Unsociable networks?

Two social network "friends" have recently been adding material that stretch the concept of social networking well beyond norms which seem reasonable to me.

One plasters angry, even vicious political screeds, replete with ad hominem attacks and hostile non sequiturs, on to the walls of his social network "friends," many of whom are his co-workers. Okay, my friends include a lot of political junkies and policy wonks and our walls display a lot of political content but generally the discourse is quite civil, the norm seeming to be that if you don't agree, you either don't say anything at all, or you politely disagree. But this guy just slams people on the other side.

I mean, the reason they're called "social networks" is that we're 'sposed to be sociable, right? Suffice it to say, said "friend" is no longer on my list of network friends. Come to think of it, he's no longer on my list of workplace friends, either.

Then there's the "friend" who is apparently desperate to get pregnant, and fills her postings with no end of detailed -- and I mean, detailed! -- descriptions of her gynecological problems and the medical attempts to deal with them. Were we close friends, perhaps I'd understand, but we're merely professional colleagues and the intended father of her child is definitely not me.

I suppose I'm hopeful that she gets to have the kid she wants, yet aren't we better off leaving more of the process to our imaginations?

Call me old fashioned, but aren't there some things better left unsaid, at least in public?

Note: this was originally posted to ketches, yaks & hawks 1 September 2009