The Facebook Resisters

[Brad]

I know Facebook was a big concern for Chris (and others), either last year or earlier this year, so I thought this article, The Facebook Resisters, that was in today New York Times would be of interest.

[Christiern]

Thanks, Brad, I needed that. Life without FaceBook, LinkedIn, etc. is far healthier and natural. I don't need to know who wants to be my "friend" or who among people I do or don't know has met someone else I might or might not know. Been around long enough to know the value of independent thought.

[AllenLowe]

Chris, are you kidding? Since I stopped thinking for myself, I've never been more carefree and happy. I just registered Republican.

[Hot Ptah]

While we aren't going to solve all of the issues of Facebook here, I will say that I have had a different, and totally positive, experience with Facebook. I have carefully kept my Friends list to a small, manageable number, and have successfully blocked out anyone I did not want to be a Friend with.

I do not consider the Facebook "Friend" label to be meaningful. It does not mean that the person is really a friend of yours. This does not upset me, or have any emotional impact on me.

I have reconnected with many people from elementary school and high school who I had lost contact with, and have started up some wonderful, real, genuine friendships with them.

I find that while teens may send messages on Facebook to each other about their every mundane move all day long, people in their 50s do not do so. Old folks seem to communicate on Facebook mostly rarely and for something meaningful.

So blanket generalizations about Facebook are not very useful, I have found.

[EKE BBB]

Chris

I guess you need this:

Facebook Friend Adder – Add 400 Million Friends One time

[Neal Pomea]

I joined MySpace at the time when it was actually in competition with Facebook. Within months it seemed everyone was mocking MySpace like it was an 8-track tape and everyone was abandoning it for Facebook. Want me to put Facebook out of business in a few weeks by creating an account?

[Noj]

I started posting about a variety of topics on internet chat boards more than a decade ago. Now there's Facebook, which is essentially a chat board where a bunch of people I know are at, posting about their day-to-day lives. One more time-consuming distraction for slow times on the job or at home.

I don't see the harm.

[jeffcrom]

My initial bout with Facebook wasn't positive - I ended up being "friends" with a bunch of folks I didn't particularly like. So I killed that account (with instructions found here) and started a new account under a pseudonym. Like Hot Phat, I control who I'm friends with, and don't post that often. I find it mildly fun and useful in promoting gigs.

[kenny weir]

I find it mildly fun and useful in promoting gigs.

I don't see the harm, either.

It's a tool - I use it to promote my blog.

Several dozen of my "likes" are now small local business - mainly restaurants - about whom I am interested or have blogged on. I get to know their daily specials and menu changes.

For them, it's much better and cheaper than a website, as they get to have a continual dialogue with their customers.

[AllenLowe]

I love it - got a job through it, no kidding, I'm now a Visiting Professor at the Berklee College of Music, through contacts I made.

[Brad]

I love it - got a job through it, no kidding, I'm now a Visiting Professor at the Berklee College of Music, through contacts I made.

My nephew, who is a painter on the side and does a lot of portraits, says it has done wonders for his business.

[AllenLowe]

I'm a convert.

[.:.impossible]

I get work through FB all the time. About once a week I get a new design job... Album art, poster, book jacket.

I have blocked folks, decided not to share with folks, etc, but I'm with noj. Good way to stay in touch with real friends across the globe, and a great way to get to know my cyber friends more personally.

[Christiern]

Thank you Agustin, that sounds like a nightmare, even for people who don't take the initiative.

Kenny mentioned Facebook as a useful blog adjunct, I have noticed from time to time that the visitor count on my blog goes up, considerably, and the jump-off point is Facebook. I have no idea what they are finding there that leads them to my blog, but I rather like that aspect of it.

Kenny, how do you use it in conjunction with your blog?

The pseudonym approach sounds interesting, but once these bastards have your IP number, I don't trust them.

[kenny weir]

Chris, that will happen every now and then. I guess it means that one group of friends is discussing something on your blog that one of them has posted a link to. No way of knowing as far as I know - it's a mystery! To me anyway.

More directly, every time I post a new story or restaurant review, I post a link on FB both under my name and also the Consider The Sauce page. Under my name, it is seen/read by my 100+ "friends". On the blog page it is seen/read by those who have clicked on the FB "like" widget on my blog. Your blog platform should have something similar. It's a bit of mucking around but nothing too taxing. I have 40+ "likes" so far but only set it up a month or so ago, so it will build and build. A fellow Melbourne food blogger has over 600!

This does seem to suit some people who are not bloggers themselves and who do not want to subscribe to a blog by email.

[BeBop]

Facebook is a soapbox issue for me. I'll try to keep my time "atop the 'box" short.

Lots of the companies with whom I do business use it as something of a prostitution business. Example: I spend 100+ nights a year in each of three, major hotel chains. You'd think this would make me a favored (or at least not dis-favored) customer. But who do these chains offer ther best discounts to? Who do they ply with free nights and contests? Who are the first to learn of sales? Who get the free drink coupons? Yep, the people who "like" them on Facebook (I hope that's the right term) or "follow" them on Twitter. So much for my US$150,000 a year, money where my mouth is. I'd be better off clicking a button.

Beyond that, I rather like the fact that, on the internet, no one knows you're a dog. I don't happen to use my real name here. In part, that's to protect my professional life which I'd rather not get into. And because BeBop's a monkier that I'd used back at the Blue Note board, JazzCentralStation, rec.music.bluenote - probably 20 years of history. Facebook? No choice. The cookie brand I favor (like) knows who I am, and all my friend know what I munch. And that cookie company knows what milk I drink too. (Granted, some control with privacy settings, but we know how well those have worked.)

And yes, I was on MySpace, which I found to be useful to the music community, more than it was to the entirety of civilization. And before that, Friendster. (I hear you chuckle.)

[Noj]

You could easily set up a FB page for your BeBop identity. All you need is an email address. No one is forced to upload pictures, or to befriend anyone who might know your real identity. There are a lot of business pages which are entirely impersonal.

[Dave James]

I was on Facebook for a couple of years, but I dumped it a few months ago. It did allow me to reconnect with a few old acquaintances, but that's about it. Maybe I just have boring friends, but I got tired of people telling me what they had for breakfast. What a waste of time.

[AllenLowe]

2 eggs over easy french toast hash browns toast bourbon and soda

[Hot Ptah]

I was on Facebook for a couple of years, but I dumped it a few months ago. It did allow me to reconnect with a few old acquaintances, but that's about it. Maybe I just have boring friends, but I got tired of people telling me what they had for breakfast. What a waste of time.

I may have lazy friends. My friends tend to post about once a year on Facebook, about some major event in their lives only.

I also like how many of my old friends, from decades ago, who I have not been able to visit in person in years, post current photos of themselves and their families.

[kenny weir]

Lots of the companies with whom I do business use it as something of a prostitution business. Example: I spend 100+ nights a year in each of three, major hotel chains. You'd think this would make me a favored (or at least not dis-favored) customer. But who do these chains offer ther best discounts to? Who do they ply with free nights and contests? Who are the first to learn of sales? Who get the free drink coupons? Yep, the people who "like" them on Facebook (I hope that's the right term) or "follow" them on Twitter. So much for my US$150,000 a year, money where my mouth is. I'd be better off clicking a button.

Demanding the same rates and concessions from management would likely be successful. Or at least worth a try.

[Dave James]

2 eggs over easy french toast hash browns toast bourbon and soda

When do we eat?

[Big Wheel]

Lots of the companies with whom I do business use it as something of a prostitution business. Example: I spend 100+ nights a year in each of three, major hotel chains. You'd think this would make me a favored (or at least not dis-favored) customer. But who do these chains offer ther best discounts to? Who do they ply with free nights and contests? Who are the first to learn of sales? Who get the free drink coupons? Yep, the people who "like" them on Facebook (I hope that's the right term) or "follow" them on Twitter. So much for my US$150,000 a year, money where my mouth is. I'd be better off clicking a button.

Demanding the same rates and concessions from management would likely be successful. Or at least worth a try.

This is kind of like asking "why does my company pay so much to the airlines for business travel when it's some grandmother who only flies once every five years who gets by far the lowest fares?" Well, your company pays this much for airfare largely because your company is willing to be a sucker. It's not worth their while to bargain hard with the airlines, the money is still small potatoes compared to their overall profits, and they need the flexibility anyway, so they're willing to pay a lot more. That's how market segmentation works: firms frequently work hardest to acquire the most frugal customers, if they think it's worth it. The more loyal customers are already in the bag and don't need much "maintenance" because lots of them simply don't really care that they're overpaying. (That's what "loyalty" is, isn't it? Being on the margin willing to put up with less competitive behavior because you value your overall experience with the seller more than others do.)

Edited December 15, 2011 by Big Wheel

[kenny weir]

Lots of the companies with whom I do business use it as something of a prostitution business. Example: I spend 100+ nights a year in each of three, major hotel chains. You'd think this would make me a favored (or at least not dis-favored) customer. But who do these chains offer ther best discounts to? Who do they ply with free nights and contests? Who are the first to learn of sales? Who get the free drink coupons? Yep, the people who "like" them on Facebook (I hope that's the right term) or "follow" them on Twitter. So much for my US$150,000 a year, money where my mouth is. I'd be better off clicking a button.

Demanding the same rates and concessions from management would likely be successful. Or at least worth a try.

This is kind of like asking "why does my company pay so much to the airlines for business travel when it's some grandmother who only flies once every five years who gets by far the lowest fares?" Well, your company pays this much for airfare largely because your company is willing to be a sucker. It's not worth their while to bargain hard with the airlines, the money is still small potatoes compared to their overall profits, and they need the flexibility anyway, so they're willing to pay a lot more. That's how market segmentation works: firms frequently work hardest to acquire the most frugal customers, if they think it's worth it. The more loyal customers are already in the bag and don't need much "maintenance" because lots of them simply don't really care that they're overpaying. (That's what "loyalty" is, isn't it? Being on the margin willing to put up with less competitive behavior because you value your overall experience with the seller more than others do.)

Yes, I am in the same position with Australian pay TV. New deals are being offered to members of AFL clubs that are significantly lower than what I, a long-term ("loyal") customer, am paying. I've had them on about it but was only offered discounts on upgrades, which I don't want or need. I have been told by friends, however, that if I push harder - i.e. threaten to pull the plug altogether - I will then be put through to people who will match the cheaper deals. Better to have a customer paying $50 a month instead of $60 when the alternative is $0.

Edited December 15, 2011 by kenny weir

[Big Wheel]

Lots of the companies with whom I do business use it as something of a prostitution business. Example: I spend 100+ nights a year in each of three, major hotel chains. You'd think this would make me a favored (or at least not dis-favored) customer. But who do these chains offer ther best discounts to? Who do they ply with free nights and contests? Who are the first to learn of sales? Who get the free drink coupons? Yep, the people who "like" them on Facebook (I hope that's the right term) or "follow" them on Twitter. So much for my US$150,000 a year, money where my mouth is. I'd be better off clicking a button.

Demanding the same rates and concessions from management would likely be successful. Or at least worth a try.

This is kind of like asking "why does my company pay so much to the airlines for business travel when it's some grandmother who only flies once every five years who gets by far the lowest fares?" Well, your company pays this much for airfare largely because your company is willing to be a sucker. It's not worth their while to bargain hard with the airlines, the money is still small potatoes compared to their overall profits, and they need the flexibility anyway, so they're willing to pay a lot more. That's how market segmentation works: firms frequently work hardest to acquire the most frugal customers, if they think it's worth it. The more loyal customers are already in the bag and don't need much "maintenance" because lots of them simply don't really care that they're overpaying. (That's what "loyalty" is, isn't it? Being on the margin willing to put up with less competitive behavior because you value your overall experience with the seller more than others do.)

Yes, I am in the same position with Australian pay TV. New deals are being offered to members of AFL clubs that are significantly lower than what I, a long-term ("loyal") customer, am paying. I've had them on about it but was only offered discounts on upgrades, which I don't want or need. I have been told by friends, however, that if I push harder - i.e. threaten to pull the plug altogether - I will then be put through to people who will match the cheaper deals. Better to have a customer paying $50 a month instead of $60 when the alternative is $0.

Yes. The magic words these days are, "hello, I would like to cancel my account." (It helps to have a backup plan in case they are willing to actually let you cancel your account without making concessions, though.)