Why I Quit Facebook – The Most Un-Social Network

On February 4th, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and company unleashed Facebook on the world. It was arguably the world’s first true social networking website, and as you might have heard… it went on to become a pretty big deal. Myself and millions upon millions of other users rushed in to get accounts of our very own, so after all these years, why am I and so many other people finally giving Facebook the axe?

For me it started about a year ago when news over privacy concerns surrounding Facebook became more prominent. That wasn’t the sole reason, and though I couldn’t exactly articulate the cause of my growing unease, it continued until I finally deleted my Facebook account one week ago. In the end it was a book called Antifragile that finally pushed me over the edge. But I’m not here to dwell on that… no, instead I’m going to explain exactly why I dislike Facebook so much, and why I think deleting your Facebook account would be an extremely positive life decision.

So if you’re wondering how to delete an unfinished Facebook account, and why it would probably be a good idea, read on.

How do I Hate thee Facebook? Let me Count the Ways

When one hears the term social network, I think it’s fair to assume that they expect plenty of say, socializing. Long conversations with old friends, planning grandiose (or small scale) outings with friends both old and new… deep, insightful (or at least personal), well thought out messages and comments about photos…. good memories shared, and plenty of new ones created too. At least, that’s what I expected. But after having been a member of the site for many years, you know what? I didn’t see any of that. Instead, I found Facebook to be one of the least social forms of socializing I could possibly do.

Do you remember what it was like before the advent of Likes? I certainly do, and I miss it dearly. It was that magical time when a person could share something they found interesting, and people would actually comment on it with their opinions and thoughts and everything! You know, like… having a conversation. That seems to be a novel concept in the modern world of Facebook, with people simply deferring to the far easier, minimally taxing Like button. With just a single click, you too can express that you Like your friends status update about drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. Which brings me to my next and final point…

For some completely inexplicable reason, people started treating Facebook as a way to express every moment of their existence no matter how inconsequential. Just had a burger at Five Guys? Better check in! Heading to a club? Better write a status update! These events are so life changing that who wouldn’t want to hear about them? I honestly don’t understand it, and this is probably the number one reason I decided to finally delete my Facebook account: the sheer volume of useless crap. If you’re one of the people I’ll no longer be receiving your daily horoscope from, then I’m so very sorry. I hope you can find the strength to live without me.

Deleting Facebook – Then What?

Perhaps you’re thinking about deleting Facebook, or maybe you’re even ready to take the plunge. Either way, there’s a simple way to delete your Facebook account once and for all. Take a deep breath, and when you’re ready, head over to this website and begin the process. In short order you’ll be free of Facebook, and you can begin your new life, free of Facebook’s death grip.

What will you do with all that extra time? That, my friend, is up to you. The world is your oyster, but I can tell you one thing, there are a whole lot of people out there… maybe you can even talk to some of them in person.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON

in

Life Advice

Photo of author

Chad

Chad is the co-founder of Unfinished Man, a leading men's lifestyle site. He provides straightforward advice on fashion, tech, and relationships based on his own experiences and product tests. Chad's relaxed flair makes him the site's accessible expert for savvy young professionals seeking trustworthy recommendations on living well.

11 comments on “Why I Quit Facebook – The Most Un-Social Network”

  1. I deleted my account a few weeks back for similar reasons. In addition to useless posts I got fed up with offensive posts as well. You learn things about people you prob just don’t want to know.

    Reply
  2. I’d actually love to know how Taleb’s book got you to make that decision. I have to admit I haven’t read it yet as I’m still in the middle of Black Swan, but I’m fairly aware of his concept of ‘antifragility’.

    Reply
    • Sure, let me explain.

      The long and the short of it is not so much a matter of it making me more antifragile (to what, I don’t know), but instead an offhand comment Taleb made about the inherent un-socialness of social networks. He believes (and I agree), that when it comes to marketing, what’s true is often the opposite of how something is described. ie: calling something a social network, or good value, etc. If they actually possessed these qualities, then they would be obvious to people without having to be explicitly stated. A person who is “cool” doesn’t go around telling people he’s cool; people just know this from his behavior. If a person is going around telling people he’s cool, then he probably isn’t.

      Reply
          • I didn’t. I deactivated my account two years ago I think, only to get it back a few months later. Being a student, I actually find it useful. It is the main source of information for all student-related social activities, especially for people who don’t live near campus. But to be honest, I wouldn’t use it if most of the others actually knew there are alternative means of communication. And I probably won’t use it anymore after college. The fact that I use it doesn’t mean I find it ‘social’. It is convenient, at most.

  3. I wanted to add something to all these comments.I agree 100% with the first comment,facebook isnt what it once was,matter of fact it has become more like a place that people can go and find almost anything that can and will cause you problems.I have been hacked 3 times in one week,and facebook does nothing to try to stop the problems.They have not told the public about the changes they made about showing your pictures all over the internet without your constent.I have seen my own pictures and to be honest that really made me rethink about posting anymore of my personnal pictures or just anything that has my personnal buieness on facebook.You will find out that facebook is going down hill.Did you know in December alone of 2012 in the UK,facebook has lost over 960,000 users..Thats a high number for just one month.Let me tell you Zurker is the all new social network that allows the members to own shares with the company.All the books are open for the members to see where every dime has went.Zurker is the best its still in beta testing but when it goes public its going to shut facebook down.

    Reply
  4. By the way, nice article. Day by day millions of people join Facebook and other social site, so it’s time to push back.

    Reply

Leave a Comment