Yes, I enjoy the connectedness that
Facebook provides. But there are a few things that get my goat. The two that
follow have to do with those picture posters — photos with sayings — that
circulate in abundance.
1.
The Eternal Typo
Typos and grammatical errors in those
picture posters can be shared ad infinitum
and thus go on forever. I understand typos are inevitable in status updates
and comments posted. Most people don’t proof such things (editors usually do,
but, alas, editors make mistakes too). But people attach clever sayings or
heartfelt statements to photos (which are sometimes theirs and sometimes
pirated from the Internet — but that’s another issue) and save them to their FB
picture albums to be seen by all their friends and friends of friends.
Thus, I’ve seen an abundance of
apostrophes where none belongs — the plural of mom as “mom’s,” for example, and
so forth. Or outright misspellings shared over and over and over again. Drives
me crazy.
2.
Intimidation
But what’s worse is the intimidation of
some of these custom posters. This is the Facebook equivalent of the chain
email, wherein you are cursed if you fail to forward it. Now, if you don’t share the FB pic you’re in big trouble.
Simply by letting your eyes fall across the words on your FB homepage you
suddenly are under obligation.
I’m sorry, I don’t buy it. Here’s one
that’s in especially poor taste that many have shared (please don’t):
“Do you love Jesus?
If yes click ‘share’
If not keep on scrolling.”
So the fact that I don’t stop and
disseminate this verbal intimidation means I don’t love Jesus? I’m sorry.
You’ve given me two choices, neither of which I like. I choose option 3: I will
keep on scrolling AND love Jesus. (And maybe unfriend you.)
This is bad taste, bad logic, and bad
theology. And it leaves a bad taste in my mouth for Facebook. Don’t threaten
people with something as precious and sacred as one’s love for Jesus.
Some of these even phony up statistics:
“97% of you will not share this.” And then some bogus assertion about you being
special if you’re in the 3%. Sorry, it’s not a scientific poll!
