Why do we have to 'Like' posts that are sad to aknowledge they've been read?

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Why is it always a 'Like' 

On our site most posts are from  poor folk crying out for help and support in their grief. Yet to  acknowledge we've read their posts,  but with no reply that we feel inspired to respond,   all we've got is a 'Like' icon!  Well I DONT LIKE what Ive read. I don't LIKE  the suffering they are going through. I once brought this topic up to the Facebook administrators but that fell on deaf ears. Surely its not beyond the website creaters  to give us a 'Read' icon. Or a ' Seen' icon. I'm most surprised that the MacMillan organisers didn't  see this themselves. I've put this same point to the Sue Ryder Community Support site and I'm told they've already got plans to do away with this 'Like' nonsense and are creating a 'Love' icon and one other choice that's appropriate to their sites ethos.

Loveland Light.

Geoff.

  • I can't speak for everyone, but as a reader of posts I don't like things to say I've read them and you're the first person I've ever heard of who feels the need to acknowledge that they've read a post. 

    Then as a writer, I don't care if people have read it if they haven't responded. I'm looking for responses to either commiserate, empathise, swear a bit, offer support, or give advice, etc. Whatever it is I'm needing at that point. Someone reading and not responding doesn't interest me at all.

    But as I say, that's me. And most folks who know me on site, know I'm a bit odd. Lol

    Lass

    Xx

    I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.

  • I agree. I don't want to ' like' a post on this site quite often  

    I want to say I've ' read' or' seen' it 

    Tho I also agree with Lass - guess that makes me,a fence sitter lol

    Fear of the unknown is the worst thing. Once we know what we're facing, we find the strength to deal with it.
  • Hi Lass 

    So you are OK with the  'Like' icon?  So if someone said to your face. " Oh Lass. My partner has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. The Doctor says they only have a few days to live."   You would reply,   "I LIKE what you've just told me." 

    Love and Light

    Geoff.

    At the end of all our journeying will be to find ourselves back where we started knowing the place for the first time. TS ELIOT.

  • Hey Geoff, 

    Yup, I'm fine with the like button. 

    And no, I'd not tell them to their face I liked what I'd heard. I'd respond to them with my sympathies and ask if I could do anything to help or make the next few days amazing, as well as saying if the worst should happen, I'll be there for them however I can be.

    Why? Would you just say "I acknowledge what you've said." then walk off with nothing more?

    Lass

    Xx

    I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.

  • Hi Lass 

    I don't think we are communicating on the same level. LOL Sweat smile

    I bid you good day Madam. LOL x

    Love and Light

    Geoff. 

    At the end of all our journeying will be to find ourselves back where we started knowing the place for the first time. TS ELIOT.

  • I just used your analogy. 

    You say you want to hit a button with an appropriate reaction to show someone you've seen their post. 

    I said that's not what I as a poster would find helpful, or as a reader what I'd like to do. 

    You gave an example of someone saying something to me, to represent a post, then asked if I would then say to them I like what they've said 

    As I had already expressed in my first post, I wouldn't simply react to a post and not respond, as you stated you wanted to be able to do. So using your example, I stated how I'd respond to someone saying/posting that to me and then flipped it back to you. So asked if someone posted/said that to you, would you simply acknowledge that they'd said/posted your example, then walk away without offering them any support.

    Because as I said, I don't feel the need to react to every post I read. I don't do it on social media either, which the site is trying hard to not become. I offer help, advice, support, etc where I can and how I can. And a like button is more than enough to be able to do that imo. 

    I'm sorry that you found it confusing, but I hope that's clarified it for you. :) 

    Lass

    Xx

    I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to Geoff999

    Morning 

    I feel a majority of members within groups like bereaved and incurable etc would never use the like button for messages of sadness or bad news, or to acknowledge they have read it and walked on by without replying in those groups.

    However, if the message is offering advice, support, information or reassurence to others - then by all means it is very appropriate in my opinion to show appreciation of someone giving their time to offer something positive to other members.

    I hope this is how others (for the most part) view using the like button anyway ?

    The best way to acknowledge reading a post is to give a reply - if only a brief one without even using the 'like' button Thumbsup

    G n' J

  • Thank u Dreamthief

    Fear of the unknown is the worst thing. Once we know what we're facing, we find the strength to deal with it.
  • Hi. 

    I read many posts on our site but don't always feel I can respond to them all with anything helpful. But its rather a nice idea to be able to acknowledge that persons post with something other than 'Like' Specially when the the message is sad or tragic. The Sue Ryder community site have seen my point and by sheer coincidence are dismissing the 'Like' icon. In its place they giving readers the choice of either a 'Heart' ( Sending Love) or a 'Smiling Emoji' ( I like what you've just written)  So clearly I don't stand alone on this matter. 

    Love and Light

    Geoff

    At the end of all our journeying will be to find ourselves back where we started knowing the place for the first time. TS ELIOT.

  • Hey Geoff, 

    Alternatively, you could just post that. "Sorry I don't have any advice/experience/etc, but I'm thinking of you. Best of luck". Obviously tailored to whatever has been said. Alternatively, post with one of the hundreds of emoticons that exist. 

    Though if I saw a smiley and a heart I, and many others, would take it to mean I like this or I love this. So I write out a sad post and someone clicks a heart on it, that's going to go down like a lead balloon. 

    I'm very much with Dreamthief on the use of the like button. I'll also add that I'd probably be more upset if I've opened up on a site and people can't take more than a second to respond to me. So getting a whole load of reactions and 0 replies would make me feel awful and like the community don't care. Because that's what it would say to me, that people don't care enough to say a few words to help me in whatever situation I'm going through and dealing with.

    Lass

    Xx

    I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.