To think the Facebook 'feeling blessed' status should be renamed 'feeling smug'

[TwentyOneGuns]

I know I don't have to go on there but I like it generally for keeping in touch with friends I don't see that much. But why does it turn nice pleasant people into smug idiots? If I read one more 'feeling blessed' status, (usually either about something very mundane that happens to everyone like spending time with your kids or incredibly boasty) I will not be responsible for my actions well I'll probably just moan a lot and post on here.

[NickiFury]

I never use feeling blessed on FB, ever, or anywhere else for that matter. But I admit to feeling it just a little this past week. My 14 year old dog went into heart failure last week and I don't think anyone expected him to come back out of the vets and when he did they told me very robustly that I must be prepared for the worst as it might only be a matter of days before he deteriorated again if treatment is ineffective. A week later he's still here, eating, drinking, getting excited to see us, going for walks, sleeping on my bed. I'm grateful for every second I get with him, to spoil him, cuddle and love him and make his last days as happy as possible. So yes today I do feel blessed

[SoupDragon]

Not liking it doesnt make you grumpy, just makes you not like people who post smug things.

Accusing people who are happy of being smug does make you grumpy in my book.

[OracleofDelphi]

OK Soup - each to their own. I think people who overshare and have to publicise to the world how great their life is, are over the top and obviously not having that good a time if they have the space to post on social media! You think people who dont like it it are grumpy, I think it shows a lack of boundaries. People used to have internal dialogue and now they just post incessantly on FB

[SoupDragon]

You think people who dont like it it are grumpy,

No, I think people who whinge about it being "smug" are grumpy.

I think it shows a lack of boundaries. People used to have internal dialogue and now they just post incessantly on FB

Rather like posting incessantly on MN...

[ovaryhill]

I once, after being egged on on here changed my status to "just had a massive shit, feeling blessed"
My friend Dave replied with "congratulations"

[squoosh]

I don't like 'feeling blessed' because it sounds a bit 'let's wave our hands in the air and praise the Lord'. I thought people from Alabama and Texas felt blessed, not people from Alloa and Taunton

[MakingJudySmile]

I'm with Soupdragon on this.

I see the word 'smug' used a lot, generally about people who seem satisfied or happy (rather than actually smug) with some aspect of their life. I wonder occasionally if it's because the smug accuser feels inadequate for whatever reason rather than the smug accusee being superior.

[PollyPurple]

Yes

[TwentyOneGuns]

If FB annoys you so much, then get off it, It's not compulsory Which I why I said I know I don't have to go on there.

Clearly some people, especially some of the examples on this thread, have things to genuinely feel 'blessed' about (although I still think it's the wrong word but that's FB's fault). But it's more usual for people to use it to try and impress - what my Mum would call 'showing off' .

[OracleofDelphi]

no not feeling inadequate in any way. Some people choose to over share, some people choose not to. Same way that, you can think people who dont like "blessed" are grumpy and inadequate, I think people who use it are smug .... goes both ways. Hardly ever post actually Soup so incessant posting on anything is not a good thing.

At least MN is anonymous so you dont irritate your RL friends!

[CuppaSarah]

I would 'feeling smug' all the bloody time! Way better than feeling blessed.

[Fpmd1710]

Oh it so winds me up "feeling blessed the BF bought me some lovely flowers" or "feeling blessed to have such a good child, yet ANOTHER outstanding parents evening" etc.
I've feel though that FB is pretty much just about either gloating or 'airing dirty laundry' then being cryptic about who the status is aimed at. I only really bother with it occasionally now to mooch through the Buy and Sell and DIY pages I'm on

[Ladybirdbookworm]

I'm with oracle

Couldn't have put it better

[missbishi]

Winds me up too. Unless that person has just met Pope Francis.

[Philoslothy]

I think people use it often to mean that they are grateful for what they have rather than taking it for granted. I think that far from being smug that shows a level of humility and gratitude.

Rather that blessed being overused I think that smug is vastly overused on MN

[OohMavis]

I don't have anyone on my facebook who don't use the 'feeling blessed' thing without irony.

"The dog was just sick on the baby's head - feeling blessed"

I feel very fortunate after reading this

[LucyBabs]

Yes my SIL was feeling smug when she posted how happy we all were, out for my brothers birthday having lost 4 family members in the last 3 years.. We should know our place..

[7Days]

Ah you are all a shower of grumps.

Course people are blessed* when they have their families around them, a roof over their heads and food on the table. Look around the world. Look around your local hospital or homeless shelter. No harm to acknowledge that fact.
If the word 'Blessed' offends you substitute 'granted by good fortune by some random act possibly by a deity but more likely a random confluence in the eternal dance of atoms.'

I think 'counting your blessings' should make a revival.

[RaskolnikovsGarret]

I think it's smug. Fine to feel blessed, not fine to post it. I'm glad you feel happy/relieved etc, but blessed is just so so smug. It is undeniably used by many to show off, eg the parents' evening post above.

[RaskolnikovsGarret]

Counting your blessings and being grateful is a bit different I think.

[SoupDragon]

You do all realise that the word blessed as an adjective simply means happy? It's the top definition in my Chambers dictionary.

[treaclesoda]

I've just seen the first ever feeling blessed post that didn't come across as smug. It was posted by the parent of a child who almost died in an accident and it was touch and go if the child would survive. When the child came off the ventilator and started breathing on his own, the parents posted an update on facebook to save them having to text everyone individually. They were feeling blessed. I'm willing to accept that they were feeling very blessed indeed at that point in time.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

Missbishi I was about to say the same. Save it for miracles or when you've been hanging out with the Pope.

[treaclesoda]

Actually that's not fair of me. I don't actually mind people feeling grateful and counting their blessings. It's just that I find it strange to post on facebook that you feel blessed for going on a foreign holiday or whatever, because it seems a wee bit 'look at me'. Whereas feeling blessed like the poster further up who had lost family members and was enjoying spending time with remaining family isn't smug at all, it's reclaiming some happiness after a horrible time.

I retract my 'it's always smug' accusation, I was being grumpy.