Returning to a Kinder, Gentler Facebook

When I joined Facebook in February of 2009 it seemed to be a nice way to stay in touch with people and in some cases reunite with ones you might have lost contact with.

You could share photos of your family and brag a bit when your child did something noteworthy. It was truly a social networking platform. I wish I could remember what my first post might have been about and who my first “friend” was but that’s a long time ago.

12 years later and with more than 3,300 “friends” I’m wondering if it’s a good time to pull the plug on Facebook.

It’s no longer just a way to communicate and keep up to date as many use it to share their often strong views on topics that are dividing our country.  What is actually funny is some seem to believe that the whole world wants to know what they think when in truth nobody does although these posts often result in back-and-forth exchanges that become just a long diatribe of vicious statements that do nothing but throw fuel on a fire that continues to burn out of control.

Look I still like to be able to share my thoughts on things like sports, the best shows on TV to binge watch, my favorite restaurants. You know,  fairly trivial matters.  Pictures as well like a quiet summer morning on the beach, a winter sunset and my grandson.  It’s also a great way to wish someone a happy birthday or congratulate them on their anniversary or birth of a child.  That is what Facebook was designed for and what it is at its best.  Of course it can also be used to share important information, especially during the pandemic times we live it.

What it should not be and what is has become is a venom spewed avenue to express hatred, disdain and more from both sides of the political spectrum.  No longer are opinions respected as regardless of the “side” someone is on they will use their space to insult the other.

To my “friends” please note that I plan to drastically tone down what I say and share and hope to go back to what Facebook was years ago.  A place to connect with friends, work colleagues past and present and others I barely know but have some connection to.

As for Twitter, that’s a different story.