The Worst Social Media Etiquette Faux Pas: Love!

by Kenneth Frawley
Published on July 20, 2014

 

Social media is simply brilliant! To dispute that notion would be incredibly inaccurate, and rather disingenuous. For, in reality, everything in modern society is linked to, and reliant upon, social media (SM) tools. Television, cinema, shopping, business and personal communications, all are easily accessible via a simple click of a button. What could be simpler?

Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for that technology, as visible in the mounds of negative and painful rubbish that appears on SM sites: the typos, the unthinking, irrational, emotional venting, the flaming, and the bullying. Additionally, the Internet is also awash with clowns, like BillyBobNeck who posts videos to rant-out his societal views, such as how soccer is America's pathway to socialism. However, a more egregious affront to civilised SM etiquette comes from ‘friends’ in love. Yes, that’s right! Love, it can be extremely nauseating online!

Not all love posts are equal. Mothers sharing photos of the new baby, grandparents boasting about their grandkids, pet lovers showcasing their favourite hound, or horse; even if those can be a bit much at times, they are forgivable. Yes, the photo of a shirtless male on a dating social site is rather disgustingly pathetic. Yet, believe it or not, that is not the worst SM etiquette faux pas being committed on a massive scale. That blunder, which cannot be forgiven, lies in the mush, a kind of teenaged puppy-love that all too often adults, even generally reasonable people, fall victim to. It’s known as the, ‘we’re so happy’ syndrome. Facebook, sadly, is littered with such exchanges:

‘A misses B’

‘B misses A, back!’

‘Can’t wait to see you, when I return.’

‘Me, too!’

‘I’m blowing you a kiss.’

‘Me, too!’

Nothing turns the stomach quicker than such Facebook (FB) exchanges, which are made even more grotesque by a third party who has witnessed the puppy-love and felt compelled to salute the love-drunk pair.

‘Ah, you two are so cute. I’m so happy for you both.’

Probably, the worst of the worst is the love shout-out, that painful outburst that has all who witness the uncomfortable fiasco saying, silently to themselves, ‘Ouch! That’s embarrassing.’ In truth, it’s rather like a scene from Coming To America in which Akeem needs to shout out to the world, whether it wants to hear it or not, that he’s walking on air, because he’s in love with, sorry, what’s her name?

Though a serious SM posting to the poster, to all else, well, awkward is the only way to describe such gushing, regardless of the subsequent cheering-on by friends. Making matters worse, the horrid shout-out is usually accompanied by a proudly taken, and posted, photo of the over-the-moon (OTM) couple.

‘The first year with Myrna has been one of the best years of my life.
I'm so lucky she's in my life. SMOOCH! — with Myrna.’

Tragically, such vile gushing is always praised by FB friends, when, in actuality, an act of true friendship would be to ask the couple to ease up on the love shout-outs. However, that train is never late. For, right on time, a second after the post, out of obligation, because FB friends’ postings simply cannot be ignored, the cheering-on, whether sincere or not, pops up:

Oh, I just love seeing you two together!’ remarks one friend.

‘The sight of you two makes me smile,’ writes a second.

My heart is happy at the sight of you two,’ adds a third.

Yes, love may be a grand thing, but not in front of the kids, please!

 

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