Is an Age of Facebook Discontent arriving or, perhaps, already here? Lately I’ve noticed an increasing number of Facebook members expressing a level of dissatisfaction above and beyond the normal American tendency to whine and snivel incessantly.
The trend seems to have begun in earnest with Facebook’s latest changes to the Home page. All of a sudden, members seemed seriously teed off. The comments ranged from a simply-stated irritation at an inability to find the Logout button all the way to a call for a one day boycott. In at least one case, someone established a Facebook page calling for a return to the prior home page.
Others expressed their intent to hook up with Google Buzz, giving as a reason their desire to connect with a younger, more attractive crowd. Still others noted that, yes, Facebook seems to have become overpopulated with geezers and geezettes. A social networking tool originally designed for the college crowd now appeals primarily to the AARP generation.
All of these may have a degree of validity behind them. I’ve complained about having “lost” the Logout button myself. But I think the expressed dissatisfactions are a reflection of a peculiarly American trait, a desire or even a need for change. We seem to have short attention spans. The pleasure of the moment quickly yields to a new toy or delight.
Someone once said “Variety is the spice of life.” Americans are always looking for something different. That sense of adventure may be embedded in our DNA. Whatever.
Relax.
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