April 13, 2012

Social Experiments via Facebook

I recently conducted a social experiment via my Facebook status.  If you are friends on Facebook with any girls in high school, you are familiar with the "Like my status for a truth!" status or some variety of that.  If you are unfamiliar, someone who thinks their opinions are valued by others posts a status along the lines of "like my status for an opinion/truth" and who ever likes the posters status will get a short opinion written on their facebook wall.  Usually it's something the response is something like "truth is: I don't know you."

I decided to change the game and made my status this:

Insulting people would be more fun for me, and if you asked my opinion of you I would probably insult you anyway.  Honestly, I didn't think anyone would like this status.  I had a few (all male) facebook friends like this status.  Some I knew well, others were acquaintances.  

Turns out insulting my friends really wasn't that fun.  I felt compelled to insult them since they went through the effort of clicking the like button on my status, but I felt weird trying to think of some clever insult.  Ok none of my insults were clever.  I didn't want to be really mean and actually insult people.  

This was to a good friend of mine.  Good friend meaning I see him frequently and we hang out a lot.  His comeback was a lot better than my insult.  


This was to just a general friend.  You know the type.  I say hi to him if i see him places, but I don't think to call him if I am looking for a chill sesh.  I knew he would catch my sarcasm so I didn't mind being a little meaner than I would be to an acquaintance.  He's not really a douche or pretentious, he's actually really talented and modest.  My insult was commentary on a recent status he made (his status in quotes).  

I liked his response by rating my insult.  He got what I was doing - just being snarky.  

Then there was this.  I met this kid once, and honestly I could've been a lot meaner, but I want my $20. I'm pretty sure he was offended.  On the other hand, I was flattered.  I don't really think I'm pretty so I decided to take it as a compliment.  

I think EMT's are wonderful and do things I could never do.  I just can't stand the people who are obsessed with their radios and how they get to have blue lights in their cars.  

Different people responded in different ways.  Most took it for what it was - a joke.  I did learn one thing, I get really uncomfortable insulting people I like.  It just felt wrong.  Post your best insults in the comments, so I have material to use next time I try to spit game.


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