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Comment by Kequc | Hacker News Reader

I deleted my facebook account about 5 years ago and I haven't regretted it for one day. From my perspective the people that use facebook are weak. They use it because other people tell them to use it and no other reason. If they don't see that then they are even weaker.

Companies that brand through facebook are worse. The company is such a bad one that the only way it builds its customer base is by appealing to these people.

The whole thing is depressing.

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It's a communication tool, just like email, phone and letters. "Using" it does not have to mean you're on it for hours a day. My main purpose for using it is to keep in contact with people who live far away from me, and to organize meeting up with people who live near me. I find it strange that you think that makes me "weak."

> It's a communication tool, just like email, phone and letters.

Except that it's a public company that makes money selling your data to advertisers. It's a very important difference compared to letters, phone or (to a certain extent) email.

Except it doesn't actually sell your data to advertisers. It gives advertisers the ability to target people with certain types of data for a limited amount of time. They don't deliver your data to them.

I sincerely hate the term "selling data". No one "sells data". It's a term I think people use because it sounds scarier.

Or maybe they actually know people with whom they want to stay in touch.

Having elderly relatives you care about doesn't make you "weak".

I'd say if you haven't used a website in 5 years your opinion is pretty weak. This is like saying iPhones are crap and you stopped using them 5 years ago. There's been many product iterations since then in both cases.

I guess it depends on the age group. But Facebook is how I keep in contact with all of my friends that moved away/don't live in my area.

I've deactivated my Facebook account too, but it wasn't weakness that kept me there. Just like with anything, moderation is the key. If you can't do that then the best thing to do is delete. But I wouldn't call >1 billion people on Facebook 'weak.'

I would. Naked apes strive for status: facebook is (sort of) a super-version of that striving. If I were an alien tasked with invading earth, I'd figure out a way to convince humans that surrendering would get them laid. Since there are so many humans, their ancestors must have wanted to reproduce; therefore, they probably do too. It targets their weakness, ergo, they're weak. There's no shame in it.

It seems like your definition of weak would include most high status people. That feels like not a great or useful definition.

Seeing how there is a huge number of drug users amongst the richest, I am unsure if grandparent was on to something or not.

I didn't realize there were brushes broad enough to paint a billion and change people with.

So you're redefining "engaging in behavior likely to lead to reproduction" as "weakness"?

Darwin would be intrigued by that idea, I'm sure.

Darwin would probably say it depends on context.

There is a species of fish that has females running alongside sharks, their natural predators, in attempt to prevent being impregnated by the males. Think about it. A species that tries actively to prevent and postpone copulation.

The only thing that's weak is your ability to see actual functional reasons for having a facebook. It's a great baseline medium to organize events and to keep everyone updated.

it is all about how you use it, if you think that you can use facebook just in that shown way, you are wrong

if used appropriately, it is an awesome tool for social connections

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