Falling out of love with Facebook...

I'll be honest, I'm a bit of a Facebook addict. It's a rare day I go without stalking people to pass some time. I used to be a frequent status updater too. Probably at least once a day. I really felt that 300 plus people wanted to know that I was 'looking forward to the cinema' that night or was 'very drunk'. Lately though, my love for Facebook seems to be diminishing. I never thought this day would come, in fact I used to get a little panicked at the thought that other people wouldn't use it anymore and I would be left in Facebook world alone. But recently I just can't bring myself to find the same joy in it I used to. The updates from people don't interest me so much, I can't be bothered to update so much. I've lost enthusiasm.


On that note, I have a confession to make. My affections have been engaged elsewhere. I'm sorry Facebook but I think I love Twitter. When I first started using Twitter I was completely bewildered. I felt like my 89 year old Nan probably did when she got a mobile phone. It didn't look good (like Facebook), I didn't have lots of 'friends' (like Facebook) and I just generally had no clue how to use it. Now however I'm getting to be a bit of a pro. I must confess to taking advice from my uni friends who are all of course completely adept at it. Now I'm going to be controversial. Twitter is the new Facebook. But why?

Has Facebook not just become a little shallow in a 'look at my fabulous life' kind of way? I mean we even get two profile pictures now instead of one. Because one just isn't enough to show who you are. You also need one 'that best represents you'. Cue everyone spending hours trying to figure out which photos to use. It all started, in my opinion with the rise of the 'like' and 'comment' button for statuses. Now your status isn't successful if you don't have a heap of likes and comments. Whereas Twitter you can tweet away all day with pointless drivel and it doesn't matter if no one cares at all. This is perfect for me. On Twitter people 'follow' you because they are interested in what you have to say.They don't become your 'friend' because they met you for 5 minutes at a party and decided that made you buddies.


The friends issue really is a minefield right? Pet hate number one - people who add me and then proceed to never message me/like or comment on my status/not even to wish me happy birthday. Why did you add me then? Pet hate number two- people who say that they don't really use Facebook but actually they are always on it, they just stalk people all the time and don't update their own status. I'm all for a bit of stalking but don't lie about it. Own it. Pet hate number three - people who use Facebook to moan all the time. 'I'm having a really crap day' 'my life sucks'. Well it must do if you feel the need to tell 300 people, the majority of whom you barely know. As I type this I think, wow, I'm such a hater! It's a wonder I have any friends. But I do actually. I have 327 of them, so there. I will also admit to being fond of a regular cull. I convince myself (falsely, obviously) that culling my friends list by about 10 people a month means that I am keeping my list to a genuine circle of friends. Ahem. Yes sure, 327 genuine 'friends'. It's not that simple. I have to ask myself, will I see this person again? In which case rejecting their friend request/removing them could be a bit awkward. If I don't know  them that well but they are interesting that's also a reason to save them. Also if you use Facebook as an online Jeremy Kyle Show I will not remove you. You are very interesting and go to the top of my favourite 'friends'. Whenever I see one of these such events happening, I feel the urge to jump in and type 'fight, fight, fight!' but I refrain in case they should turn their cyber rage on me. Instead I sit in rapt attention refreshing my page every minute and watching it unfold. Then the next day they are 'friends' again. We all love a happy ending.


So I think I will continue to invest more time in Twitter. I get to stalk celebrities as well as real people. Totes amazeballs. If you are on Twitter I am @donnawrightson so follow me. I only have 40 followers which is pitiful compared to my 'friends' on Facebook. I guess that shows how many people are interested in what I have to say. Today's blog has been controversial, I know. If I wake up tomorrow with two Facebook 'friends' I guess I will know why.