Why do we use facebook?

Why do we use facebook, why do we keep on updating our status? The truth is, it is not because it is a need but because it became a habit, a not so good habit. Few people use it for business and communication. Most people use it for:

1. Bragging about their lives – Why do we post pictures in facebook? It is because we want to brag about how well our lives are and how beautiful are faces are. It became a game where people constantly want to outshine each other. They use the most beautiful pictures they have to tell others that – hey I traveled, hey I am more beautiful than your present girlfriend, hey I am having a great time while you have nothing in your life.

This attitude is not healthy because we our fueling up our evilness inside – it is becoming brutal. Rather than posting pictures to brag about your life, why don’t we post something that will make others happy? A picture about good qualities of human being such as kindness, beauty of nature and something. It is not our obligation to make other people happy, but is it not better to post something knowing that someone will be happy seeing it?

2. We seek attention – Others are desperate, they put everything in facebook, they even talk through it. They will post their hatred, their bad experience, and how bad their lives are. They post pictures desperately seeking for likes and comments. These people like attention so much to make themselves better. For people that belong to this group, you do not need other people’s attention, you have to start focusing on yourself rather than begging for other people’s opinion. Start by getting a notebook and a pen and start a diary. Writing in your diary really helps you take out all your anger and emptiness in life. Write it all down and you do not have to hold back. I know that you are lonely, just write it all down and pour yourself out. Facebook is not a place to share your emotional downtime – because the truth is -NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT YOU in facebook.

Look for a real friend instead. Rather than looking for people’s opinion, build your character and mingle with real good people. Read the bible and find comfort in God’s words. I recommend this website for you to get closer to God.

3. To get updated about the lives of other – We stalk our “friends'” lives by scanning their pictures. We study their lives and check out how they were doing. It is nice that you want to be updated, but it is becoming a negative thing than a good thing. You start comparing yourself with other people’s lives. We want to get “updated” but the truth is their lives are none of our business. There is no need for us to constantly checking others because in reality – their business is their business. There is no pleasure in knowing how bad or good their lives are. Instead of browsing their profile, why don’t we invite them over or invite them for coffee or tea and catch up with their lives. Ask your friends in person how their lives are. Lasting friendship is built on real communication and not in virtual reality.

4. To “communicate” – Some people use facebook like how they use Skype, but some other people use it as their only way of communication. They communicate well on line and they hold no bars when talking to their facebook friends but when they see each other in person – they avoid each other. Why don’t we communicate in person first before communicating using facebook.

Facebook is great for business and school projects. But let me remind ourselves that, it is not a diary and it is not our lives. Our happiness does not depend on it and our social lives will never depend on it. Real happiness did not change despite the rise of technology – it is still the same thing. We feel and build it offline.

Happiness depends upon ourselves.”
Aristotle

Take a break from facebook and have fun.

“We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one’s own happiness oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness.”
Dalai Lama