Unoriginal Facebook

I like the tool known as Facebook. When I was faced with a decision to remain in Winnipeg or move to Ottawa, where I basically knew nobody, knowing that I could remain connected to the people in my life that matter helped sway my decision to move. As we all know, Facebook helps you know what's happening in your friends lives without having to call, text, or write a letter. This is most useful if you live a long way from a lot of your friends and family.

Now here's the thing, Facebook used to be a bastion of original content. Users would write on each other's wall and provide status updates about what is happening in their lives. It was a human interaction over the internet. However, as the platform has evolved, different types of users have evolved.

We have the guilt trippers. You know the people who copy and paste someone's status that says a small percentage will copy and paste this for an hour and only my true friends will do it to raise awareness for the cause of the hour. Let's be honest, this is just an extension of hashtag activism. These are so common that I can't imagine too many people read them to the end anymore.

We have the angry re-posters. These are the folks who have a burr under their saddle about something and post meme after meme that says this group is not good or the government should be doing this with a request to like and share if you agree. Nothing here is original.

There are those who share recycled content. It's usually something funny, a meme or a short clip. The content keeps popping up for a couple of months, sometimes from a different source but it gets so much retread action that eventually, nobody is liking or commenting on it. They don't even stop as they scroll past anymore.

There are all the MLM sales pitches. I work in sales. This is my advice to you, prospect with your vocal chords. People don't like to say no, so make them say no, not write no, say no. It's real easy to scroll past you and say nothing, which doesn't make you any money. No matter how well written your post is, it doesn't force action or a response. It's ok to remind people what business you are in but don't expect this reminder to make you any money. Set up a business page and drive users there after they become prospects. Facebook is much more effective at staying in contact with your customers than creating new customers.

There are the people who still post about what's up in their lives. I mostly reside here. I know my posts proclaiming victory for my favourite sports teams are not particularly original. However, I do like to post about what I see, usually something good that's happened to me or info that I feel people would appreciate such as career changes (there has been a few lately) a cool moment, a picture I took that captured my imagination or a selfie (especially with my super-awesome girlfriend.) I like this content. I like to see what is going on with the people who matter to me. I like to share some of what is going on around me.

I admit, I'm no expert at providing the best mix of content on Facebook. I have friends who share and write a much better mix than I do. I look forward to their updates as I'm often surprised, inspired, or provoked. They often generate great discussion. They make me smile and make me think. I wish there was more of them in my news feed. 

So much of Facebook is unoriginal content. So many people don't share what they are thinking. They post an article but don't say why they feel the need to share that piece or simply write is 'lol.' I know that when you say something original you open yourself up to criticism. I know it's discouraging. I know it's easier to post a funny video and there is a place for those. However, be original. It can help you grow. It can make you think. In the comments ask questions. Find out why the poster feels this is important enough to post. Learn about yourself and the people around you. Say something to spark a conversation. Ask why does it have to be this way. Pose a better way. Say something about your day. Cheer for the home team. 

Facebook is a platform. It does not create content, that's user generated. So, to make everyone's online experience better, put more original content on Facebook. It will ultimately lead to a richer experience for everyone.

Original Thought

As our online existence continues to mature what we share with each other seems to be changing. Maybe it's just my online experience but I have noticed that a lot of what is being directed toward me from people I stay in contact with is not original.

I'm not saying there is not a lot of original content on the Internet. People are making new stuff everyday. However, it seems that my News Feed on Facebook and my Twitter feed has a lot of reposted material. A lot of it is pictures of cats, other posts have witty slogans or attempts to explain what some perceive as stupidity in the world. Some of it funny, some of it is insightful, a lot of it is lame.

I do repost things from time to time. Often it's a link to a news story I come across. It may not be important news but it is interesting to me. Back in the 90's people used to fax jokes around, as that decade wound up and email became more commonplace, much of the humor was send over the Internet. It seems the medium has moved to social media.

One of the revolutions of social media was that anyone could say what they wanted to everyone or to a controlled audience. It was easier than ever before to express yourself. It seems that for a lot of people it has become an easier way to share someone else's ideas or creations.

There are two reasons I can think of why my newsfeed is full of recycled material. They are not mutually exclusive and may both have some impact on why people post what they post.

Most people are not very creative. It may be because we live busy lives or we just can't seem to express our thoughts but most people are just not very original. They find it a lot easier to express how they are feeling or try to make you laugh with someone else's content. It is more convenient, you can't deny that. There are people who seem to have a lot of time on their hands and I'm sure they produce their share of bad content but if you make enough, you will have some good ones.

People don't want to be to honest online. If you repost someone else's content, it's their idea and you didn't say it if there is backlash. You can say how you feel but you have a veil of protection. You don't put yourself all the way out there. It feels safer.

I have no problem with people reporting others content. Some of it is really good and makes me laugh. That being said people should have the courage to put some of their own ideas out there. Let's be honest, we can only look at so many pictures of cats acting like people.