The Three Rs: 18: 09 - RE: MySpace :: Reviews, Rants and Randomness

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Written by: Melaisis (Originally put up on Angsty Me)

Craig has recently complained that I haven't been posting entries that aid him on his great journey through life. So, perhaps, this post will help him out by providing some helpful home truths about a relevant issue. Well, this problem really shouldn't be considered to be a 'big deal'. Thus, let's use some sense and start with the obvious: MySpace. Now, I admit, I'm slowly being turned to the Facebook way by Bantick (two name drops in one paragraph!?) but I still consider 'Bulletin Drama' to be important. I've been on MySpace since early 2005, received over 11,000 profile views, gotten around 1,500 genuine comments (and yes, you unoriginal moron, I did delete all of those which were like 'who are you?', 'why did you add me?'). On top of all of that, I've had around 7,000 friends pass through my friends list. Thus, I find myself more than sufficiently qualified to speak about such related matters. Hence, simply put, here's my thoughts on the recent outbreak of conflict between certain active individuals:

SHUT UP & STOP COMPLAINING!

No, I'm not aiming that at the instigators of the arguments, after all, I don't really care how able these kids are at copying and pasting the same old insults at one another over and over again in a huge cycle of mudslinging; I've seen a lot worse directed at myself, never mind observing the going ons between sets of rivals.

Instead, this is aimed, most probably, at you - dear reader. As I previously mentioned, I've had thousands of profiles pass through my 'add friend' button, but now there's only 600 or so remaining. How come? Because I delete anyone who has the cheek to spam up my bulletins with 'witty' remarks: Ranging from the old "Bye MySpace; I'm going to bed now but I'm such an attention whore that I thought you all needed to know!" to, indeed, "I hate you, bitch! I'm going to kill you, fookin' hoar!". People who remain quiet and calm, or even loud and interesting stay on my friends list. This mindset has even led to me deleting some of the people I know in real life due to their own need to seek attention from their fellow users. So what, though? This isn't Facebook - interaction on MySpace ranges from Top Friends to the unknwon eye candy - nothing in between. So, when many people such as Claudia ('C-Dawg') are deleted they really aren't bothered - even when I inform them of their 'demotion'. Besides, I keep in touch with the people that are important via MSN and their phone number. Does it really matter if they're not on my superficial list of false buddies? 'Course it doesn't!

Thus, I implore you - if it really bothers you that much that you feel that the best way to contribute is by posting your own damn bulletins, whining about the state of affairs - to halt immediately. What good, in God's name, is simply moaning over the Internet about other people moaning over the Internet going to do, exactly? Stoking the blazing inferno hasn't done any good so far, so why do feel that your input is going to turn back the tide? Its not. If anything, it just boosts these peoples' resilience to such attacks, making such stubborn personalities drive to fight against criticism even more. To quote Billy Joel: 'We didn't start the fire, its been burning since the world's been turning.' People have always sought attention through the use of conflict. How do you think our greatest leaders have appeared during wartime? From Braveheart to Winston Churchill - these people have been remembered due to their hardiness and shown qualities during times of crisis, rising quickly to the dizzy heights of Mount Fame. Unfortunately, we are not part of a Scottish barbarian hoard (well, not the first part anyway) or in the midst of a continental war against genocidal psychopaths. Instead, it appears we're flaming one another about hair and dress sense in all manner of hypocritical ways. No one outside of those involved in the actual combat cares for such fickle activity, aside from the great drive for gossip which appears to have seized the Common Room by the balls.

Hence, if it doesn't directly concern you then why stir it? I admit that occansionally certain, otherwise innocent, individuals can be targeted for no reason aside from the assaulter's desire to 'fuck shit up'*. Responding to such attacks in a sane way is reasonable and we can all think of a recent example where such an assault on character was dealt with thanks to a quick, real-life confrontation the following day. It wasn't really that subtle of a bollocking, but it still got the job done, especially compared to the possible, otherwise futile outcome of posting the rant from behind the keyboard.

Now when people (who happen to be equally - if not more - unpopular and powerless than the others they're striking out against) interfere in bitchiness which is hardly their own business, it does little more to infuriate into posting an extended article on the matter myself. Ironically, you could say this leads to me moaning about other people moaning about other people moaning about MySpace. That means I'm not defending people who start these arguments to begin with, just that your idiotic, incoherent rambling about it is not going to stop their rampaging hormones. Following my example of simply deleting these people is easier, offers instant peace for your bulletin board and shows greater protest to a larger effect than countering these aimless spurts of angst with your own. After all, the greatest thing these people desire is support and sympathy from their peers; what better way to defeat such a method of thinking than to simply ignore it? See; all the 'walk away'-themed anti-bullying campaigns are, finally, relevant! As long as you're the one not being directly victimised, however. Hurrah for cowardice! In the case that you are being directly flamed at, then I do encourage you to help stop it in your own, effective way (see what I said earlier about the whole 'real life' confrontation). Of course, spamming bulletins in return just fuels the flames. You may think you're the one being the whistle-blower on the whole scene, but everyone is just making about as much noise as you are. The end result leads to us trying to understand key but subtle homosexual themes in Shakespeare's plays at a My Chemical Romance concert; it just isn't worth it.

Besides, I don't blame people who keep these so-called 'attention whores' on their friends lists for the sake of entertainment. Heck, isn't that way of thinking why you're reading this very blog; the epitome of bitchiness? Still, if all you can find to talk about is how annoying said bulletins are, then I suggest you 'get out more' and 'get over it'.

Honestly, do you really need the drama to begin with? No; plus, its not as if you can't talk to the less hyper and melodramatic versions of these people on a daily basis anyway in real life.

*Tenacious D, much?