[burtmacklin]

I'm an ex-Facebook user, so obviously I'm not unbiased in my feelings (general disdain) towards the product... but over and over again it seems there are distinct classes of users, those who view it as a useful utility for maintaining "low-intimacy" (casual) relationships, and those who view it as an intrusive/unwanted/psychologically harmful distraction.

I've certainly lost touch with many casual connections by de-Facebooking, but I feel like my overall mental state is better... the old "your everyday versus everyone else's highlight reel" is no longer thrust to the foreground of my consciousness multiple times a day. Worthy tradeoff to me, but is it for most other people? Maybe I'm just too sensitive or insecure to be a "good Facebooker".

It will be interesting to see if the "I get enough out of this to make up for the bad stuff" crowd grows or shrinks over time for FB.

[imbeau]

I agree. I stopped checking Facebook in December. I'm happier and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. All my real friends know how to get in touch with me and do. Everyone else was never really a friend anyway.