I know just how you feel. I am so tired of constantly hearing all the bad stuff - on the news, on the radio, on Facebook. I tend to avoid those places as much as possible. Maybe it is a fool's paradise immersing ourselves in our gardens, and on the gardening web sites with flowers and birds, but I like it here too

I've kind of been thinking about this off and on all day. I know it is a moral responsibility to be socially conscientious, so there is no long term avoidance for me, but it sure is nice to pick and choose when I feel like hearing it and dealing with it. I like and need my happy gardening places and occasionally going in to recluse mode in my off the beaten track woods to simply ease my mind. Happy gardening place is harder to do in the winter though recluse mode is not

FB is such a prolific social media platform, just have to tweak some settings. With FB, I just unfollow those friends, then it does not show on my news feed, so I do not get to read all their posts..whether inane or interesting. Pretty much I unfollow all but still keep them in my friend's list. There are some instances you just want to share empathy to what they are going through, like bereavement, or job loss, gross weather conditions or their simple joys like bdays, weddings, travel etc.

Pretty much like reading a newspaper, and I just read the part I like, that's how I handle it, if I want to read their page, then I go to their page. If I don't, then I leave them alone and just concentrate on my own postings. I also block people who are too obnoxious or just too undisciplined in posting replies, that way they will not find me or I put them in restricted category so they cannot see my postings. And I also reject being added as their friend..after all, it is my page.

I dont have a Facebook page but I do monitor my Mom's FB page. I am like Tarev, I just chose to read what I want and don't comment on most of the post unless directly related to my Mom and only if she wants me to respond in her behalf.

Here is the only way I can stay on FB. Well, first of all I only friend my relatives and one friend. Then, I do this if necessary:
http://heresthethingblog.com/2...
Main sources of unwelcome posts for me:
1. Religion
2. Politics
3. Excessive posts related to people's pet causes
4. Constant, excessive posts & pics about a persons child/children.

Double post.

I hear you. Linda, I hear you. I'm so darned tired of everything being a "cause" anymore. I practice my religion privately, I vote my conscience privately, I support the organizations I believe in privately, and I keep my worst impulses and emotional excesses to myself. That's all I ask of anyone else. I've already blocked the posts from several of my acquaintances on Facebook. But it's just got to the point where I'm tired of being shocked by unexpectedly confrontational posts. I love my cousin, and I truly truly respect her passion for animals and I share in that same belief: that animals should be treated well and with compassion. And I'm sure most of her friends/relatives feel the same. So why does she feel compelled to shock us with horrible pictures of animal abuse? It's preaching to the choir. I'm tired of it; I'm done with FB.