Facebook is like the Walmart of social media.
You know what I mean. You don’t really want anyone to know you frequent it a lot, you apathetically wander around things you’ve seen a hundred times over, and you hate how much you use it.
So many posts on my timeline are cheaply regurgitated and lack authenticity. For this reason, the No. 1 social media site so many people worship seriously lacks original content. According to Urban Dictionary, OC is “gold” that lights the “dark recesses of the web.” The opposite of OC is a repost. You are either a creator or a curator.
I don’t mind seeing the third video of the day of my high school friend’s dogs. Birthday notifications or group invitations don’t even annoy me anymore. Bring it on. It’s all the Tumblr reposts, memes, generic quotes on stock images, and Tasty videos that drive me nuts.
Facebook: It’s the place where the “people you may know” section should really be called “people you probably hate.”
Luckily, there are some remedies to these issues, but the fact of the matter is that Facebook is losing its luster. There are plenty of facts that point to the contrary, though.
According to an October study conducted by Statistica, Facebook accounted for 45.4 percent of social media site visits in the nation. YouTube and Twitter trailed behind with 22.2 and 4.8 percent respectively. Some say other social media sites will “explode” during 2016, and I’m hopeful but doubtful. Facebook might sizzle out like Myspace did, which would make way for a fresh social media platform untainted by thousands of reposts.
Facebook’s success is puzzling to me because I know more people who don’t like Facebook than who consider it useful. Hardly anyone takes it seriously anymore. When I mindlessly scroll for what seems like forever through the fluff to find posts I actually want to see, it’s certainly not a place where I feel inspired anymore.
All of this goes without saying Facebook is a great tool for companies and advertisers. Customizing groups and pages can make Facebook effective if used correctly. A handful of individuals use Facebook for what it was intended for—to stay connected to family and friends, which is one of the few reasons I still have mine.
The posts I search for are those about my real-life friends: Seeing pictures and posts about my friends’ lives is what I find entertaining. Facebook used to be the ideal place to stay in touch, but the site has now become clouded with things I couldn’t care less about, like “20 Stars You Never Knew Who Smoke.”
My hope is that people will not only realize the potential of social media but also use it as an actual tool to communicate helpful, creative and original content. Rather than reposting an article that’s in-line with your point of view, decide to write your own article about the same topic. Put your own spin on it, and contribute to the marketplace of ideas. Stop scrolling mindlessly if you aren’t amused, and don’t you dare repost that “Hotline Bling” mashup again.
My eyes have seen just a few too many minion memes.