Ah, vaguebooking. It's not yet in the OED. Indeed, if you google the term you will find an entry in urban dictionary and mention in a lot of blog posts. Essentially, it is the practice of posting a vague Facebook status message. Samples might include:
Vanessa ...
is so excited about what is going to happen today!
thinks that is so messed up.
has a big announcement to make.
is having one of those days that makes you want to crawl under a rock and hide away for ten years.
So how does vaguebooking relate to status (as in social status, not status updates)? Status can be conveyed via accomplishments, but within online communities it also is conveyed via the amount of attention one receives. When people read these vague updates, there's a tendency to comment and ask for more information, either out of genuine curiosity or social politeness (the latter being something I find so curious in online fora since whose to say you even saw the vaguebooked update?).
Thus, a question for those of you who use Facebook (and twitter, I suppose):
So, are you a vaguebooker? Why or why not?
And how to you react (internally and externally) to others' vague updates?
I am not a vaguebooker. To me, vaguebooking is just a technique to attract attention, kind of like fishing for compliments. In a way, it's manipulative. For example, "Vanessa thinks that is so messed up." I would wonder if Vanessa is trying to make a point to one of their friends that she has an issue with something they did.
ReplyDeleteI'd much rather have someone be up front about what they're thinking or feeling, or just not say anything at all. I don't respond to vaguebooking because it reinforces attention-seeking behavior. If people need attention or support, just ask for it.
To me this demonstrates the wide variety of approaches to Facebook as a social medium. I call it like it is when I post, with a touch of humor to keep it light. You've introduced me to the term vaguebooking and I simply don't get the point of it. However, my sense it might just be the lexicon of a generation.
ReplyDeleteI think this is very common, but I notice it more with my friends that are over 30. The younger set will do this on occasion, mostly for lack of the concept of a complete thought.The older friends are more socially aware of making incendiary remarks and try to avoid the fallout, so they have a tendency to put things out there that they think the offending party will know is directed toward them. Sadly, it leaves many of their other friends wondering if they have done something they're unaware of to offend the poster.
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