What's your Facebook Pet Peeve? Here's Our 5

Facebook being a social network is an assembly ground for all sorts of people. At times we forget that it's Facebook, a place where you can unwind, and do silly things, post pictures and funny statuses and make fun of friends - in essence, have a good time in. Then there are other people who do the oddest of things which are nothing but a source of petty annoyances.

As you read my half-hearted pleas to these individuals, see if any of them are familiar sights on your Facebook wall.

1. Please don't spoil movies

Do you have that family member or friend who sits with you through a movie you have yet to watch, then spoils the movie scene by scene? Oh, I hate them so so much, and I won't be ashamed to give them a piece of my mind when they do that. It's like having a villain monologue through his evil plans in your living room.

With Facebook, this is now way worse. Within the first week of a movie's release, there will be 'friends' grading the movie, spoiling the best scenes and best lines all in a battery of statuses with no alert and no warnings - you can't even turn away in time!

Here's a thought:

Don't spoil movies for other movie-goers. You know what you can do? Write about it on your blog or go join fan forums to celebrate or mock the movie there. Facebook is not your review column. If no one asked you how the movie was, please don't go around giving away the secrets, twists and surprises of the movie at least until tickets to the movie stop selling out.

2. Please Keep PDAs in your Room

We're all for nice people finding love, getting together, deciding to settle down and take the plunge to start a family. We get that. We really do. But once the PDA (public display of affection) hits reality-show level, public response will also take a dive from an "awww, that's so sweet of Jack," to "ewww, my goosebumps are tearing through my skin - make it stop, make it stop!"

(Image source: Freevector)

Here's a thought:

We enjoy a good love story and happy endings, but as with everything that ensures a healthy lifestyle, the key is moderation. Besides, flower bouquets and the size of the rock on her fingers are (maybe) for show but love declarations for honey bun and gingerbread man are meant to be kept between the two lovebirds; so why not keep it that way? Facebook is not your love nest. *whispers* There are children in there! Have some dignity.

3. Please don't rant or scream at us

What did we do to deserve "What in the world is wrong with you, you fat jerk?" or insults like… erm, I don't know, I can't think of any good examples to slot in here. You know why? Because I don't read them. These rants are obviously not directed to your Facebook friends (me), and chances are the person who should be receiving this (fat jerk) is not even a Facebook friend of yours. So why do it? Why post such distressing statuses to vent your frustrations at the expense of others?

Here's a thought:

Instead, why not take to the status bar and tell them (as in describe briefly, not make a novel of) the terrible day you had, how that nasty colleague of yours stole your handmade sandwich, then said it was horrible which made it even worse, because you made it. (What? I just suggested no ranting. I'm not asking you to be a saint.) We are a sympathetic crowd and we love to lend a shoulder for you to cry on as long as you don't barge into our comfort zone going Sparta on all our hinds because someone else incurred your wrath. Vent, but please don't let your frustration rub off on people who read your statuses. Facebook is not your psychiatrist or online journal.

4. Please don't plan your wedding with Facebook Events

Really? Would you really plan your wedding with Facebook? Is there nothing sacred about a promise of everlasting union between two souls who are in love? What happened to proper invitations with RSVP wedding cards and a call to declare that he has finally proposed, and almost just as important, the planning of the bachelor(ette) party?

Where is the fun in getting people to click 'Join' or 'Decline'?

Here's a thought:

Facebook is not your wedding planner - and is useless as one. If these people you are inviting are close friends, you would stay in direct communication with them all the way to the wedding day itself. If you can't find the time to call the rest of them it will be hard to get a proper head count for the wedding reception, because despite the 900 million accounts, not everyone logs into Facebook regularly enough.

You can however make use of Facebook Events to deliver information like directions to the venue, inform them of the wedding theme if you have one, list your contact number, or to thank everyone who had taken the time to make your wedding day a special one.

5. Please don't complain about your job

I once watched a business show where a successful 60-year-old entrepreneur was interviewed about how he started his career in his business. He said that back then there was no such thing as stress. Stress was only invented by the generations that came after him. "Back then, you either work, or you starve." How's that for a dose of reality?

The youths of today are using their Facebook accounts to complain about how much work they have to deal with, or how thoughtless their bosses are to make them stay back to do more work, or how their life is only about work and nothing else. The same batch of people chose to ignore the fact that they have a stable job; that under today's labour laws they are properly compensated for their extra working time, and that they work in safe, well-lit and comfortable environments - if you can still Facebook from your workplace, then you're one of the luckier ones.

To add to this, let's not forget the fact that most of them are not working to put bread on the table; they are working to pay off their cars and house loans.

Here's a thought:

If you don't see CEOs or organisation leaders complaining about their work or responsibilities, it's probably because they know better not to. Rather than take to Facebook, which shows all our good and bad sides, company leaders use other ways to relax, re-energise and reboot. I suggest you do the same by using Facebook to reconnect with friends outside the workplace, and leave behind unhappy experiences back at work. There is a need to compartmentalize in order to continue moving forward.

Conclusion

Believe me, I love my friends to bits but on a day when I am a lesser person, these things will really get to me. And I believe that there are things that I do that annoy other people as well. But let's not just be critical, let's be constructive. If you have any Facebook pet peeves you want to share, and some remedies to suggest, have your say in the comments section.