Refusing to put French flag overlay on Facebook?

[InTheBox]

I did add the French flag overlay on my FB but many of my friends didn't do so, not because they condone the shootings but due to FB's choosing of the seemingly deserving west and underserving others. Many of my friends queried why there hadn't been a Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi or Palestinian flag filter.

I can't say I disagree but I admit I hadn't considered this until their posts came up on my feed. Did you choose to change your profile to include the French filter or did you decide against it?

I'm now going to change my profile pic back to normal because in the main I disagree with FB's double standards.

Read an article about the anti solidarity for France brigade.

I think he (the journalist) referred to them as 'tragedy hipsters'; in other words they look down on those that are expressing sorrow about France and feel superior because they know about a more deserving tragedy that (they reckon) most don't know about.

Ha Moln that's a perfect description of them.

Wahedris are you responding to OfaFrenchmind's post?

She has just told you, as other French posters up thread have told us, that the small gestures on social media have "deeply moved," them. And you respond by scoffing and mocking her.

Maybe instead of loving the whole world equally at all times, you could aim just for showing kindness to people you are directly affecting on this thread?

But the wearing of a Je suis Charlie badge/Tshirt or posting those words on social media isn't particularly weighty either but it showed those directly involved that others were thinking of them. The millions of teddies and flowers and cards sent to those affected by Sandy Hook I'm sure made not one jot of 'weighty' difference to the grief felt by the bereaved but I bet it sure as hell gave comfort to see the outpouring of support. I remember one channel focusing in on a wreath from Dunblane. The card said something like you're in our thoughts and prayers. I'm sure nobody would dare suggest to the people of Dunblane that their small gesture was tacky and political unless they've sent a wreath to every town in the world where children have been murdered.

I have family in France, I have been there many times and love it dearly. This incident feels more personal to me because of that.

I don't care if people think me vacuous; if people haven't the imagination to understand that not everyone thinks the same things, I really can't be bothered with them.

What, washediris, you'd have had them all put up pious pictures for the overlay? The people who are affected really won't give a shit (I know one of them).

Keep judging. You're missing the heart of what is meant by the overlay, but carry on.

Many British citizens with no Western values did put up overlays. Because they wanted to show the "kinship" that you refer to with such distaste.

I put up a tricolour and all the self-righteous chunterers can get stuffed, frankly. It's a small gesture in the face of something awful and you all need to find something more worthwhile to whinge about.

I put up a tricolour and all the self-righteous chunterers can get stuffed, frankly. It's a small gesture in the face of something awful and you all need to find something more worthwhile to whinge about.

Whoops. Really, though - did it/didn't do it ... It's not worth getting in a tizz about!

No, I didn't change mine for many of the reasons already written. I hate the sheeplike element of FB and it did seem too easy for folk to look righteous and I thought it trivialised the tragedy. Also because FB are making a judgement on what country and lives matter - and because I'm a stubborn pain in the arse.

"Read an article about the anti solidarity for France brigade.

I think he (the journalist) referred to them as 'tragedy hipsters'; in other words they look down on those that are expressing sorrow about France and feel superior because they know about a more deserving tragedy that (they reckon) most don't know about."

Not sure if you are classing those of us who never changed our FB profile as "anti solidarity for France" here.

Tough that's actually rather worrying. People judging others...in such a serious matter by means of such a trivial display on social media.

I thought it was a pointless gesture so I didn't bother
Doesn't mean I'm not devastated about the terrorist attacks. I just think it's a pretty facile and meaningless gesture

No Bambambini I wasn't, unless you are actually making comments of the to the negative about, or you are feeling cleverer/more individual/better than those people who did show something they felt was an act of solidarity then no I'm not speaking about you.

Quite paranoid to think so, i actually haven't stated if I put an overlay on mine or not. If you didn't because you just didn't then fine. But it doesn't make someone more intellectual/empathetic/free thinking (input whatever self appointed positive trait you fancy)

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Paris but I didn't change my fb picture.

Like pp have said it's such a trivial gesture, and sooner or later you want to change it back and that would be an angsty moment where it felt like you are saying it's OK to not care about Paris any more. Also sooner or later there will be some terrible atrocity that FB doesn't offer this "service" for - I will not participate in corporate-dictated methods of expressing grief where I am not free to choose the circumstances under which it is invoked.