Facebook is what you make of it, Facebook pals are on every scrap of land around the planet, and from every corner of different societies, too.
There’s no such thing as one kind of Facebook discussion, and there’s an infinite number of different groups. So pals range from van dwellers and homeless people, to diff kinds of arts/political/philosophical interests, dogs homes and vets, to teachers and sailors etcetc. SF is very different in having one main theme, but no two posters are alike. A wonderfully strange and mixed bunch!
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My impression of you Dan, is that you are a gentle, soul, sometimes feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders. I am perfectly happy to be excluded from your contacts, if you want to do that…I’m not likely to stop screeching like a banshee, if that’s what I do, about green things!
I don’t suppose people hear me any more clearly, if I shout, I know that I might have the opposite effect to any hoped for!
Still, no use wishing for the moon! I will always attempt to *reply to posts addressed to me*.., and will always attempt to *post first, to those who I judge, MIGHT be interested!!*
So if that appears to be one person, or any group, I guess that’s how it is likely to remain. However this topic is my topic, and it was a deliberate attempt to bring more in posters, maybe more, different points of view, into the group, so I’m not stuck with my feet in concrete.
Sorry my posts are a bit long…they need to be shorter, but sometimes I’m writing fast and don’t have time to précis the thing after…
Yes…I accept…whatever you think about me, whoever you are, as PERFECTLY valid.
I don’t blame you, and don’t hope to change your opinion. Thank you for telling me!
…Peter and Dan…?
I might try the tirade, harangue, verbal onslaught, verbal attack, stream of abuse, denunciation, broadside, fulmination, condemnation, criticism, stricture, reproof, reproval, reprimand, rebuke, admonishment, and/or admonition…NEXT time…
Chemistry is a wonderful thing…and I am not referring to that subject we took at school.
Thanks to the ability to express oneself we can feel akin to a certain group or individuals and their way of thinking albeit online.
However in reality when we come across people in our everyday lives we can find ourselves attracted to people with maybe different perspectives and opinions to ourselves.
That attraction does not diminish necessarily because we do not agree. Friendships are forged on less.
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Yes, absolutely!
Quite often I find that a disagreement online can be very interesting, a gateway to a new world, sometimes, and an extra blessing of “online” is that social divisions may carry less weight.
I don’t need to know any of the details that might separate me “in real life”, from talking to someone… How old someone is, or their state of health/wealth/ what language they speak (I’m OK with instant translate) etc etc…I remain wary, nonetheless, and would not count an internet connection, " a friend". until knowing them in “real life”. (I’m old! Already made some hair raising errors!) I Survived. Some don’t.
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Thanks, Mark Zuckerberg and the odd identity thief says so as well. Going back to silent mode now
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" “Now look, I get that a lot of people aren’t sure that we’re serious about this,” Zuckerberg said, through skittish guffaws. “I know that we don’t exactly have the strongest reputation on privacy right now, to put it lightly. But I’m committed to doing this well.”
This , he went on to explain, was a major overhaul of Facebook’s core products, including “re-plumbing the whole infrastructure”, to fulfill Zuckerberg’s new thesis statement: “The future is private.”
But…can’t be sure of anything…
. Im not enthusiastic, to trust any internet org, inc NatWest online, with any info that matters… 
Agree with your bottom line. Zuckerberg must be a fit bloke with all that dodging he does, taxes and parliamentary committees, so why should his mission statement be any different? Perhaps if he is re-plumbing the whole infrastructure, he could include a sump to drain off the garbage he spouts
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Trashing Facebook, because you think of its creator/boss as lowlife,
and probably a destructive world influence, when there are already too many? …yes, could make sense, to me.
Although as a painter/artist, myself, I don’t think of it as a priority, to examine the morality/lifestyle of the artist, when I look at artwork of any kind, to decide whether the painting he/she has produced …is a fine work of art, or not.
The measure of support, the sense of “taking part”, in ‘the product’… its beauty/usefulness/value of any kind…is sure to be felt personally.
I wouldn’t suggest, not for a moment, you take part in Zuckerberg’s output, if you have no respect for the man.
I do think its true, that the majority of people in the world including the poorest, are those that contribute least to the destruction of the planet, so if “civilisation”, species human, is really about to face extinction, it is likely to be in the hands of the few billionaires, like Zuckerberg, to have material influence.
I take each post individually, liking or not liking does not depend on how new or established the poster.
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Not mass consumerism, tourism, the fashion industry or de-forestation then? Unless 51% is your majority. Btw, any views on a product I may have are set aside from its creator, not because of, although in the case mentioned they are the same.
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Yes, of course, all of those things. All very complex issues, can’t be dealt with in a sentence or two, but do you think any of those concerns would be as threatening as they are, without the colossal power of the few companies, and controllers of companies, that drive them?
Compare the colossal wealth of the minuscule number of people in USA, one of, if not THE most powerful, and most controlling countries in the world, you don’t think that that tiny group of people, with so much power, might affect your life, and mine?
Might subject you and I to coercion, to obligation? Cause untold destruction by self interest and indifference?
When companies control water and food supplies, safety, arms sales, pharmaceuticals, etcetc …globally?
And in UK? What microscopic number of people is it, now, that can think of owning their home? Or even can live anywhere without taking on crippling debt?
That’s something that makes me want to get into my superhero kit, and change, NOW!
You know such a tiny group of people are permitted to “own” most of UK? At the same time, forbidding the kind of housing development, new ideas in supplying homes, that might give millions more people the opportunity to make choices in their lives. Not to be shackled to debts all their lives?
. It sometimes seems to me as if human species have been traumatised by shocking, awful acts of controlling terror, and have given in. Allowing their lives to be directed and controlled by individuals and power groups, motivated by nothing better than getting their very own gold lavatory, like Trumps.
Excuse me…all that stuff makes me very sad. I’m celebrating being ancient enough and free enough to fight every bit of injustice that is in bashing distance.
Silence allows thought and reflection, so I am often silent.
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Don’t waste all that thought and reflection, Adam! Share at least an idea or two, now and then?!?
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Ok, as my wife in English, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law moved to France many years ago, and then “integrated” into regional French society, I have many opportunities to see how this cultural transformation can work, or not work. Now I am of the view that French people think English people are weird and irrational. While they see themselves as absolutely rational and normal - but with that margin that allows them - and only - them - a privilege to express passion and mad excess without being arrested). British Remainers should have trashed the streets of Westminster by now, but perhaps, , and blessedly so, the streets of London have not seen blood and injury for a cause so utterly banal (I mean Leave) when compared to the great issues of our time; climate change, refugees, racism etc. Although I was born in London and am a UK citizen, I would rather have an EU passport, for I have always been in favour of Socialist ideals, despite the tiresome paperwork that seems to go with its French version. This lifelong belief has not prevented me from meeting Serious Persons of Power and Influence and becoming well off (and this is why I have a stake in this forum for British people with a property in France). But I must earn a living elsewhere. From my peacefully boring vantage point here in Sydney I can only say I hope the next few weeks works out for everyone.
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A troll is motivated by boredom, and the thrill to be gained by making people upset. They often have no convictions or life beyond their Internet ID. I am encouraged to see that posts in this forum are not written by people like that.
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They sometimes try Adam, but are usually dealt with fairly quickly.
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Thanks @adamaitken, you’re cool.
It’s nice to have an ally in Sydney who is cool and cares about those of us who are frazzling a bit about Brexit here in France. 
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By everyone, can we hope that you mean the UK citizens living here in France?
.Adam, interesting!..thinking on with regard to “trolls”. I suppose, generally speaking, it is best to avoid all “ad hominem” attacks against fellow posters.
Who can be sure of the motivation of anyone, least of all the unseen, unknown, internet communicator?!
I know that it is a common forum occurrence for one or another poster, to be considered in a suspicious way, so that his/her motives are questioned, and under attack, not just from one person, but several.
That individual may be judged, quite wrongly, since there may be no proof at all, to be deliberately “pushing buttons”, causing bad feeling, etc.
In short, I think its best to take up any challenge that is interesting, but never become engaged in personal insult/abuse, accusation not even against a supposed ‘troll’…
It solves nothing and creates an unfriendly atmosphere.