Unfriending is not a sin.

So, I recently responded to a post on Facebook that broached a political topic. (I know, I know—I should have known better than to even get involved.) I won’t say what the discussion was about, because they usually all end up the same way anyway: one or more people responding with hyperbolic, fallacy-ridden claims that have nothing to do with the original point or discussion. After a couple comments back and forth, I decided just to hit “unfriend.”

Some people might think this is harsh, but when it comes down to it, we’re not even “real” friends. We used to know each other in high school, but now she lives a life that is completely opposite of mine. Her posts are generally about her children (whom I’ve never met), or they’re in support of political viewpoints that I don’t identify with. Basically, her day-to-day updates add no value to my life, and her ideas don’t contribute to my overall happiness or knowledge.

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you’re fed up with a random acquaintance’s frequent posts about their cat/baby/religion/political views. Or maybe you’re fueling a broken heart by Facebook-stalking an ex (or worse—their new paramour). Just stop. Unfriend. (Or at the very least, unsubscribe to their posts.) You won’t be missing out on some vital piece of information by uncluttering your news feed. “Most information is time consuming, negative, irrelevant to your goals, and outside of your influence,” attests Timothy Ferriss in The 4-Hour Workweek. I certainly think that applies here. Continue reading →