Every social network has some type of “follow” or “friend” feature that allows you to build communities on those networks.
While there has been much debate over whether the number of friends or followers you have mean anything, there has been less discussion over the rejection that one may feel because of a friend or follower request being turned down or of someone unfollowing or defriending that person. Digital rejection is becoming an increasing issue. This becomes an increasingly more serious issue when there is a developed relationship either as a friend, colleague, ex-lover, or family member.
A recent CNN article explored social media rejection and found that rejection on social networks can actually hurt worse the rejection is more impersonal. Defriending, unfollowing or other forms of rejections occur with a simple click. In person people are usually more polite.
Furthermore, in person we have the capabilities to read body language, facial expressions, analyze speech and other techniques that alerts us to an issue with our friends, colleagues or other acquaintances. Social networks don’t allow for this. Even if the person you’re sending the friend request to, say on Facebook for instance, doesn’t accept the request and sends you a message with reasoning, it is still written word. Most of us don’t write in the same manner we speak. Also, it is harder near impossible to decipher emotions and nonverbal cues online. Couple this with the fact that many people, including me, accept the majority of requests received, it can make those that opt to assess their requests more carefully seem like bad guys.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this article and I’m curious how YOU deal with social media rejection. Do you take it personally? Do you feel rejected when you’re defriended or a request is turned down? How do you handle it?
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Photo by: Bludgeoner86
