Facebook #2 - Etiquette (The lack of it)

"I'd never stop if I keep writing about FB, and that should be the case with most of us, as we have had so much of indulgence with FB. Happy Reading, Happy FBing", thus saying I concluded the post Facebook, which was posted a few weeks back. And I begin the second part of the post with the same lines (Andhadhi¹ Style :P) 

I wanted to update a status on the 'Etiquette' that has to be followed, and not being followed in Facebook. Since it's a lengthy lament, it's better that I post it here.

Basically the word 'Etiquette' means behaving in a professional and decent manner. Don't ask me where I got this definition. Blogging even without such basic knowledge would the 'EPIC facepalm moment of the century'

Image Courtesy - Facebook

Facebook is meant to connect with the people we know and make new friends and be in touch them. It's okay to make a part of our lives public and get our share of 'likes', 'comments' and 'shares'. And it's fun to return these favors. The problem (my problem) starts when someone crosses the gossamer thread. Tagging me in photos which are highly irrelevant to me, posting stupid posts on my wall, and the possibilities seem endless. Still funny is the fact that people are bothered about the likes and comments that I make. I can only hope and pray that these people get a life - a life which isn't obsessed with silly things.

For an example, during the Valentine's season last month, there were a hell lot of people who tagged me in photos, of which some gave out the meaning of love (as claimed to be), some giving the advantages of being single, some which gave color codes to follow on V day and what not! Of course FB gives me the option to choose whether to have the tag or remove it. That and friendship apart, why drag me into this non-sense? 

Still worse the comments which my posts attract. By the standards of FB and also the standards that I've set for myself, I make sure that I post well mannered stuff on my timeline. The fussy comments on these harmless posts make me go wild often. The 'Anniyan' in me wakes up when the comments contain phrases like "when did your job start and what is your starting pay?" (This comment on my profile picture), "what did you talk with her in the phone?" (On a harmless status), "with whom did you go to the film?" (On a status about the film which I saw) Believe me, these have happened! Wish I had taken a screenshots of those, so that it'd be useful to make this post more colorful :D

FB gives the facility to personally message me, and what is the need for this absurdity? When I remove the rubbish done by them, they get 'offended' and this small strain leads to a bigger rift.

I can post many more examples and you can recollect many such incidents involving yourselves.

This may not be an important social issue that needs any attention. But an annoyance that needs a full stop. 

Still more to come. Happy reading and Happy FBing with etiquette :)

God Bless

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Andhadhi - A style of writing, where the context starts with the ending word/phrase of its previous one.

SALT

This post is part of The Chennai Bloggers Club's Salty Saturday series initiated to keep the spirit of blogging alive and challenging. 

SALT - can be seen in different perspectives. The patriotic guy would be reminded of the Dandi March, the movie buff about Angelina Jolie's Salt, the addicted-to-serial aunty would frown on being reminded of the unga toothpaste'le uppu iruka (does your toothpaste contain salt) ad, the diabetic grandpa would detest it though he'd be longing for his dose of salty snacks, the historian would state that the word salary came from the word salt, the sadist boy would remember killing the snails by sprinkling salt, the nerdy school topper would spring out its chemical formula NaCl, Kamal Hassan would imagine that the President of USA would not know what NaCl stands for..and so on

The humble salt delivers several perspectives and meanings that are magnificent. Salt is a substance that dissolves completely into the food that it is added to, and enhances (rather gives life to) the taste of it. It can be compared with a person who stays hidden in the society but does great things. There are so many such people who do great things but still remain silent and humble, without boasting their glories. A dish may contain several exotic items which are cooked elaborately and decorated in an awesome manner. But without the simple salt, it loses its worth (this may not be applicable to every kind of food) Similarly a country can have great leaders, revolutionists et tous, but the country cannot prosper without the humble citizens who work collectively.

A few years back I read in a book (the name of which i'm unable to recollect) which emphasizes on the example of salt in our daily lives. It says that adding salt to food is similar to negative approach in life. Pondering on the negative effects that might be possible, gives us the strength to be prepared for the worst. The negative scenario gives us the threats and we can make ourselves immune to them or prepare ourselves to face them. Adding too much of salt will spoil the food and too much of negative thinking will lead us no where.

Salt can also be compared to the emotions that we express. In moderation, salt gives life to the food and emotions add meaning to our lives. Too much of anything is too bad. And no cookies for guessing why the proverb comes here! High content of salt creates a Dead Sea and high emotional content makes our life, dead.

Oops..seems like i'm going too much the philosophical way. So let's move the other way.

There are infinite instances in our films, where salt is equated to showing loyalty in the punch dialogues, sentiment statements and introduction songs :P Not to forget the so called comedy scenes where salt is added by mistake/intentionally to something and someone eats (or drinks) it :|

As I said in the beginning, Salt is a humble thing, but the perspectives that it gives, it as vast as the ocean, whose second most constituent is salt again :)

Do Good and Keep Reading.

God Bless