Does Facebook help or hinder your effort to connect with others in a meaningful way?

[Ponyboy]

I shouldn't but sometimes I laugh when someone posts that they've found the love of their life (again) and less than a week later its back to "changed their relationship to single". I have 2 friends that do it quite often

I like the "Hide" feature better than unfriending. It just seems more diplomatic. There are 3 people that I have on "hide". This way they are still on my friend list but if they mention something they posted I can just say "oh, I missed it. I must have been busy" Even though they probably posted the same thing over and over!

Edit: Ooops, Stigmata just posted roughly the same idea while I was thinking/typing.

 

[Beorn]

I haven't hid anyone's feed yet because there haven't been any consistent offenders, but I really hate the poop stories from parents of young children. I can and do endure all sorts of religious and political posts, but I really don't want to read anything crass and scatological in nature.

 

[garbage]

I just sit back, like so:

Same. Though, my reaction is more like

 

[Azure Flame]

Depends how its used. I find it can be quite useful. Othertimes, facebook conversations can completely ruin potential relationships with the opposite sex because the face to face interaction isn't there.

Though I'm also starting to suspect that facebook conversations are the most genuine form. Get rid of all the chemicals, infatuation, energy and tone of voice, and you can see more objectively, what kind of interests the person has, and judge compatibility based on that.

Though, I suppose its possible to have great conversations on facebook, then meet in person and be completely thrown off by their energy and nonverbal factors. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I suppose its possible.

 

[Mole]

A recent study, published in the newspapers, says Facebook reduces the happiness of users and makes teenagers more anxious.