I think saying that many are on Facebook because they like to brag is a little over the top. I've seen very little of it, and I have lots of 'connections' on Facebook. Maybe it's my age group, but we're all just a bunch of people who like to banter back and forth, stay connected when our busy lives keep us from doing so.
As for Twitter, that, to me, is neurotic networking. I don't see the point, but then again, millions do, so who am I to judge?
Who said anything about facebook??
If you read my post again, I said grant it I have not seen many and the ones that I have seen is because people actually took the time to point them out to me. Obviously those are going to be ridiculous since someone actually wanted to show them to me.
Over the top, not at all.
I know what I have seen.
Although as you said, it could be your age group.
My kids seem to like those groups and they use to always ask me if they could make me a page or whatever but I just don't see the point.
I talk to who I want to talk to already and if I want to see how someone is doing I pick up the phone or send them a note.
I don't see how it takes any longer than logging on to a computer and looking someone up and then writing them a message that way.
It seems the world gets more impersonal by the day.
I will e-mail people if I am already on the computer but don't make a point of doing it as my mode of contact.
I prefer face time myself to get to know my people.
But then I have found the most interesting people I know are the ones who reveal themselves slowly, you find these great little bits of information about them here and there as you get to know them, rather than the ones that lay everything out on the table at once as they do in those profiles or pages or whatever they are called.
Personal info overload.
As for seeing not only bragging but complete fabrications on these groups, absolutely have seen it.
It wasn't all that long ago I was visiting a friend who knows that I don't do those social groups so I would not have seen some of the stuff she had seen and wanted to show it to me.
So she brings me over to the computer to show me a picture of someone I know that is "acting" like a biker, posting pictures of her posing on a motorcycle and writing all this ridiculous stuff and it was not even close to the truth.
She also wrote about how she has a vacation place in the next state over, which is actually a camper that she leaves on her sister in law's property because she doesn't have room at her house.
I have known her my entire life. The life she portrayed was a fantasy.
Then there was a guy I know who is married and the father of 4 who wrote all about this great life he leads, only it was all completely untrue.
He was bragging about things that he does not own or were really misrepresented, as in him leaning against "his" hot rod car, please, he listed hobbies he does not partake in and failed to mention in all his musings that he is married with 4 kids.
How do I know this all to be lies? He is married to my best friend.
Thats a major consideration in these social groups and any online outlet, anyone can make up anything they want to and portray themselves in any light they feel like. So who is to say what is true and real and who is embellishing their lives?
Some of the stuff they say is partially true but grossly exaggerated others are outright lies.
Its always seemed to me that when people feel the need to talk themselves up its because their life is lacking somewhere else and they need an outlet to pump themselves up and maybe even a way to portray themselves as how they wish they really were.
No one is going to write that their life blows, they are stuck in a dead end job, their marriage is the pits, their kids are out of control, they are going bald, they gained weight, they are broke.....
I have to wonder why these people don't stop to think that maybe someone who really knows them will read what they wrote and call them out on it.
They have this unrealistic sense of annonymity on the internet.
Some were blatant and others just found a way to squeeze things in here in there. Like oh the weather is so nice out today and speaking of weather did you know that I just got a promotion and speaking of today did you hear I have more money than you?
I see that happen in any online type of outlet including forums though so its not just those groups.
There is a huge difference between sharing things about your life and showing off.
How about the people who were showing off their pictures and stories of whatever(obviously less than desirable) activity they were doing and then couldn't get a job or got fired for their antics because their employer or potential employer saw what they posted?
