If you’re an avid Facebook user – and let’s face it, most of us are – it’s been a rough couple of months. With the U.S. Presidential election, over-sharing of fake news stories, and overall easy access to every negative thing happening in the world, it sure has felt like maintaining your sanity means dumping Facebook. If you need a digital detox, I get it. It’s healthy to check out.
But, I think in the fury of recognizing all things bad about Facebook, we’ve forgotten to celebrate the things that are really good about it. There’s a reason we all started using the social networking site, and I think could be a little refreshing to be reminded of why we loved it in the first place.
Here are a few reasons why I am thankful for, and still love Facebook:
1. Easy access to your family.
I know, I know. I’m starting off with something you can easily counter-argue as one of the reasons you hate Facebook. Hear me out. We all have that family member that sees Facebook as their personal diary, or that only shares political posts as though it’s actually going to change someone’s mind by reading them. Guess what…you can unfollow them without having to defriend them, which means you’ll still be able to communicate with them without seeing all of those annoying posts.
I moved around a lot as a kid, and I have a HUGE family – aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents in almost every state. Facebook has been one of the best resources for keeping in touch with all of them, especially when I haven’t always had the ability to visit in person. Plus, with the calling features built into Facebook Messenger, we can have video or voice calls at no cost and with excellent clarity any time we want! You may not want to see Aunt Suzie’s 500th political post this week, but one day you’re going to wish you had spent more time actually talking to Aunt Suzie, and Facebook is a great way to do that.
2. Humans of New York
I’ll be so bold as to proclaim right here and now that if Facebook has only existed to bring us the work of Brandon Stanton and Humans of New York, it’s all been worth it. For years now, Brandon has wandered the streets of New York (and other parts of the world), allowing us to see the world from a stranger’s perspective one picture or sentence at a time. Sometimes the posts make you laugh, sometimes you cry. But the important thing about this Page, is that it opens you up to the idea that while we all come from different backgrounds and life experiences, we’re all on this life journey together, and that the best thing you can offer your fellow human is a little empathy.
Brandon has successfully raised millions of dollars for victims of Hurricane Sandy, a school in an underprivileged area of New York, an organization that is working to end bonded labor in Pakistan, and so many others. He brings you the dirty, gritty, sometimes ugly, but mostly beautiful story of human life. If you’re not following this page on Facebook, stop what you’re doing right now and go Like it.
3. Kittens and Puppies and Cuteness, oh my!
If looking at fluffy, cuddly adorable things makes you happy, Facebook is your place! There is no lack of awwwww available at your fingertips on the social networking site: PuppiesLovers, DF Magazine and Cute Emergency are just a few of the many, many Pages dedicated to putting you in your happy place.
Know more Pages that share nothing but adorable? Comment below so other can Like them as well!
4. Good News.
Not all news is bad news. In fact, there are multiple outlets that have dedicated themselves to sharing good or positive news. If you need to be reminded that great things happen in our world every single day, I recommend following: Positive News, The World’s Best News or The Good News Network.
I know I just threw a lot of warm and fuzzy at you, but sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that happy things are all around us, we just have to look a little harder for them every once in a while.
