Off-topic Comments

I tried very hard to make this concept into a theorem but it would be a huge stretch and I've already meditated on Facebook once or twice, so I will leave it as a remark. Nevertheless, I feel just as strongly about it and it should not be scoffed at.

Remark: Off-topic Facebook comments are annoying

It's just like what you were taught in third grade during manners class: when conversing with someone, don't randomly change the topic. Ms. Dougherty didn't know it at the time but she was really teaching you how to not make enemies on Facebook.

There is nothing better than making a clever post on someone's photo or status and signing in to Facebook 10 minutes later and getting a notification that someone else has made an even wittier reply to your comment. Then you giggle for a second or two and try to formulate a counter-reply. Or maybe you cherish the work that your friend has made and let it be.

Here is what you don't do: You don't read the status/look at the picture, read the comments already made, and post your own comment like: "I love you Jessica! When are we going to hang out?" Or "I miss you, how's school going?" Or "Hope all is well!!" That is disrespectful to all the people that put in the time to come up with a clever comment and who are eagerly waiting other comments, because you know as soon as they get that notification, they are going to look to see what you said. And when they see that you completely disregarded what they had previously said, they will get offended. That's just impolite.

Now I know there is an interesting dynamic in the college years where high school friends, college friends, and even parents/relatives converge on one social network, but there should be a way to unite them all. We should all be able to socialize with friends of friends without too much trouble. I tried this once when I commented on Tara's status, saying very nicely that I would edit her paper (just so you know, there's no way I would have done that for her, and I still consider myself to be a very good friend). Her friend (for privacy purposes we will call her Shaniqua) from home also wanted to help out, and she also commented on the status. I very kindly told Shaniqua to "back off" and that I (and no one else) was editing Tara's paper. Shaniqua then claimed that we were "in a fight and she doesn't even know me." I was forced to delete all my comments, making her comments look ridiculously out of place and confusing the rest of the Facebook community. It is a cheeky little trick I've learned over the years... Anyway, the moral of the story is that some people don't use Facebook how I like it to be used, and that creates problems in my life. Problems that need to be fixed.

But speaking of editing, I also feel like if there is one thing you should edit, it is your Facebook posts. Oftentimes when you write on Facebook, it sounds good the first time but after you read it again, you realize you need to change your thesis a bit. Or maybe add some punctuation or add/subtract a lol or a haha... or an ellipsis (...). Everything makes a difference.