No matter how refined and grown-up we like to think we’ve become, it’s easy to momentarily slip back into those childish ways once we’re online. Especially with social media, which puts recess at our finger tips any time of the day.
I sometimes feel sorry for the new generation, who are growing up with the Internet and social media from the time they could talk. They’ll never (truly) be able to escape the schoolyard.
To see someone’s updates on Facebook, you must first declare your friendship. This is fine, except that’s a rather official stance, no? Documented. Made public! What happens if you look to “simplify” your online life and become more of a social profile minimalist?
Sure, you can hide a person’s updates. But, you still must actively unfriend a person if you don’t want to run to every window and door in your Facebook house and lock down each aspect of your profile to their eyes. Unfriending? Locking aspects of your profile? These just sound terrifyingly drastic.
Let us not forget Twitter.
Yes, Twitter and their Follower counter on each and every profile. And the third-party providers notifying you when someone stops following you. Talk about the school tattle tale. Twitter really has become the cafeteria, these days.
When we were in school, everyone had their regular lunch tables they tended to sit at. Remember what would happen if you sat at a different table with another group of people, instead of your regular group? The rumors would begin. Then the stink-eye. Finally, the question-asking and squabbling followed.
“Why is she sitting at their table, instead of here?”
Or …
“Oh, is he too cool for us, now?”
You can fall victim to the same hurt feelings, rumor-milling, and arguments when you stop following some individuals on Twitter as well. While some don’t notice nor care, others take your decision to no longer want to follow their 140-character thoughts to heart and either tears, name-calling, or public shaming ensues.
Think about it. You aren’t saying that you think unkindly of them as a human being. You aren’t questioning the way they live their lives. You’re simply saying that you’ve decided not to follow their 140-character thoughts. That’s it. So why is it such a big deal to some?
Whether you use social media for business or pleasure, if you use it long enough, you’re going to find your interests changing over time. From elementary school to junior high and then to high school, most of us found our cast of friends changing here and there because of that very reason. Our interests shifted, and therefore, so did those we hung out with.
Social media users can learn a lesson from this and not let unfollows and unfriending become a playground fight.
If not, then they’ll risk having to repeat the lesson in summer school.
Bruce is a Mobile Media Specialist at Roll Mobile. He is a lover of good music, bad puns and ugly sweater vests. Want to learn more about adding mobile components to complement your existing marketing strategies? Or have a BLOG@ROLL topic you’d like us to explore?
Contact bruce@whyroll.com or on Twitter via @RollMobile.
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