Why do people need to show off gifts on Facebook?

[1AngelicFruitCake]

I don’t get it. Lovely seeing photos of people with Mums, messages etc. But why brag ‘I’ve been spoilt with my many presents’ then post photos of them? It just screams ‘Look at me!’ which I know Facebook is all about that but come on, it’s so needy!

YABU-people should put photos of their presents
YANBU-there’s no need to post photos of your presents

You should read the nasty and bitter posts describing "friends" and why some people really should just step away from social media if their "friends" put them in such a state.

@thecatandthevicar

You should read the nasty and bitter posts describing "friends" and why some people really should just step away from social media if their "friends" put them in such a state.

Ok thanks. Hopefully you’re not ‘in such a state’ as you say. Happy reading!

I did post a pic and after felt really stupid about falling into the FB trap! Oh well x

@Flowers24

I did post a pic and after felt really stupid about falling into the FB trap! Oh well x

Don’t feel stupid if that’s what makes you happy and you want to do it. I was asking because I don’t understand why people do it.

@Flowers24

I did post a pic and after felt really stupid about falling into the FB trap! Oh well x

Why did you feel stupid? That's what FB is for.

I suppose competitive happiness is what fb is for if, when you get together with your mates, you bang on about how wonderful your life is, how many presents you got for x occasion, how unbelievably lucky and happy you are every day.. crack on 👍

@CrankyFrankie

I suppose competitive happiness is what fb is for if, when you get together with your mates, you bang on about how wonderful your life is, how many presents you got for x occasion, how unbelievably lucky and happy you are every day.. crack on 👍

Or... you might get together with your mates (when you're allowed to after covid), and have an exchange along the lines of:

"How was your Mother's Day?"
"Lovely thanks, I got x and y presents off the kids, it was so lovely"
"Aww how nice - I got x and y off mine. And breakfast in bed! I was spoiled"
"Sounds fab!"

In other words, two friends making conversation about their lives and being equally happy for the other - not "bragging". However, in the absence of face to face interaction at the moment, posting on FB means you still get to see what your friends are up to and what's making them happy; and vice versa. And you "like" each other photos. And there is a reciprocal happiness for each other, which just so happens to be taking place online and not in person.

Your "competitive happiness" is another person's (two way) engagement and interaction with their friends. It's pretty standard, normal life, really.

@CrankyFrankie

I suppose competitive happiness is what fb is for if, when you get together with your mates, you bang on about how wonderful your life is, how many presents you got for x occasion, how unbelievably lucky and happy you are every day.. crack on 👍

That’s a great way of putting it snd thanks for giving me a different perspective. If I met with friends it would go like Friend: Did you have a good Mother’s Day? Me: It was lovely. Went for a long walk and children helped doing ‘jobs’. What about you? Friend: Great. Made me breakfast. Went to the park etc. I’d find comparing presents just really unnecessary. Obviously other people do this, which again is interesting.

@1AngelicFruitCake

It's not really "comparing" presents, though. Again - comparison implies competitiveness. My friendships don't personally work like that.

It's not a case of "right, what did you get and let's see if it's as good as mine!"

It's literally just general conversation and sharing of little details of each other's lives, as friends do.

[quote LucieStar]@1AngelicFruitCake

It's not really "comparing" presents, though. Again - comparison implies competitiveness. My friendships don't personally work like that.

It's not a case of "right, what did you get and let's see if it's as good as mine!"

It's literally just general conversation and sharing of little details of each other's lives, as friends do. [/quote]
That’s fine, content of conversations differ. I agree with the poster above, I use Facebook like I would have conversations in real life. I’ll never convince you I’m right, you won’t convince me you are but that’s fine 😄

@1AngelicFruitCake

And that's more than fine with me.
I'm not trying to "convince" anyone that I'm "right". I'm simply contributing to the discussion by expressing how I view it, and what SM use means for me personally.

[quote LucieStar]@1AngelicFruitCake

And that's more than fine with me.
I'm not trying to "convince" anyone that I'm "right". I'm simply contributing to the discussion by expressing how I view it, and what SM use means for me personally. [/quote]
That’s great and I do appreciate your comments, some of them more than others 😄 It probably depends on who is on your social media, what you use it for etc. I personally find that specific aspect of positing photos of presents to be really boastful but I can appreciate not everyone feels the same.
You never know, there might be an aspect of social media that drives you mad and I’m completely fine with 😄

Anyway we ended up in the Liverpool Echo so 🥂😆