Boo Hoo. I'm so sad I'll show you a picture

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Does anyone else deal with stuff like this in their FB feeds?

This dude showed up on my FB feed, as a re-post from a "friend." I don't know him, really. Met him once or twice, we have the same employer but different locations. His cat is sick, has been sick for a few weeks. Diagnosed today with inoperable, untreatable, metastasized cancer.

He posted a picture of himself crying.

OMFG give me a break. Yes, it's heartbreaking. Yes, I've gone through it with two of my own cats, with a third going through illness right now. I've posted good-bye statuses and that was it. Yes, everyone handles their grief in different ways, but seriously, how is posting a pic of yourself in tears anything but narcissistic? Who does this? I feel bad for his situation and for his poor cat, but jeez, what a tool.

Seemed too weak to Pit, and can't vent at work or FB, so I threw it down here.

[FloatyGimpy]

Originally Posted by SeaDragonTattoo

He posted a picture of himself crying.

.

dafuq?

It's bad enough when someone posts "oh I'm so sad" and then hopes for friends too start asking "what's wrong?".

[drewtwo99]

That is very very wrong. If you are crying over your dying cat, but you still have enough sensibility to get out your camera (or phone and open the camera app), and snap a picture of yourself, then you must really not be that sad.

Ridiculous.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

I'm glad I'm not crazy for thinking the guy's a douche for doing that.

Also, the people who post: :'( as their status. Though now that I've seen that pic, the emoticon by itself doesn't even seem so bad any more!

[astro]

He loves the cat. Is that so wrong?

[voltaire]

He's probably just cruising for some good ole' sympathy sex. If you can manage to sufficiently suspend your dignity, it's probably pretty effective.

[PandaBear77]

I can't imagine what kind of screwed up attention whore someone would have to be to do that.

Surely there's a diagnosis in the DSM-IV to explain this.

Histrionic, maybe?

[Double Foolscap]

Originally Posted by astro

He loves the cat. Is that so wrong?

The last time my cat died, I didn't post a picture of myself crying on Facebook. That's creepy.

I got rascally drunk at a party and blathered to my friend about how he was the awesomest cat ever because he was really fluffy and a total boss. That' the proper way to mourn.

[Sailboat]

I could see posting a picture of the cat.

This is sort of like announcing your daughter broke her leg skiing, and posting a picture of yourself grimly writing the check to the emergency room.

[Dogzilla]

Once, shortly after a dog died, I attended a beer-tasting fundraiser for the local Humane Society. Someone took a picture of me and some friends toasting the dead dog with some craft beers. (The dog had been a rescue, so this was my way of honoring him, by attending a fundraiser to help save other dogs.) I was smiling through tears in the picture. Someone posted it on FB. I did not post it myself and would not have. Usually, when a pet dies, I post a picture of the pet with a little eulogy. "He was a good dog." Posting a pic of oneself seems, well, as if the person wants everyone to know how much pain he's in. He obviously doesn't have any IRL friends or he could call them and ask them to come over and let him cry on their shoulder. I feel sorry for him if he can only get sympathy on FB and not in real life. Bummer.

[Wheelz]

I've seen similar sympathy-trolling but never someone posting a photo of themselves crying. I actually find that kind of hilarious. I know, I'm an asshole.

As far as I can tell, this is a fairly recent deveolpment. Facebook didn't use to tell me when one of my friends commented on someone else's post who's not a friend, presumably because they correctly assumed that I didn't give a shit. Now, for some reason, they think I do. Just one of the reasons I bother with FB less and less these days. It's not even a fun waste of time anymore.

[AnthonyElite]

Does he need help?

I hate situations like that because:

On the one hand; what a douch
On the other; he has suffered enough. He may be an idiot, but he is probably an innocent idiot.

I'd like to add in general that I am so sick of Facebook trying to be a part of my life. I will say happy birthday to a friend on FB if I don't get the chance to see them in person, or give them a call. However, I am NOT obligated to say HB to everybody in my life on FB after already calling, or writing.

[Barkis is Willin']

That kind of stuff almost makes me regret getting on FB. It's nice to keep up with people who use it appropriately. But those people are, unfortunately, outnumbered by social idiots with whom (without getting into the politics of FB) I feel obligated to remain friends.

[Curiosity Kills Her]

Not hot.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Originally Posted by AnthonyElite

Does he need help?

I hate situations like that because:

On the one hand; what a douch
On the other; he has suffered enough. He may be an idiot, but he is probably an innocent idiot.

I'd like to add in general that I am so sick of Facebook trying to be a part of my life. I will say happy birthday to a friend on FB if I don't get the chance to see them in person, or give them a call. However, I am NOT obligated to say HB to everybody in my life on FB after already calling, or writing.

Mmm. He needs help, but not for lack of it being available. The couple times I've come across the guy IRL, I just wasn't impressed with him and this just confirmed what I already thought about the guy. He has a partner he lives with, a job he's had for a couple years. He's not unstable, though he's going through a rough patch, but sheesh, this kind of thing does not get my sympathy!

[Sicks Ate]

He better be careful not to let the tears drip on his skinny jeans. They'll shrink and he'll never get them off.

[6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast]

What a douche. Why post a picture of yourself crying when people want video?

[Loach]

Reading the OP gave me the douche chills.

When I first joined Facebook it seemed to me that there was a lot more sympathy trolling. I think some people get caught up in getting attention when they first get on. Most get over it.

[astro]

Wow. The man is suffering. You're such mean girls.