I joined Facebook in 2008. Like most neophytes I found it pretty alluring. Reconnect with long lost friends! Play free games! Announce my “status” to the world! Discover which superhero I was just by answering a few questions! It was intoxicating, especially to a social media virgin. (Full disclosure: I briefly boarded the clunky My Space train years earlier, but quickly hopped off at the first exit. Who is Tom and why is he already my friend?)
As the newness luster dulled and the rose tint faded from my eyes it became clear what a time suck Facebook could be. Thus began a deliberate, if protracted, withdrawal. The amount of time I spent on the Zuckerberg monster started to drop and here we sit 3+ years later. Facebook is now simply another site which I visit occasionally, mostly to wish “Happy Birthday” to a friend, post photos, or provide links to my blog ramblings. Sometimes I’ll share other stuff I find interesting, but by and large my infatuation has scattered in the wind.
When I reflect on the path of my Facebook journey it occurrs to me how overrated I now consider the whole deal. I know what you’re thinking: 500,000,000 members can’t be wrong. But guess what. Simply because someone uses something doesn’t mean they think it’s all that and a pouch of gold nuggets. I know lots of folks who use Facebook far less than I do. I also know people who never joined and harbor no plans to do so in the near future, the lovely Ms. Trask among them. Still, 500,000,000 is a mighty big number. Even if 50% of those people aren’t all that infatuated with Facebook (and I believe the actual percentage of “The Disinterested” is lower) multitudes still love it. That qualifies it for “overrated” consideration.
This aspect is critical to understanding something’s potential to be overrated. Without a certain omnipresent adoration to begin with, how can it be overrated? You can’t say Detroit is overrated; most people don’t think too highly of it in the first place. The same goes for escargot or Mr. Bean. At least Facebook has a substantial number of rabid followers. And it is ridiculously omnipresent. Don’t misunderstand. Being overrated doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It means it’s tough to fathom how it can possibly be as good as the general consensus seems to believe. At least in your mind.
What else is overrated? What else is widely loved, but mysteriously thought of as being brilliant or amazing or awesome? Here are five things (including Facebook) which I find particularly overrated. They are presented in alphabetical order as not to weigh the overratedness of one against another.
– Facebook
– Fashion
– Jackson Pollock’s art
– Madonna
– Religion
I’m sure with deliberative thought I could come up with stuff I find even more overrated. But the holidays are here and time is short!
Let’s toss it back into your court. What about you? What five things are on your overrated list?
Jeez, I don’t know. It’s hard to come up with even two when I live so far up my own ass that I breathe through my own mouth…
Celebrities
Whoever leads the polls for the GOP, and politicians in general
Reality TV shows of any stripe
The Mainstream Media, TV in general, and Hollywood
bloggers who do nothing but bitch and moan to get laughs and have black and orange themed sites
LikeLike
That last one is so annoying.
LikeLike
Any and all “video” games
Politics
Fast food
Celebrities
Starbucks
LikeLike
I see a Starbucks trend emerging…
LikeLike
Tom Cruise
anorexic models
Starbucks
religion
most bestsellers
re Facebook etc: I have no doubt there will be people tweeting and F’booking and blogging all throughout this evening and all day tomorrow, while they are in church/opening presents/having family meals/whatever.
LikeLike
Even though I don’t drink coffee I have to agree with Starbucks!
LikeLike
Kim Kardashian
Megan Fox
Taylor Swift
Twilight (and the rest of the series)
Walmart
And on another note, I used to spend much time on Facebook too, and then I started a blog. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes although I don’t think Ms. K is highly thought of by anyone outside of her family.
LikeLike
Television
Internet
Hot or Not
Mitochondria
Pickles
Lists of 5 things
LikeLike
I happen to think Lists of 5 things is underrated. It’s List of 6 things whose time has come and gone.
LikeLike
Overrated?
HOLIDAYS! Bah friggin’ humbug
Yes, Facebook, where I not only have a wall but an artist’s page – masochist!
Flickr – I keep wondering what sense it makes, if any…
iPods (only use mine for running to the beats of Podrunner)
Luxury cars…
LikeLike
Luxury cars, totally overrated. Buy me one so I can test this theory!
LikeLike
Angry Birds
Football
Hunting
Jimmy Choo shoes
Dancing with the Stars
LikeLike
Better not let those birds see your list. If you thought they were angry before…
LikeLike
I was pretty gung-ho about FB at first..but now it’s just “okay” to me…I totally agree.
LikeLike
That dog no longer hunts.
LikeLike
Oh, geez, must I limit it to five?
~”Classes” for babies/tots
~Smart phones
~Fame, wealth, power & health
~Punctuality
~Television (all of it)
LikeLike
Oooo, good ones. I especially like “classes for babies/tots”.
LikeLike
I would add “babies and tots!” But that would make me a monster, wouldn’t it?
LikeLike
Agree with “smart phones” – insisted on the dumbest one in the store last time I got one!
Punctuality, however… ; )
LikeLike
Pffft. I used to think smart phones were overrated. Then I got one. I’m so easily swayed.
LikeLike
Facebook
Sushi
James Cameron’s movies
Religion
Fox News
LikeLike
Sushi? How dare you! 😉
LikeLike
Raw fish, surrounded by rice, surrounded by seaweed – yeah, I stand by my opinion of overrated.
LikeLike
Stop it. You’re making me hungry.
LikeLike
I’m with her on this one!
LikeLike
Well, you can’t be right about everything!
LikeLike