The Feeling is Mutual…
Just what if, we had to treat people in the cyber world like we treat people in the analog world?
I don't mean like flipping people off from the safety of our moving vehicles.
That would be more like all the passive aggressive comments and statuses we see all the time. So I guess in that sense we do.
OK, here's an example:
What if Facebook, just like friend requests, sent “unfriend” requests too? Just like friending, you could send your new “unfriend” a message, and let them know why you have chosen said action.
_________________________________________________________________________
You are sending an unfriend request to: Person "B"
[ ] Personal
[ ] Not Personal
[x] Other
If "Other" please, explain: Well, to be perfectly honest, we weren't that good of friends in real life, and I think if we're going to remain friends we should end this facebook thing.
[x] Personal Explanation
(Click here to hide explanation on post.)
_________________________________________________________________________
Then they would have the opportunity to accept or decline...of course, since it's not a courtesy we often extend in our day to day relationships, you wouldn’t have to explain anything, you could just unfriend them.
They’d just be informed that you were doing so, instead of looking at the number of friends they have and noticing that the count went from 1,000 to 999, and thus their friend quota was not met.
Maybe they could even have the option to ask,”Why?“.
_________________________________________________________________________
Person "A" has decided to unfriend you. The Other option has been selected.
Explanation: Well, to be perfectly honest, we weren't that good of friends in real life, and I think if we're going to remain friends we should end this facebook thing.
Please select one of the following to respond:
[x] Mutually Agreed
[ ] Reluctantly Agreed
[ ] Agreed, with further explanation requested.
Response: You're a jerk!
[ ] Personal Response
(Click here to hide explanation on post.)
_________________________________________________________________________
I mean, since we’re apparently “friends” and all, that seems pretty fair, right?
Again, just like friending, Facebook could heighten the effect even more, by then posting on persons A & B’s walls,
_________________________________________________________________________
Person “A” has unfriended person “B”.
This decision was: Mutually Agreed
Person "A" Explanation is: Personal
Person "B" Response is: You're a jerk!
Then person "C" could remark:
Person "C" says: That's probably a good thing. We were all sick of your angry banter back and forth cluttering up our walls and hijacking our posts..
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It certainly has is flaws, but it's just a what if.
Then again, maybe art is imitating life.
Maybe Facebook is just a reflection of real life, and that's why it allows us to slip away unnoticed, and without explanation.
So sad.
d(-_-)b
(Revised from original posting on July 2, 2010 )
