You log into your Facebook account to find yourself scrolling for five minutes before finding a post from someone you actually remember meeting. Ah, friendships formed after a big night out, and the ability of Facebook to keep them alive. Since it’s conception in 2004, we’ve seen our friends list go from friends, to foes, to Frank. And who the hell is Frank?
If the above sounds like you, it may be time to embrace the cull. While it may seem harsh at first, ‘de-friending’ enables you to own a fresh news feed, showing only relevant news from both business and personal contacts, and most importantly saving you from reading another page long status from that someone you met in a bar two years ago, the one that only reminds you just how dark the lighting was.
De-friending has become such an integral part of social networking, that there is now a day dedicated to the ceremonial deletion of acquaintances.
Australian Social Media entrepreneur, David Abrahams, has marked November 17th the day to face your digital demons.
But you don’t have to wait until November rolls around to make a start, David encourages frequent deletion of ‘friends’.
“The need for the stability and reliability of real friendships is greater than ever but the proliferation of online friends has simply devalued the idea of good relationships. You can’t have 400 real friends! It’s physiologically impossible and is simply turned into a weird popularity contest!”
Before you begin your journey to a life with less friends (trust me, it’s better than it sounds), there is an etiquette to consider.
So how do you go about the daunting task of bringing that list down from 700 snogs to just 70?
Here are the top tips for the art of deletion:
• Cull because the person has no relevance to you anymore. Friends because you once hooked up at a club on a trip interstate? You’re never going to see them again.
• Consider how you’d feel if the person “de-friended” you. Will that one night stand really care if your name suddenly disappears off of his news feed? Hell, he doesn’t even know your name. Yes, I know it was nice to stalk his hard rock abs but let’s be mature about this.
• Provide a link to the social networking site where you would like to remain in touch with that past hook up you’ve “de-friended” so you can continue your relationship, even if it is on a lower level.
• If your “de-friended” friend decides that there is no such thing as social awkwardness, and messages you with a “wHy ArEnT wEe StILl FrIeNdS?” serenade, let them know that you’ve decided to keep social networking a little more private this year, and pass on your email address for further contact. If needed apply for a restraining order.
• Don’t “de-friend” someone due to a drunk argument. History shows us that intoxication really does pass, and one day you will actually want to speak to your best friend again, even if they did abandon you on the dancefloor.
• Do remember when “de-friending” that behind the profile is a real person with feelings, and while you may get carried away in the festive spirit of culling, they are more than just a hella ugly profile picture and the reminder of a night on the town.
Happy culling!
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