Facebook Subscriptions

I hadn't really taken much notice of Facebook subscriptions until now. I don't visit Facebook often enough for it to bother me anymore - but I don't visit Facebook because my news feed is full of crap I couldn't care less about.

Before this subscription malarkey got added, I was fine. I was used to the then new newsfeed. I had it set up how I wanted it. People who I didn't want to see news from didn't come up on my feed, and people whose updates I wanted, did. And then of course, Facebook decided that it knew whose updates you wanted to see and which specifically of those you wanted to see. So I began to get bombarded with baby pictures I couldn't care less about, moan statuses, and people's comments on other people's photographs. Photographs from people who I don't even know. 99% of the time I don't care what someone else is saying about something. Why does Facebook think I do, or even... must?

Of all the features on FB, this one has got to be my least favourite. I've just spent 30 minutes unsubscribing from people who I don't or rarely talk to, or perhaps see every working day but really couldn't care less how much of a good night out they have every night or how annoying their brother is being. I've even unsubscribed from a couple of friends whose updates were really starting to get on my nerves e.g. depressing, negative statuses every hour of the day.

I liked the news feed how it was before. I don't want to spend even more time on Facebook picking and choosing whether I want to see photo comments, photo uploads, status comments, status updates, etc etc, from every single person I subscribe to. All this solely for the five minutes I'll spend browsing the latest updates, keeping up to date with my friends?

It makes me wonder why I bother, and whether it's really necessary. Sure it's lovely and convenient to have all your friends in one place, gathered together, so you don't have to email or phone them each individually to see what they've been up to. But surely that kills conversation? I've lost count of the number of times that I've heard someone start a conversation with "so I saw on Facebook that..." or someone reply with "oh yeah, I saw on Facebook." And the conversation is very abruptly ended.

All I use Facebook for really is communicating with people who I probably otherwise couldn't, not very cheaply anyway. How many of my friends use Windows Live messenger anymore? Very few. How many people my age contact each other via email? No one. And I rarely text - when it's not free. So why can't Facebook just be that little more user-friendly without hiding away all the features which make it much more customized to our tastes?

Is it always just our faults?

No, I don't think it is. People give you their opinions and their advice - should we consider other peoples opinions, have an open mind, or keep a closed mind and only go with what we believe? Advice does not always have to be taken, but what might seem like good advice to one is completely utterly the wrong advise to someone else.

Alright, so, closed & open minds. I think the reason for a closed mind would be people are afraid of new things, of things changing them, but change can be for good or for worse, and there are those of us who are willing to take that risk, and others who would rather stay in the safety of routine and familiarity. An open mind, yes, subject to making people change their views, but right at the core essentially that person is still the same, and it's possible to have rooted beliefs and morals but to be able to consider other people's points of view as well. And I think that the open mind towards other peoples opinions however still maintaining your own, is the best approach.

I want to say I'm not that impressed with people who say they are open minded but actually when it comes to it, are very closed minded. They may say they like to know both sides of the story, but probably already made their mind up about it and are actually just wanting to know what the opposition think so they can ridicule them about it. That's not cricket.

Talking is a good idea amongst those you trust, but forgive me if I want to keep some things to myself sometimes. If I don't want to tell you, it's not because I hate you, or I don't like you, it's probably just because I think it's better you don't know for the time being, or that I think you'd think less of me if you knew, or that I don't want to disappoint, or hurt you. Sometimes we have to be protected against the truth by not knowing it at all, but I will do my best not to cover the truth up with lies, I'd rather I just didn't tell you at all.

So please don't push me if I don't want to tell you something - it could be worse. I could be lying to cover it up, rather than merely telling you that I don't want you to know the secret I'm keeping all to myself. And if I choose to tell other people bar you, don't be angry, or upset. It's probably just because I need to get it out but you're not the best person to talk to about that kind of thing. I know you might want to be the person I can tell everything to, but I don't know anyone like that. I'm sorry to all those people who think that I should be able to tell them everything, but thats not the case - although I can tell you most things to be fair.

Sometimes I just don't want your opinion on it, because I know it's not something I want to hear. That might be selfish, but forgive me if I don't want to be made to feel like crap because of something I believe or something I want.

I feel like people are expecting too much of me, and I'm a bit sick of trying to live up to everyone's expectations. I wish people would leave me to do what I want to do, even if it lands me in trouble. I have to learn sometime, and I can't be shielded against the bad things all my life. It's better that I'm left to my own devices; I don't ask for protection against the world, but instead I ask for a crashmat to fall on when I make a mistake that I can't handle the consequences of by myself. That might seem a bit stupid - because by all means would I get told it's my own fault, and I assure you, I'd know it was my own fault.

If I admit I am wrong, or that something is my fault, I would hope that everyone could accept that I know my mistake, and have learned from it, and just need that extra bit of support from you all to get back on my own two feet again. That's all I want. And then hopefully everyone else can be happy too. I do my best to make everyone happy, then that makes me happy, but yes when you are all expecting things of me it makes me feel really pressured. I do my best. Apparently it's not enough for some people.

I'm sorry for saying silly things, and doing stupid things, and I'm sorry for wanting things that I shouldn't want, or shouldn't have, but I'm only human. And everyone makes mistakes. And what's said is said, I can't take that back. Don't try to meddle in my life - whether I know what I'm doing or not, I'm just trying to make everyone feel fine and happy. If there's something I want for myself please don't make it harder than it already is for me to get it.

I think that's all I have to rant about the whole thing right now. I'm not naming names, there are too many. If you read this and think it applies to you - fair enough, you might be right. But don't try to change on my account, just please take this into account that it's how I feel, and I'd appreciate it if you respected that. Everyone is fine themselves its just when it comes to me I'm a bit sick of everyone trying to influence me with themselves. I'm fine being myself, thanks, and you're all fine being yourselves.