Remember the children’s game “Telephone”. You know you sit in a big circle and one person whispers a phrase or sentence into the person’s ear that is sitting next to them. Then each person whispers the phrase into the next person’s ear until you get to the end of the line. Once there the last person says aloud what they heard. It rarely is the exact same thing that is said in the beginning.
Sort of like gossip. As its repeated, things are left out, added, embellished upon. Maybe its happened to you. You shared something with somebody and then a few days later someone you know asks you about it. Only its not anywhere near the story you told the first person. I don’t think you can take it personally. Its just human nature. I guess if you don’t want rumors spreading about yourself you just have to learn not to talk about yourself.
This game came back into my mind this weekend. Beginning Saturday my feed was filled with the following:
FACEBOOK JUST RELEASED THEIR PRICE GRID FOR MEMBERSHIP SERVICES $9.99 PER MONTH FOR GOLD MEMBERSHIP SERVICES $6.99 FOR SILVER SERVICES $3.99 FOR BRONZE MEMBERSHIP SERVICES FREE IF YOU COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WHEN YOU SIGH ON IN THE MORNING YOU WILL BE ASKED FOR PAYMENT INFO IT IS OFFICIAL IT WES EVEN ON THE NEWS FACEBOOK WIL START CHARGING DUE TO NEW PROFILE CHANGERIF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUEAND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU PLEASE PASS THIS OHN IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELEATED IF YOU DO NOT PAY
Now this particular post irritated me on several levels. First of all I hate status posting that require you to copy and paste to show your support for someone’s particular disease, cause, family member day, or what ever. Secondly, the very fact that it is written in all uppercase letters drives me absolutely nuts. Third, there is no punctuation at all in this status. Finally it is totally and blatantly untrue.
Maybe some people don’t realize that just because you read it on Facebook doesn’t make it true. I would suggest searching the internet or using sites such as snopes.com before reposting. If you are seeing it already posted all over your Facebook feed, chances are the rest of your friends are too. So there really isn’t any need to repost it.
Facebook is full of all kinds of people. Some looking for trouble or maybe starting trouble. Stirring the pot if you will. But mostly people are just trying to stay connected to the world around them.