To ask people about the mind set of FB users who brag, brag, brag

[raltheraffe]

I struggle a bit understanding other people's intentions and motivation.
This person has already been unfriended.
I am just wondering why she does it. I am aware a couple of shitty things have happened to her this year, but yet no mention of them, just this incessant bragging which I find a bit weird.

[ChickenMe]

Sunflower has it spot on. Life is mundane most of the time and I'm happy with that. That's why I never believe people's FB spin. Eg one FB friend was constantly on about her scrummy husband and now they have split upand she is still on about "my beautiful life" and all her followers are telling her how amazing she is.

What I detest is this insincere habit of blowing hot air up people's arses. Ie the most ordinary of things suddenly deserves a wave of "Huns" and "OMG so proud of you". FB was made for people who need sycophants.

[Pagwatch]

Oh please GaryShitpeas.
Mine are all so dull.

I have one who posts picture of food all the time with a bizzard narrative running alongside, like coronation street and morse code
...so..its that time...ready for the oven.....yum...nearly time to put my feet up......great...lush..

Another only ever posts attention seeking hints

"Hard to get through the day after such a shit night"
Hun what's up" x 20
"Not on here. I'll pm you Hun"

They are awesome

[differentnameforthis]

I would actually unfriend anyone who only put negative posts up, life is too short.

Would you unfriend someone in real life who was going through something you deem "negative", because 'life is too short'?

I think we need to accept people for who they are, through their good times & bad, or we don't deserve to call ourselves their friend.

raltheraffe If a loved one suffered a terrible illness that left them in pain on a day to day basis, I can see why some may be happy to see that person no longer has to suffer.

I know someone who put up on fb the day her she found her (toddler) son had passed away. She found comfort in sharing & getting messages of support. It isn't what I would do, I don't think...I can't say, as I am yet untouched by such grief.

one FB friend was constantly on about her scrummy husband and now they have split up And that proves what? Perhaps she was/is deeply in love with him & he cheated? Perhaps she was trying to make it work & couldn't. I think we become a very cynical society when we refuse to believe everything, just because it is the way we wouldn't do things.

[CallMeExhausted]

I have learned to disregard the braggarts, but holy hell I saw something tonight that I was unable to shut up about.

Young boy, 6yo, I think, had a fall and knocked his head off the corner of a table. Instead of cleaning the wound, putting pressure on it and getting him looked at, his mother toke the time to snap 4 photos of him bleeding freely and crying, including a close-up of the cut.

Yes, because the first thing I think of when my child has a head wound is "I MUST make sure this makes it on Facebook!!!"

Shoot me now.

[TakemedowntoPotatoCity]

I have a fb friend who is a runner, tonight I have been subjected to a pic of all the medals she has gained this year, oh and a list of all the other great things she has got up to this year. Just why? It just seems that people like this have no appreciation that someone else's year might not have been so great. To me it just screams 'I'm great, what the fuck have you done this year? Sit on your arse and eat chocolate'?

Some people say if you can't big yourself up you can't expect anyone else to, and to an extent I get that, but advertising your greatness to everyone you've ever met on fb is just sooo egotistical!

[differentnameforthis]

It just seems that people like this have no appreciation that someone else's year might not have been so great. So now everyone has to censor their achievements in order not to make those who haven't achieved anything, feel better?

Much like you aren't 'allowed' to discuss terminations on here in case someone who can't get pregnant "might" be offended.

The last 2 months of this years has been very hard for my dh, my girls & his family, but I do not begrudge one person their happiness because of it, because that just makes me seem bitter, to be honest.

[randomAXEofkindness]

My SIL once posted about the "lovely roast dinner" my bro had just cooked for her.

They didn't have a cooker at the time.

Erm, micro meal anyone?

I don't use fb: drives me round the bend. But then I do seem to know a disproportionate amount of arseholes.

[randomAXEofkindness]

Callme: I'll take your bleeding child, and raise you a fb mum and her new bf posting in explicit detail about how much they'd enjoyed hard anal sex that morning

... also commented on by her 14 yo dd.

[Gabbyandco]

Oh cripes! I posted earlier that my dd passed her grade 1 piano exam. Shoot me now! On second thoughts pass me a gun and I will shoot myself. When did a parents pride on their child's achievements become such a big issue for others?

[Pastperfect]

If you are so sensitive that a friends genuine achievement upsets you then you have your own issues that you should probably address

[Lottie5]

Typical post from one of my FB "friends" - "now I've got a first class degree but I still can't work out how to put ds's new toy together". Now mumsnetters - which bit of that sentence were we supposed to take most notice of do you think?!!!!

[D0oinMeCleanin]

DD1 bigs it up on instagram. A quiet dinner at my mums can easily be portrayed as a riot with all her cousins. It started when she started getting bullied.

I'd say insecurity has a big part to play. The happier dd1 is at school, the less impressive her instagram is.

[MistressDeeCee]

I guess some people crave validation and or/their ongoing 15 minutes of fame

I just unfriend people that brag all the time it bores me. I like FB tho..especially for keeping in touch with family across the miles and events I might otherwise not have heard about

in real life who would actually stand there smiling and exclaiming in wonder if every time you saw a mate if they bragged on & on to you about what they have, what they did what this cost etc? Normally they'd become the friend you avoid..its not different on FB, its real people/friends on there.

OP if you don't want to defriend just move said person to the Acquaintances list..that way you remain friends but see less of their posts.

[differentnameforthis]

Gabbyandco well done to your dd.

[differentnameforthis]

You don't even have to move them another list. You can stop following them, you will still be their friend, but their posts don't show on your news feed.

I did this with a friend who only ever posted photos of his food. His choice to post what he likes, I made the choice not to see it. Wouldn't dream of telling him he couldn't do it, it's his space, after all.

Although I get that people don't like to do that, as then they won'[t have anything to complain on MN about!!

[phoenixrose314]

Facebook is, essentially, one big validation of your life choices.

Personally I use Facebook mostly to upload photos of my DS (we have a lot of family and friends far away), to talk about funny incidents/things people have said, or to share information I think people should know (gets pretty busy during election time etc!!)

I would say I post on FB pretty much daily with something or other (normally photos), and although I can see how some people would see some of the things I post as "bragging", it is never intended that way. I actually suffer with extreme anxiety and occasionally that can wander into depression and paranoia too - that side of me I NEVER let anywhere near Facebook. Not because there isn't a problem, but because I don't need everyone to know that I am suffering, that I struggle with things they find easy - I post so many positive things because I am trying to keep myself up and focused on the positives.

Just because you can see their Facebook page doesn't mean you know their story, their life... stop being so damn judgy and let it be.

[cheifbrody]

It is a bit like mumsnet though, people posting stupid questions and moaning about their oh or asking about their childrens levels. Only difference is it is anonymous.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Someone I know the only things she ever posts about on fb are her kids academic successes. x has passed his eleven plus, y has got 11 a grade gcses, fantastic parents evening, etc.

I have heard other people moan about her and I think that people wouldn't mind if she posted other stuff as well but she genuinely doesn't.

I like to think the best of people and say that maybe she's shy/private about other stuff. It doesn't bother me.

Someone I work with posted on FB for people to please not post pictures of massive piles of presents because she wasn't interested.

[Lottie5]

I agree about the photos of their kids' presents!!! What's the point of it? Look how rich I am? Look how spoilt my kid is? Must make people with little money feel awful.

[thelittlebooktroll]

I love seeing peoples photos on facebook especially holiday snaps. I also have FB friends who post photos of their dinners , but they are great cooks. I think of it as sharing not bragging.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

pagwatch

Pmsl hun

[WorkingBling]

I never understand why if something good is happening in my life I can't talk about it in case something in case happening in yours. Obviously in a one on one conversation with a friend who I know is having issues I will probably not be chatting about how happy I am to have booked a nice holiday. But in a public forum? I always think Facebook is kind of like a large dinner party or small cocktail party - you try to be funny and entertaining, provide some insight into the top level of your life and thoughts and keep the heavy stuff for a more intimate event.

I have recently suffered a terrible event. I put one fb post up because I have a wider circle of friends who I know would want to know about the person and to explain why I was suddenly not around anymore. And have left it at that. The rest of Facebook continues to be either quiet or interesting artickeS, funny picturs of ds.