Facebook Groups

Right now on Facebook you have people associating themselves with dozens of groups and associations that support this or that cause. It seems harmless enough but I see an issue. In normal social circles we have Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and other “ats” and “ans.” Respectable people, who I’m sometimes not, adjust their discussions based on their company. For instance, if five conservatives are sitting together they may have a massive Obama slam fest. But guess what? If one friend in the group is a Democrat, they will avoid political discussions. I have friends that are liberal and friends that are conservative. I’m proud to know both and don’t want to offend either. Facebook however puts friendships in jeopardy.

Facebook is a great tool. I love its ability to rekindle friendships. I enjoy seeing pictures of their vacations and hearing about their hobbies. However, I’m not a fan of the myriads of political or social groups. They tend to alienate and offend rather than bring people together.

When people add these groups to their Facebook page they risk damaging friendships. I’m not saying people shouldn’t put their party affiliation on their page. But loading up with highly charged Facebook groups serves no good purpose. Nobody is going to be convinced or change their mind based on a weak association with a Facebook group. However, when you associate yourself with a group named “Obama is a Retard” or “I hate George Bush”, nobody benefits.