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Old 08-31-2016, 07:39 AM   #41
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I don't do FB because I prefer to ignore people to their face . But if someone proclaims something on their own page, I don't think that would bother me--I would just ignore it. I wouldn't get into a discussion about it anywhere.
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Old 08-31-2016, 08:10 AM   #42
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I follow the sage advice given to me by my dearly departed Dad.

One should never discuss politics or religion in mixed company.

In addition, I think it is typically best to look for those things we have in common rather than focus on those that divide us.
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Old 08-31-2016, 08:16 AM   #43
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I'm listening to a story on NPR about the demise of friendships on Facebook due to the current political environment.

And I also just read this last week: Trump and Clinton wreck Facebook friendships - POLITICO

I've muted many "friends" and family on Facebook because I just don't care to hear what they have to say right now. In real life, we're also finding ourselves steering away from people who are very vocal about their views that differ from ours.

I suspect this is happening to others as well. Have politics impacted who you talk to, or what you talk about?

Since this is the first post and the only one I have read so far I do not know if anybody has responded like me...


DON"T DO FACEBOOK!!!! Yep, I do not do facebook... I do have an account that I opened many many years ago and I still get emails from them I do not care to get, but I have not logged in in over 3 years, maybe more...

I do not see any advantages in it but do see the downside of letting a company make big money off me after I tell them everything about me and who my connections are...
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Old 08-31-2016, 08:28 AM   #44
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Originally Posted by Texas Proud View Post
Since this is the first post and the only one I have read so far I do not know if anybody has responded like me...


DON"T DO FACEBOOK!!!! Yep, I do not do facebook... I do have an account that I opened many many years ago and I still get emails from them I do not care to get, but I have not logged in in over 3 years, maybe more...

I do not see any advantages in it but do see the downside of letting a company make big money off me after I tell them everything about me and who my connections are...
For me, unfortunately, in order to stay in the loop of events to some interests and family news, a few years ago I reluctantly gave in. I'd find others talking about stuff and found myself saying "I was now aware of that" again and again.

That said, I'm not a serial FB poster like some.
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Old 08-31-2016, 09:03 AM   #45
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I have been shocked to learn, via FB, that a few of my friends and relatives have this exact same trait (a morbid rigidity on certain topics, which never showed itself in person) - and their viewpoints, to me, are especially shocking b/c they don't comport with the rest of the "person I know."

I also know one person who deactivated her own FB account because some of her friends asked her not to post any more disgusting, revolting pictures of animal abuse, not to mention satires of animal abuse (e.g. a tied-up woman being force-fed, a la geese being forcibly fattened for pate de foie gras).

As for the thread title: There is no one I won't exchange at least a few polite words with, except one person. I stopped speaking to a hateful, cruel supervisor. I have never worked for anyone so evil - well, actually, I have never worked for a truly bad person, other than this one. He managed to make everyone around him the worst they could be. It cost me professionally to get away from him, but I had to do it for the sake of my health.

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I un-friended one person because she was militant on one particular issue. Her posts were emotional, sometimes sensationalist, and she refused to respond to any other points of view, discuss possible mitigating factors, etc. She'd just parrot back her beliefs and that was that. It was a shame- I can usually find common ground with just about anyone- but I felt better immediately after detaching.

I
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Old 08-31-2016, 09:08 AM   #46
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The only people I really unfriend (or unfollow) are the folks who insist post posting Religious stuff all the time, or trying to bless me at every opportunity. Religion is private and not to be pitched on anyone IMHO. Most end up being family though LOL.
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Old 08-31-2016, 09:23 AM   #47
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+1

Politics in general, but especially the way it is being practiced in the US right now, encourages tribal behavior on the part of voters. Instead of being willing to consider differing approaches to dealing with issues, we simply pick a team and root for them with all our primitive might.
And you think this is a US only phenomenon?
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Old 08-31-2016, 09:32 AM   #48
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And you think this is a US only phenomenon?
Doesn't seem to occur in Pyongyang.
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Old 08-31-2016, 09:40 AM   #49
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I am registered on Facebook but only so I can look at certain Facebook pages... I don't friend anyone and have no intention to do so.... so I'm blissfully ignorant.

While I have some friends who are politically very different from me, we rarely talk politics and when we do it is very civil because we are friends.

I do have one friend who sends me emails that are sometimes annoying, but I find it as a good opportunity to educate him.

All things considered, not a big deal for me and to address the central question... I can't think of anyone that I am not speaking to because of politics... life is far to short for me to do that.
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Old 08-31-2016, 10:00 AM   #50
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And you think this is a US only phenomenon?
I have a few friends from all over the world. They act as it is.
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Old 08-31-2016, 10:44 AM   #51
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I don't share anything on Facebook but I like to see what some of DHs family is up to so I check theirs. It used to be all pictures and family event stuff. Lately, one sibling has been posting all kinds of political stuff with, "don't you agree?" and "YES!" attached to everything. And she believes anything on the internet is absolutely true. Yes, anything! But I don't "friend" any relatives and I don't want them friending me either. It's interesting to see where her politics lie, but I don't think I'd tell her I saw anything on her Facebook page.

DHs family is smart enough to know that everyone has their own opinion and that it's better to not discuss politics.
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Old 08-31-2016, 10:50 AM   #52
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I don't "do" Facebook.

The only people I am not currently speaking to are all dead. I wish I could have a few words with some of them again, but that may have to wait a bit.

If any of my current friends or family start talking about the current political situation, I make myself absent from the conversation.
+1
Brian Tracy used to call television "chewing gum for the mind." IMO, the same can be said for FB. I highly recommend reading The Seventh Sense to get an idea of the power relationships inherent in networked connections like FB and how they can be used for control. It's scary stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Sense...he+seven+sense

I never have "arguments" over something as silly as politics because the three things I refuse to talk to anyone about are religion, politics, and (just started in the last couple years) diet/exercise (everyone wants advice in this area while few, if any, follow through with it, in my experience). Deceased comedian George Carlin explains my "view" on politics--if I cared enough to have one--better than I ever could.
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Old 08-31-2016, 12:13 PM   #53
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It's interesting to see how polarizing Facebook has become when the initial intention was to "bring people together." Now, it's more like a news website's comment section except you now KNOW who the idiot posters are. I just don't see that there are any useful aspects to it (for me).

I have few regrets in life...but two of them are:

1) Didn't retire earlier
2) Didn't deactivate my FB account earlier
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Old 08-31-2016, 12:31 PM   #54
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I primarily use Facebook to expand my hobbies, but I have one 'friend' who spouts political banter daily in addition to his relationship woes. I thought about unfollowing him, but haven't yet. It's not too difficult for me to scroll over these posts and sometimes find something worth reading.


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Old 08-31-2016, 12:43 PM   #55
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I find I can quickly get updated on FB by skipping over politics, memes, pictures of food and animals, and any exhortations to copy and paste any post.

What little is left is often interesting.
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Old 08-31-2016, 12:47 PM   #56
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And you think this is a US only phenomenon?
No I don't - that's why I said "Politics in general".
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Old 08-31-2016, 01:38 PM   #57
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I've unfollowed a few "one-note pianos", and permanently hidden posts from many web sites/blogs (the usual suspects). I will say that some of the views espoused by my FB friends, if not a bit surprising, are definitely troubling.

I have, in the past, posted links to others' posts that I thought might present a more accurate or balanced view, all of which were promptly ignored, but lately I've put politics on "ignore". Better for my blood pressure.

Generally speaking, there are few that agree with my version of politics or religion, so I'm outnumbered...
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Old 08-31-2016, 01:53 PM   #58
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Same here. I do like animal pics and videos, though

Quote:
Originally Posted by kcowan View Post
I find I can quickly get updated on FB by skipping over politics, memes, pictures of food and animals, and any exhortations to copy and paste any post.

What little is left is often interesting.
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Old 08-31-2016, 02:20 PM   #59
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I only discuss politics with the folks who go into the voting booth with me - me, myself, and I.
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Old 08-31-2016, 02:36 PM   #60
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first, I've come to the conclusion that my definition of "friends" is vastly different than a lot of folks nowadays.
Next, I don't use facebook for important discussions and I'm leery of folks who do.
and lastly, which could probably sum up my feelings about FB, it's for entertainment purposes only
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