Now, I don't have anything against "liking" things per se, but around December of last year, I decided that it's way too impersonal. Twenty years ago, when someone showed you a picture of their newborn baby, or got a new haircut, or something like that, we at least needed to have the interpersonal skills to say "Hey, cute baby!" or "Cute bangs!" or whatever. Today, we just click a button and don't even bother with the generic pleasantries. I've spent good chunks of my life as a solitary misanthrope, and even to me that seems a bit sad. What's more, who knows if a person actually likes your new haircut when they "like" it? To some people, that little thumbs up is basically just an acknowledgement that they've seen something, or a button that they hit on everything because they feel it's expected of them.
It's also become way too much of a score-keeping mechanism for my tastes. The legitimate news now talks about posts that go viral and how many likes they get, which is one of the most depressing things about today's incredibly depressing media. But what's worse is that it can be a huge blow to someone's self-esteem and ruin an otherwise good day if someone puts up a photo of themselves that not enough people like. I've seen more than one photo disappear for just that reason.
So, I've stopped "liking" things. For the past six months, if someone's posted something that I've really enjoyed, I've just made a quick comment. It takes only slightly longer than hitting the like button, and I think that tiny bit of effort shows my appreciation a lot better. Moreover, I don't care if other people "like" what I post anymore, either. I share stuff because I think it's interesting or funny, and if no one else likes it, then that doesn't diminish my enjoyment or make my hair look any less awesome.
