I don’t remember anything I see on Facebook

I don’t remember what I see on the newsfeed.I don’t remember what I commented on.I don’t remember what my comment said.

Ever since I finished college, I found myself using Facebook less. Even while I was in Japan, I could use Facebook to keep in touch with others but nothing was fully relevant based on where I was. I didn’t post pictures so people didn’t always know what I was up to at the time. 4 years later at 26 I find myself using it even less.

I could be browsing through a 100 stories on Facebook and not recall anything the next day. There are little blips and memories when I see posts of people I know but that’s it.I started joining in on the Facebook bashing.

“Facebook isn’t that useful anymore, compared to when we were in college, or when Grandmas and Grandpas weren’t on yet.”

Most of my friends use Facebook to casually browse, but not post.

Where Facebook fits

Recently I’ve started to rediscover a place where Facebook does fit. When I meet new people in the city through my friends or at some event, adding them on Facebook becomes very valuable. If it’s a professional connection, adding them on LinkedIn means I’ll never interact with them ever again. Twitter is tricky because you don’t know how crazy of a tweeter that person is. Facebook allows you to casually message people whenever you want, even if it’s just to say what’s up. You can also passively comment on anything new that they are up to and start a conversation around that. It’s very different than text, phone, and email. Those 3 mediums feel very direct. When you’re building a new relationship with any new person, there are different levels of engagement. It’s the same with talking with someone in person. Adding someone on Facebook is casual and non-threatening. There aren’t any expectations from both sides unlike email, text, and phone. It’s still the same fit as in the past, but with more emphasis on engaging with other’s content, rather than creating your own.

You might be saying “Duh that’s how I’ve always used it” but think back to all of the different people you’ve briefly met in person whose number/email you got instead of connecting on Facebook. Think about how many times you interact with that person, how you interact with them, and what you know about them.

While I don’t remember anything I see on Facebook, I do remember how I met the person that is posting and when the last time I talked to them was. When I want to reconnect with them, they are only a few words away, and that’s all I need to remember.