These are a few things I have been observing for some time on different Facebook groups. And apparently, yes I need to get a life instead of being so much concerned about Facebook groups that I write about their socio-political conditions.
'Gangwars'
As facebook is increasingly becoming an integral part of our life, we have now started mirroring what we go through in our society every day. However, in a much civilized manner, where instead of guns and knives, we use bullets made of words, laced with venom and vitriol. The current trends of 'your group' against mine, makes me think of gangwars in LA or Karachi. People post something in a hidden, insinuating manner against someone (in a few cases directly too - Like graffitti in another gang's area) which pits two groups against each other. Your friends and his friends battle it out with their scathing and cutting words.
But has anybody noticed that often in these rapid fire rounds, people who post the most are the ones who are otherwise dormant? It seems the one's who have the least to contribute intellectually are the active ones when it is about controversy and gossip. An interesting phenomenon in my opinion. It is fun too in some ways.
Wannabes
In the whole fiasco also emerge the wannabes who would go after admins of a group to create anarchy and indulge in self promotion. They either want to be an admin, or have someone to promote as an admin. Interesting bunch of people mostly.
Just for trolls
Then there are those 'fake' profiles that crop up in these wars too, with weird emo images from kissing animes to wrist cutting and controversial or famous celebrity images. They are the worst in my opinion. The trolls. Being anonymous gives them an added advantage over the others and they can troll beyond limits. These kinds come with an extra bag of arrows. I sometimes wonder if they are some so-called friends to know so much about the other group per say, that they are capable of washing the dirty laundry out in the open.
The pacifists
This kind wants to participate in the gangwar to make it stop without taking sides. They would try to be the sage, giving advise left right and center despite knowing that their comments are flashing in front of blind eyes (cannot use deaf ears here).
Opportunists
These people are opportunists. They wait until the gangwar subsides enough so they can give their sales pitch. Mostly their objective is getting recruits and attention. Delivering a few googlies against admins of the rival group is also an often used tactic.
Emotional blackmailers slash lecturers
These can actually be categorized under various forms including emo-wannabes, emo-trolls, emo-pacifists and emo-opportunists. They like giving emotional lectures about how one should behave and not be like others. Actually, that's pretty much their rhetoric. Not be like others. Nothing less, nothing more. It's such a general way of addressing any issue, that one cannot even argue with them.
Yes-men/women
And these are the best kind. They have no two thoughts rubbing against each other in their head, or at least that's how it appears. The motto of their existence on any group is to just agree with everything. Often they exist only to increase the number of likes on the 'Opportunists' posts, and are a part of the rival 'gangs' entourage.
Incessant likers who never post
These people hardly read much in my opinion and are an extension of the previous category. What are their reasons for liking everything are varied; they might be only letting everyone know of their existence; they are intimidated; confused but want to show they know whats going on; or they just do so for the heck of it.
Black-sheep
And last, but not the least are rebels and the misfits. They are never much liked and usually take the brunt of most of it. They are the cause of discussions, controversies, fights and at times even work as punching bags, specially for the opportunists.
I suppose this is enough for now. I'll add more when I observe any more anomalies in this cyber social world of ours.
PS I forgot the 'Don't give a damn' types. Come to think of it, they most probably have a life beyond internet and Facebook.
