Pet Peeve of the Week

Subject: Facebook’s Farmville

Facebook. A bona fide phenomenon, this social media site has exploded over the past 5 years. By now, millions of people, their parents and  their pets have all created accounts. This site has become an integral part of our everday lives. We use it to connect with new people, keep in touch with old friends and family, and share exciting (and mundane) tidbits of information. But this week’s pet peeve comes as a cautionary hazard that all Facebook users must face. The infamous Farmville.

To be completely honest, I know very little about Farmville or any of the other annoying Facebook games. Personally, I don’t have  the time to engage in (from what I’ve been told) the ‘strenuous’ effort that building a virtual farm takes. What I do know about Farmville is that it is the most annoying thing plaguing my Newsfeed. Everytime that you play, I am forced to scroll through your updates against my will. This leads to the following…

1) I become confused. Not only do I not understand how to ‘donate’ to your account, but I do not see why I must do so in order for your virtual sheep to change colour. Are you really in need of a yellow sheep? (For those who engage in other games: I also do not know how to provide you with the napkins you need for tomorrow’s virtual picnic, nor do I have the weapon needed for your virtual Mafia war.)

2) I become annoyed. These updates slow down my ability to get to the heart of the matter on Facebook: the ‘important’ status updates and photos that my friends are posting. This is especially true when using the Facebook for Blackberry app. As a result, I question whether keeping you as a friend is worthwhile. Seriously, even if my mom started playing Farmville, I would debate ‘un-friending’ her.3) I question your validity as a legitimate human being. I have become so disillusioned as a result of the feverish updates that you force me to endure, that I begin to speculate about your character. If you are so great, why are you investing so much time in virtual agriculture?4) I begin to despise you. Plain and simple. The annoying updates get the best of me and my rage boils over. Anger issues? Maybe. Legitimate complaint? Definitely.Keep in mind, that I am not alone in my quest against Farmville. The rest of the Facebook community has also had enough. Case in point: when I typed Farmville into my Google Search, ‘Farmville Freak’ was the first recommendation. ‘Farmville Freak’ is what the world (according to Google) thinks of you.So, Farmville users, either figure out a way to limit the notifications that I  receive, or just do yourself a favour and stop playing altogether. While your virtual carrots may suffer, your credibility will soar …in a nutshell.