Image Source: Fanpop

How many times have you randomly added a stranger to your Friend List on Facebook, with the high hopes that this latest friend app will turn out to be a really good friend indeed, and actually endorsed the phrase "Sharing is Caring"? Almost always, I presume. But once in a while, you get someone who's a little selfish in sharing something that would benefit everyone on the scale called "Friendship".

And in which case, I am most inclined to actually ponder the reason for such selfishness. Is it because if your friends joined the same thing, you get one less chance of winning? Or being chosen? Or is it really simply because one is just "mildly" interested and intend to check it out later?

Just when I thought I was done with a somewhat selfish "friend" a few months back, I got confronted with another new selfish "friend" who literally had no qualms about voicing her utmost displeasure on the reason for the like and share of a particular page. What hurts the most is that, I actually had the courtesy to treat her as a friend I truly cared for, letting her know the latest sample, contest, giveaway. Albeit some links are not from my own source, but still credited to the original sharers nonetheless. And in return, I get a really selfish and egotistical attitude for the "hard work" I've tried to do. Which is simply by being "friends".

But before I go on and on about the virtue of "Sharing is Caring", let's take a look at how Facebook works. As it apparently looks like there are still bloggers who still do not have any clue on how Facebook works, despite writing up a similar post at least a month or 2 back sometime during last year.

As you can see in the image right above, Sponsored posts are voluntarily shared since it's paid for on Facebook to be advertised to interested Facebook users. And along the way, if you are already a fan of said "Sponsored Post", you will always receive updates whenever there is one. Unless you unchecked the Show in Newsfeed Settings. Or unlike the page totally to be free from daily quote spammage.

(Note that profile image and name(s) have been blurred to protect the privacy of the person quoted as an example, which I didn't actually ask for permission, but do remembered to blur out as much as I possibly can. Oh well, I tried to, hope nobody can tell what is what)

Another example is something like this in the image above. A friend likes something he or she saw, and decided to share it. And depending on how you set your post settings, chances are, almost everyone can see what you updated, share, liked or commented on. And I personally think it's actually a lame excuse if you commented simply with "I like XYZ's Sponsored Post for my own reference and did not intend to share it with anyone at all". Because if it's meant for your own eyes only, then one should actually take care to maintain the post setting to reflect that what you updated, share, liked or commented on should only be visible to yourself. No harm, no foul huh?

But in the event you do intend to keep a link for your own reference or just want to be plain selfish to ensure that you are the only one who will benefit in the sense that you are the only one chosen, despite your blog posts being too overly PR-oriented, may I kindly suggest this particular settings you see on the image to the left.

But to explain to people who might still be clueless how Facebook works, despite using it for god knows how many donkey years, months, days, weeks, hours, minutes, or even seconds. Here's the simple list:

• Public: Anyone and everyone can see it, even subscribers to your own personal Facebook profile
• Friends: Almost everyone on your friend list, including "Friend of a Friend" a.k.a Mutual Friends
• Friends except Acquaintances: Only people on your "Friend List"
• Only Me: You are the only person to see what you updated, share, liked or commented on
• Close Friends: Only friends who are really close to you and have been included in this list
• Singapore Samples: My own list of friends who I have the utmost pleasure of sharing contests, giveaways, freebies and sample links
• See all lists...: Make your own list, such as those who are playing games will see game feeds, or friends who will see links and feeds and happened to have the same interests as you

And that, my dear friends, is how you delegate links, likes, shares and comments and at the same time decides who gets to see them and who don't. If not, frankly speaking, I really don't see nor understand why the big fuss and QQ'ing is about if you shared something publicly, and then later claimed to have like and share for your own personal reference only. Therefore, before going on an update spree on your wall lamenting how your precious links gets shared without your permission, how about ensuring that it stays within the confines of your own page so nobody can "spoil" your chance of being the one who will make it?

Personally, I like to share all these wonderful contests, giveaways, freebies and samples with my friends. The more friends I have winning and getting their hands on free stuffs, I personally also feel happy about it. I mean, hey, I'm not the only one who's trying to save a little bit of money by looking for samples, my friends are too. And I am not the only one trying to win something or anything, my friends equally deserved the chance too as well. I think it's bad if you don't win anything, but it will probably be even worse if your friends didn't win anything in the process, all because it stemmed from a single selfish thought of, "I can be the only one to win anything and everything".

And in which case, I would like to humbly ask, "What's the point if you are the only one standing on top of the world while your friends looked on with envy. Knowing that they could have shared your tears of frustration and joyful exhilaration in fighting tooth and nail to get to that top spot?" It hardly makes you feel like you are on top of the world when you are the only single one up there, you know? It gets awkward that it's just you, and only you know the joys of it, which brings this ultimately to the single phrase I've always encountered, "Forever Alone". Is it really worth feeling "forever alone" or would you want to feel "On top of the World" with your friends alongside you?