Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: Facebook

Soapbox: “Social Activism” is Trolling

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On March 28, 2013

In Soapbox

trollfaceEven as I am typing this post I can already hear the subtle sound of exploding heads just because of the title. I will admit it right now, before all of you, that I am a Facebook troll. My trolling is augmented when Facebook becomes inundated with pro-<insert controversy> or anti-<insert controversy> posts. You know when I do it I’m just trying to piss you off, most of the time I could care less if you know where I stand on the issue.

By the way, I hate to rain on your [pride] parade but I really doubt a justice of the Supreme Court is going to base their decision on how many of you changed your bloody profile pictures on Facebook. In fact, just like me, they probably don’t give a shit. Changing your profile pictures is probably about as effective as changing your t-shirt. I should hope that they will vote based on their own rationale and the facts that have been presented to them.

Although now I have this rather humorous, and ludicrous vision of all the justices sitting in the Supreme Court with a computer hooked up to a projector and they are all looking at Facebook and counting how many profile pictures are red equal signs.

I don’t care if people want to be gay. It’s their lifestyle and I’m not the one whose judgement matters. I will say that if a gay couple wants to be legally married, then that’s just peachy with me. However, the moment religious institutions start to be persecuted because they either A) refuse to perform a same-sex marriage because it violates their beliefs or B) because they won’t acknowledge a same-sex marriage as a legitimate marriage then I have a problem. If you want people to respect your lifestyle then you need to respect the fact that other people will not necessarily agree; its a two way street, folks.

But I digress; this isn’t about gay marriage.

Yes, you can post whatever you want on Facebook, change your profile to be an equal sign, a peace sign, or a blasted middle finger. It’s not going to rally the troops, cause a revolution or incite some kind of movement. Let’s be honest people, call it what it really is.

It’s trolling.

Biggs On: Plethora of Social Media

By

On January 15, 2013

In Biggs On

thinkingmanSo apparently Myspace has re-imaged itself and relaunched now with celebrity endorsements (i.e. Justin Timberlake) and a focus on music and media. I once had a MySpace page many years ago. I never kept up with it. In fact, I hated it. It felt like another iteration of GeoCities. When I read about this the first thought that came to mind is “Do we really need another social media outlet?”

Let’s name off a few of the social media platforms out there: Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr, Instragram, Pinterest, Myspace – these are just the ones that come to mind immediately. Last year Apple and Google were under heavy scrutiny because many felt like their privacy was violated by some functionality built in to the  mobile devices of these companies. This is a classic case of cognitive dissonance if I’ve ever seen one. How can we chastise one company for allegedly infringing on our privacy and turnaround and celebrate another means of putting your life on the Internet?

I use Facebook, Google+ and Twitter and I feel like that’s too many. I’ve often considered reducing how much I use Facebook. Granted I know that I have more control over what can be seen publicly but most of it isn’t default functionality. In fact I wonder how many people actually know how to lock down their social media accounts and/or restrict what posts people can and cannot see on news feeds and timelines. So it really comes down to who wants to accept the responsibility and it’s always easier to blame someone else especially when you can point fingers at “evil corporations” like Apple and Google.

Cheers.

Social Celebrities

By

On June 29, 2012

In General Cogitation

I use most of the popular social media websites (Facebook, Google+ and Twitter) and I primarily use them to stay connected with old friends and co-workers. I also use them to shamefully promote my blog posts. Lately I’ve enjoyed another aspect of social media, something that I wasn’t expecting. There are a number of celebrities that are pretty active on the same social media networks and I think its extraordinary.

I already knew they were amazing people just from all the movies and television shows that I have watched over the years, but to see them posting on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ makes them all even more amazing. We were all always separated by the movie screens which created a popularity gap. Celebrities were put up on this high pedestal that we all wished we could be apart of but social media has changed all that. It has broken down the barriers that kept us all from connecting. It has created a way for all of us to vicariously experience their fascinating lives, and perhaps it has provided a similar experience for them though I know our lives are not quite as interesting.

It has been enlightening to realize how much I have in common with the people I have admired from the other side of the silver screen, its a fascinating cardinality. Though they will never know my name and though we may never meet in person, I hope its a comfort to them to know that we enjoy them just as much when they are simply being themselves.

So thank you Mila Kunis, Nathan Fillion, George Takei, Wil Wheaton, Dulé Hill, Simon Pegg, Kaley Cuoco, Eliza Dushku and all the other celebrities active on social media for all the extraordinary entertainment you have provided; and thank you for letting us in on just a tiny part of your lives.

/cheers!

Friendship Exists Without Borders

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On June 13, 2012

In General Cogitation

An interesting concept occurred to me the other day. In our world today, with various social mechanisms and online activities and games, the process of making friends and maintaining relationships has changed. The way our parents are use to it is old fashioned and out dated. Friendships can be forged without the need to meet face-to-face. We live in a world without borders and, as a result, its a little naive to think that a friendship can only exist if you have met physically. After all you are friends with someone for their personality, not their body.

In fact I would even go so far as to say that making friends outside your town, state, time zone or even country is a great way to experience different cultures. There is a significant percentage of people that never go to college which is a great place to meet people from different parts of the country and/or world. Therefore instruments like Facebook, Google+ and MMOs allows everyone the opportunity to meet other people. You never know what you might have in common with someone from California or New York. You don’t need to be able to invite them out for coffee or lunch just to be friends.

I’m also not suggesting you throw yourself out there haphazardly. There are a lot of creepy people out there that give social media a bad connotation. Please be careful when you are handing out even your full name and email. The threat of identity theft is scary but use a little common sense and discretion and just be yourself. I have more friends then I can count on two hands that I have never met physically that I know I can trust and thinking that those people are not actually “friends” is just obtuse.

Cheers!

Soapbox: What Is With The Whining?!?

By

On April 13, 2012

In General Cogitation, Soapbox

OMG, what is with all the whining!!?? Yes, I am aware that I am whining about whining. It isn’t hypocrisy, its cognitive dissonance. So be that as it may, there seems to be a lot of people whining about everything recently. UI changes, patches; are we, as a society, so spoiled that our immediate reaction to change is to focus on the negative?? I am fully in favor of technology evolving to bring us information faster but a pitfall of instant gratification is we seem to always expect the results to be perfect and we whine about it when it isn’t perfect.

I hate to tell you this folks, but there is no such thing as perfect. There is no such thing as 100% and if you always expect perfection from someone else doing the work then you will forever exist in disappointment.

Whaaaa! Too Much White Space!!!!

Whaaaa! They Nerfed My Class!!!!

WHAAAAA! **TIMELINE!!!!

If you think you can do it better, then get to work but remember that human beings are imperfect therefore anything we create will also be imperfect. Why can’t we be grateful for the positives of change and understand that nearly everything in technology is iterative; meaning that it will constantly change and, in theory, improve with each iteration.

This is the problem with social media, the loudest people on the Internet are typically the most ungrateful! Buck Up, Sally!!!!!

/end soapbox

** For clarification, I have made some negative comments about Timeline in the past but it has been merely for propaganda purposes. Personally, I have no issue with Timeline.

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