thankfully life is much more than what FB can ever be.
Most of the time people keep a facade there..projecting an image that would possibly be a far cry from their real self. I’d done a post on this some time back…
I’m a misfit sometimes too. I find it strange when couples put romantic stuff out openly or wish them love, luck and such stuff on a public platform! How weird is that? And the number game…I wonder if they dream of new ways to get more friends. 😛
Real life is much easier and lot less complicated. 🙂
Haha! Facebook and various other social media have drastically changed not only our vocabulary but also our life experiences! Well-written post.
Wow, I have never thought about it but I guess if there was an option of dislike or unfriend, I would definitely use it. This thought will stay with me for quite some time now 🙂
This is such a brilliant take, i am sure if we apply this regularly half of our problems will wipe out for sure.
This force is really a good one,these social media application has changed our life so much
But i feel my reak friends aee not connected on fb n hence never got disconnected to me in my life
This is really necessary these days. Such take definitely resolve half of the issues.
Friendship in real life and on social media are drastically different. In social media we hangout with strangers, stay mute then connect again to forget for long or bong real strong. In real life we make few friends that go for entire lifetime.
Another amazing post from you, Varsha.
I think before unfriending anyone ( if you have known them out of virtual life), should give them a benefit of doubt.
Haha loved the sarcastic take on social frienships. I agree facebook has become a part of our lifestyle. I agree if i had an unfriend option in real life i would use it on a few
i really made some good friends on facebook whom i never met and urge of meeting them is another charm for me. friends forever feeling
Hehe! I loved reading this and your brilliant take on this. You have written this so nicely!
Would only say life is beyond SM. This virtual world is just false image created by everyone as a platform to project the best of yourself not the real one.
Varsha this is a wonderful take on social media, ife and friendship. Social media life is an exhibitionist kind of life and pretty different from real life!
Real life and virtual life is all confusing when it comes to friendship.My main rule .No drama please!
I love all your posts. Another amazing one. I can say True friends are very few nowadays but if they exist, they are amazing. I have a few for whom I am in touch from my school time. Amazing feeling it is.
Partly agree with what you say, but ultimately it is how we manage our friends as in real life. I found a lot of long lost friends through fb for which I am ever grateful.
Right you are basically everything has its plus and minus. Facebook helps to find out your old school friends too. But I’m not at all a fb person rather ai still have contacts with my all friends and I try to spend quality time with them. Because they are priceless for me.