When Facebook friends comment on my news feed, I like that. I enjoy reading about what they have done or seen or feel. I prefer these rather than canned, eye-catching messages. These put distance between people. It’s like marching in a protest and carrying a sign. People see and respond to the sign. The person with the sign gets hidden. I've enjoyed reading articles FB friends have posted. I would still prefer to see more posts from individuals simply sharing about their daily lives.
When someone “likes” a comment or photo I put on FB, the positive reinforcement feels good. I like to read threads of conversation on my news feed. If a friend posts a comment and I respond, and her friend posts a comment, dialogue between strangers can ensue. I like discussions on FB. I suspect many feel an unwritten rule that stipulates no talking to people you don't know.
FB has great potential as a forum for entertainment. People could discuss a book or movie. A thread of conversation could ensue. In my four years of experience, this happens infrequently. Many people are perhaps shy and some afraid they might be mocked. Many seem uncomfortable with speaking their minds to strangers. Probably many are too busy with work and family to spend more than a little time on FB.
When I joined FB I was gratified to find long lost friends. I'm now in touch with people I knew when I was in grammar and high school. I didn’t know where they were or if they still lived. Kudos to FB for allowing me to re-connect with them.
One benefit to FB is the ability to start your own “FB Room”. You name the room and have authority over the room. You can allow people to join the room and can eject people from the room. Most of these types of rooms are created with a special purpose in mind. One room was built for people living in, or planning to move to Ecuador. Valuable advice, networking and knowledge are dispensed. Another room was built for people in a 12 Step program. In these rooms people freely share about themselves with others in that particular 12 Step program.
FB offers benefit to the world, but the world in my estimation doesn't use FB to its full potential.
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