I have a confession, that for those who know me well will not come as a surprise. I love Facebook, am probably slightly addicted to it. For me it is the perfect tool to use in our busy lives . It gives a one stop shop for keeping in touch with friends and relatives. Seeing photo’s of our nieces and nephews. Sending and receiving party invitations and reminders of peoples birthdays 
I have used it for years, and don’t want to stop. But why do I feel I have to censor myself on it, and other social media sites? Does everyone feel like this? I like to think I am an honest person, if someone asks my opinion, I will give it. If someone I know is making, what I think is the wrong decision, I will try to discuss it with them, I try to make sure they have all the information. OK……I try and get them to agree with me, but I do it nicely!
I see statuses most days that make me wince, that make me sad, or make me downright angry but why don’t I tell those people so? Why do I move past, not commenting at all, or just offering a generic response? Why I am scared of telling people who are supposed to be friends, family, people close to me, the truth?
I think I may have stumbled across the reason. There are people on my list who are acquaintances, not friends. Who are friends of friends, or people I have met through work, through volunteering and through play groups and/or schools. I don’t put my honest thoughts in case those people see and get offended.
Is that normal? Do I really care if they don’t agree with my stance on fast food? Should I worry if they raise an eyebrow at my musings on TV’s in children’s bedrooms?
Maybe, shock horror, they don’t agree with me? Maybe they want to tell me I am a weird hippy with unrealistic views on the world. So what? If they REALLY don’t like what I say they can delete me can’t they….”un friend” me…and if I don’t like their honesty I can do the same to them. Go back to the “good old days” and communicate with those people by email or phone if I need to, where I can safely censor the content without worry. Leaving my book of faces full of like minded folks and those open to honest, frank discussion, it sounds too good to be true
I am planning a test, I might start being honest – really honest. If people don’t like it, they can talk to me about it, I LOVE a good debate and who knows maybe I will find common ground with people that we never knew we had. If it really offends them then maybe it would be better for both parties if we parted Facebook ways and carried on with our lives safe in the knowledge that we won’t offend or get offended as we scroll through pictures of peoples dinners and videos of kids falling off of slides.
Am I brave enough…..I wonder……
