I have a Facebook page and am a member of several automotive groups. I have a Tacoma and am on one of those groups. It is absolutely obnoxious and almost useless. It is like every other tacoma owner is an angry opinionated toddler and politics seem to surface with every topic, usually very misinformed angry politics. It’s amazing what people will believe. I’m very thankful the political stuff stays out of this web forum. I’m on a few Land Rover Facebook groups. Those are somewhat better but also full of nonsense and people that live to be asshats. Those groups can be helpful to buy and sell but it is unfortunately the same obnoxious crowd. Facebook is my second to last stop if I am trying to let some surplus stuff go. eBay is last due to the fees but sometimes it’s worth the fees to not have to deal with the Facebook idiots.
Social media gives idiots a platform to share misinformation and angst where other idiots validate them. I may sound like an old fart but I believe Facebook (and other social media) has made the world a less reliable and friendly place. The idiots have always been there but now they have a place to spread and grow their ignorance. People that want to believe almost anything will.
I only opened a Facebook account because my job required it. I am retired now and do not have to keep it. I’ve shut it down a few times but came back. My family posts photos and activities often and i will almost certainly keep my Facebook account but if I had never initially been required to open one I wouldn’t have one now. I have many friends that never got on Facebook and have no interest now. I never got on Twitter / X and certainly have no interest in the others.
Frankly Skip, knowing you the little bit I do, I suggest walking away. Or, only “friend” family members you really like. I wouldn’t even ”friend” actual friends. Unfortunately, some of my real friends, once I see what they post on Facebook, I don’t want to know them any longer.
From another perspective, I can definitely see why a business would need a Facebook page. My wife owns a Yoga studio and Facebook is an important way for people to connect to her business. But, she also runs a recurring ad in the local paper. She gets more good repeat clients from the newspaper ad than Facebook. Also, while Facebook is good for her business, it’s also where the time wasters mostly come from. It is not uncommon for people to cont act her through Facebook with lots of questions and seeming enthusiasm about attending classes who never are to be seen in person. She had one person repeatedly ask for her to create a new time slot for a class. My wife gave in and did. That person never showed and was never to be heard from again.
www.facebook.com
