Tag: Facebook Status Updates

Spread the word: “awareness raising” that doesn’t raise awareness is stupid

Apparently breast cancer awareness week is a movable feast. It happens whenever somebody decides that Facebook hasn’t had enough “awareness raising”… this time round it’s not quite as innuendo laden as the last few years. Women are being asked to put a vegetable as their status.

This one is pretty dumb, so it hasn’t caught on with the same gusto that the others have…

But, in case you’re wondering, this is what they mean.

Blueberry: I’m single
Pineapple its complicated
Raspberry: Im a touch and go woman
Apple: Engaged
Cherry: In a relationship
Cucumber: I just had sex!
Banana: Im married
Avocado: Im the “other one”
Strawberry: Cant find the right one
Lemon: Wish i was single
Grape: wants to get married.

How this relates to breast cancer is just completely beyond me. I think people just want to launch a meme, so they tack a popular cause onto it, say “this is a secret, don’t tell any men” and then release it into the wild.

I’ve made my opinion on this kind of “awareness raising” pretty clear previously, at least this one is relatively free of gutter level innuendo, but please. Just stop. It was funny (almost) once, it was hackneyed the second time, and now it’s just ridiculous. Why don’t we try just talking openly and honestly about breast cancer rather than copy and pasting for a cause or engaging in this “lets not talk about the elephant in the room” style of drumming up awareness for your cause.

Gary posted this the other day, it also goes nicely with my rant the other day about annoying status updates.

On stupid guilt inducing status updates

Dear Christian Facebookers,

If you feel the need to inspire your Christian brothers and sisters to guilt please do so in a fitting and clever manner.

Do not post gut wrenching hallmark inspired guilt trips in your status and encourage other people to do the same.

If you post this:

“is a follower of Christ and proud to say it!! Let’s see how many people on FB aren’t afraid to show their love for God! Repost this as your status. Each time you see this on someone’s status, say a quick prayer for that person!! Lets get God back in this country like He should be!!! If you agree post this in your status update. Just copy and paste.”

I won’t unfriend you. But I will block your statuses from appearing in my news feed, and I will think a little less of you.

Even if it’s just because you used so many exclamation marks.

Mikey has good rules for Facebook Status Updates. Obey them.

UPDATE: There were several instances of this in my feed – this was not directed at anyone in particular – unless you were the culprit who instigated this practice to begin with…