Don't like it? Don't read it.

[DrFaroohk]

In real life, one cannot simply "turn off" something offensive. Well not usually anyway. If you're in a store and someone is yelling things you find to be offensive, you can either tolerate it and be offended, or leave the store, but why should you have to leave because someone else is being a douchebag?

The internet, and in particular facebook, is a little different. In real life you can't just "turn off" your ears, but online you can choose to not read things that offend you.

So in other words, I don't see why I should have to watch what I say on facebook. Don't like it? REMOVE YOURSELF FROM MY FRIENDS LIST. Or just hide my messages. Or just stay off facebook. Go get a life.

I've been listening to people bitch bitch bitch about my facebook so much and it's just driving me nuts. Why the fuck do people keep reading it? I even get shit from it at work - I got news for you, boss - as long as I'm not identifying the company name or any employees names there's not thing damn one you can do about it. I use "can" loosely, since companies can do pretty much anything they want (at least when it comes to me), however, well lets just say I wouldn't want to be him if he chose to discipline me for random comments like "work sucked today, place is so disorganized".

But mainly people just bitch about my "druggist" jokes (instead of racist). I have a seriously low tolerance for people with severe opiate addictions because they're basically a bunch of asswipes, and I let my opinions be known. And then I get all kinds of shit for it. Like a bunch of five year olds.

Some men just want to watch the world burn.....

[powerboy]

I know that all to well. I hate how I can post something on here and someone is offended. Then I get crap from moderators. Well used to anyway. Someone will always be offended by the truth.

[Hobbs]

I'd probably discipline you too. If people are your friends, then they most likely know where you work, and if you're painting your work in a bad light, on the internet, it can come back to bite you. I'd be cautious if I were you.

[DrFaroohk]

Well if someone happens to know where I work and puts two and two together that's just incidental. If I post "XYZ Company sucks, and John Doe the manager is a douchebag, don't shop there!" then that's another story and shouldn't be allowed. If I just post generic stuff like "my boss is an idiot" or "my job sucks", then I just have to call that a "Nunya".

[Fryk]

Doc, the main thing your topic has accomplished is that it made me really REALLY want to see your facebook page.

[elsporko]

What your saying is true but it still doesn't change the fact that saying "My boss sucks" without naming him lets your boss know you think he sucks if he hears about it. People are way to loose with what they say on facebook. I barely ever say anything personal on there.

[DrFaroohk]

It's mostly boring now. Had so many complaints I deleted all the fun stuff.

[Fryk]

Awwww, damn! There needs to be a facebook archive!

[Hobbs]

If I'm your boss, and I see you posting things like that, I would call you into my office so that we could discuss it, at least. When one employee begins to speak negatively of his job and/or management, then there's an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.

[RavenStarr]

See this is one reason why I post rantings about work on CS instead of facebook. One of the many reasons being that I have many coworkers as freinds on there. One of them is what I like to call the bosses lapdog. If I posted anything about work she would most likely tell.

[Amanita]

I'm dealing with this same issue, only not on facebook. I'm an artist and writer, and I'm working on a story right now, which is a parallel universe exploration of the events of 9/11 and the aftermath. It's basically told from the POV of NYC's skyscrapers and bridges. When it's done, I'll most likely post it online somewhere, but I'll attach one hell of a disclaimer to it. Mainly stating what the story is about, so people can make a choice whether to read it or skip it.

I'll mention things like "This is a parallel universe, so while some things will stay very close to the historical record, while other things will be different."
And "If you find the very idea of a story based on these events to be offensive, I strongly urge you to skip this one. I've got lots of other good stories to read". And of course "If you are one of those who suffered a loss on that day, I'll leave it up to your judgement whether or not you should read this story."

I imagine I'll probably get hate mail for it, but should I get screaming nasty-grams like "OMG, how dare you write about this!!!11!!", I can point to my disclaimer and say "I warned you what the story was going to be about, and that parts of it would be graphic. So if you found it so offensive, WHY did you keep reading, or start reading it in the first place?"

I believe that if you warn somebody going in that subject matter might be offensive or controversial, they lose alot of their right to complain, should they ignore the warning and continue anyway.

[DrFaroohk]

It just ties back to my belief that off company property + off the clock = no one's business. At work, I call my boss Mr. Gates, but when I punch out, he's just Bill.

I don't see a problem with that. Companies are all about "LEAVE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AT HOME!" Yeah, well then stay the hell out of my personal life.

[elsporko]

Businesses are not made out of robots, but rather people. If I were a supervisor and somebody called me an idiot or some other name and explained it away with a "Its cool you're not my boss right now" I'm not going to automatically forget what happened when we do clock in. I wouldn't fire you or anything (not all bosses would be that restraint) but I will remember that you called me names and might be less willing to cut you slack. People like people who treat them with respect. You don't have to suck up or even be very nice but at least treat them like they are people.

[Gravekeeper]

I have had this exact argument with a coworker a few times now. He's firmly of your opinion ( and then some ).

I on the other hand, believe if you are in any venue or forum where you are identifiable or your company or coworkers are, you should be respectful of that fact and respectful of them. Its one thing to lament about your boss sucking to personal friends IRL or when chatting with someone online privatedly. Its quite another to say your boss sucks when your boss or coworkers can hear about it or read it. That is disrespectful and unprofessional, frankly.

You'll notice I never talk about my company, coworkers or boss on CS. This is admittedly in part because I like them, but also in part because they are my coworkers and I respect them regardless of what I personally think. Sure there have been times when one of them has done something that really deserves a good verbal lashing, but I restrain myself. Berating them on a public forum would be unprofessional of me.


Oh, and no offense, Amanita, but I don't think your problem is really related to this one to be honest.

[HYHYBT]

This is one reason I've never done anything on Facebook.

[Fryk]

Doc, why are your boss and co-workers on your facebook list in the first place?

[Boozy]

I wouldn't dream of adding my boss to my Facebook friends. I don't complain about my job, but I feel very strongly that one's personal and professional lives should remain separate.

[protege]

I don't rant about anything on Facebook. I save all my rants for LiveJournal :p

But, not long ago, I had someone actually get upset with me over my LJ. Seems she got tired of me posting about whatever project--either the MG, or my models--and insisted that I should post everything inside cut tags. Needless to say, I got pissed. I mean, who the fuck was she to tell *me* how to post in my own journal? I couldn't resist telling her that if she didn't like it, she didn't have to read it. "Fuck off" in other words :p

[Amanita]

I don't have my bosses on facebook, personally. And yes, I believe that unless you are directly hurting the company, what you do on your own time is none of your boss's business. However, I agree with gravekeeper that it's just plain a bad idea to post or say "My boss/coworkers suck" where they can read or hear it. It's asking for trouble.

My issue does relate in the sense of- if you don't like what somebody writes, then don't freaking read it! That applies to everything, whether it's a facebook or livejournal post, or any other forum, online or off. I'm not going to pick up a true crime novel and then write hatemail to the authour telling them how disgusting they are for writing about (insert horrific case here). Likewise, I'm not going to send nasty-grams to everyone whose facebook postings I don't like. If somebody did something beyond the pale, like post incredibly graphic pics with no warning, I might say something then, perhaps "Next time you post autopsy photos, you might want to give us the heads-up!" But there's a difference between really gross pics, and simple comments.

If I don't like somebody's facebook posts, I won't read them. And yes Protege, you were right to tell that other person off- it's YOUR journal, how dare she tell you what you can and cannot say. If she was so tired of you talking about your projects, then why was she reading?

[Gravekeeper]

My issue does relate in the sense of- if you don't like what somebody writes, then don't freaking read it!


Yes, but my point was more the core of DrFarhook's complaint is more a personal life vs professional life issue rather. Yours is more a morons ignoring disclaimers issue, ehe.

[NateSean]

This is why I compartmentalize everyone in my life. My coworkers are not friends. Bottomline. They are not people I would meet outside of work to go drinking and/or insert your social event here.

In the two years I worked at my last job I had two friends total and these were people I had invited to my house on Thanksgiving. But even then I wouldn't add them to my facebook because they were better friends with other coworkers who were looking for reasons to throw me under the tracks and would probably copy and paste anything I said for later reference.

Now at my current job there is literally no one I would lend change to much less add them to my Facebook.

[DrFaroohk]

They were on my friends list before I started working there. I don't even know most of them anyway.

[Fryk]

I'd say it's time for a fun round of deleting, then. Make the choice for them.

[insertNameHere]

This is why I compartmentalize everyone in my life. My coworkers are not friends. Bottomline. They are not people I would meet outside of work to go drinking and/or insert your social event here.

In the two years I worked at my last job I had two friends total and these were people I had invited to my house on Thanksgiving. But even then I wouldn't add them to my facebook because they were better friends with other coworkers who were looking for reasons to throw me under the tracks and would probably copy and paste anything I said for later reference.

Now at my current job there is literally no one I would lend change to much less add them to my Facebook.

Agreed, the people I work with are clicky and have been together for couple years and well I did accept requests on facebook, but have yet to hangout with them outside of work in 9months I have been there because I don't like the drama they get into.

[elsporko]

I have one former coworker on my facebook. I didn't add him until after he got a differant job. I don't need my coworkers reading my posts that are just Neil Young quotes and seeing my hung over the next day and figuring out the corelation.