Don't Let Pretend Friends Online Sets Your Standards

Some people are too accepting of what they see on TV and accept that everyone on the Internet is going to let pretend friends on Facebook and do the same. These people need to wake up and realize that it is just not normal or healthy to have people on your friends list that are nothing more than random strangers who you met at a fancy restaurant. If these friends decide to initiate contact with you, then that is their issue not yours. It would be far wiser to keep your standards a bit higher than that and try to find some real life friends over the Internet.


You also need to understand that there are people who get on your friends list simply because they like the way you look or the way you act. These are the types of people who do not let pretenders on your friends list. If you accept this type of friend request from someone and they proceed to send you fake information such as a place that you once went on vacation or a business that you used to work for, then that is something you should not take very lightly.

So, why does this happen? There are people on Facebook who have no idea what the word "friend" means. For these people, the only standards are the ones that are laid out by society or the people they wish to meet. They may believe that everyone these days is just friends with each other and have no standards. They fail to see that there is a difference between having things in common and having things that mean something to each other.

Pretending to be someone you are not is the same thing as lying. When you tell someone you don't know that you are not in reality when you tell them things that are too good to be true, then you are lying. There is nothing wrong with letting people onto your friends list that have no intentions of doing anything else but hanging out with you. If you are going to set standards for yourself, you must enforce them.

The only way that this works is through communication. You are going to communicate to people what kind of standards you expect of them. If you want to make sure that no one is getting away with anything, then you must make sure that no one is doling out the fake information. That is the only way that you will get to have consistency in your life.

Many people believe that it is okay to go ahead and accept the friend request if it turns out that the individual is real. They don't understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to do this. There is no reason to lie or to misrepresent yourself when you are using an online network. Everyone has access to every single post on your wall and on your friend's lists. Be selective.

The problem lies in some people's misconception of privacy. They think that they can set their standards and not have anyone else prying into their lives. It is true that this type of solitude is beneficial for people, but it is not worth it in the end.


Do not let your standards be lowered by friends. Always work to set higher standards. This will also serve as a deterrent. Some people will see that you are self-centered and will either cut you off completely or make sure that they know who you are hanging out with and who you are not. That is a very good thing, I think.