After Reactions, a more expressive Like button, Facebook is planning to revamp “Add Friend” button. Here are few options:

First, a button that adds people to your wishlist. A way of saying, “in your dreams…”

in you dreams..

if only…

Still searching for a match on matrimonial sites? Beat those matching algorithms with the click of this button! It will send a friend request after it automagically like’ all things they have liked.

matrimonial

the matrimonial killer

Next up is for stalkers, sorry, perfect strangers.

stalk

filename: stalker.png Ready to get a call from FBI or equivalent

There comes a time when you’re drunk and other drunk people around you are saying things that you don’t care. Fear not, send as many requests. They’ll be ready for review once you are sober. Whatever happened to Google goggles.

drunk_mode

hick! click. hick!

The best thing about computers? Delete button. Miss it in real life? Not for long…

say no more...

say no more…

Attention!

Did you find this as funny as other articles you read lately? Truth is, I do not care so much because I do not make money by making you read it. However, several companies do.

If you are reading this then I have successfully grabbed your attention. It is the one of the most precious things you have. Perhaps, the most precious in these times as great companies are at war to get it.

These words, with the help of a few pictures and a misleading title, fought for your attention against constantly appearing stories on your Facebook. They competed with eye catching images of cute animals and beautiful people. They won over notifications, viral videos, celebrities and sensational news. Had any one of these distracted you, you’d not be here. Statistically that’s very unlikely, that such words win.

As per Facebook data, only 2-3% of people who saw my posts, clicked on it.

Many companies want our attention. They want us to click on pages, watch videos, like, and share. Basically, they want us to continuously act. Actions are monitored and behavior is predicted. This helps figure out what we like. This analysis helps make ads better by showing them to those more likely to engage with them. To make successful ads, we’re encouraged to keep interacting.

From bold, catchy headlines to the “5 tips that will change your life” articles, there are many tricks. On TV, TRP decides content. On Internet, viral videos touch the extremes TV dare not. What is the harm, you’ll ask. What do we lose? We get the content we like, personalized, as they say. We see only the ads we’re interested in.

The harm is that we seldom stop. We’re constantly engaged in one form of entertainment or another. We move in a groove that has no end. It costs time that can be used to create. Creation requires attention, and we rarely get hold of it.

Don’t agree? Try this. Create something, whether original or not. Use any medium you like. Do not target an audience. If you have never done so, then maybe you believe you are not “creative”. In that case, definitely do it. Pick an idea and give it shape. Realize how incredibly difficult it can be.

Suppose you decide to write. Obviously, do not Google ideas or ways to get started. Stare at a blank page and shape words into sentences. Sentences into narration. Harder than getting ideas is fighting distraction.

If you are able to do what you picked, you’ll feel the joy that is different from mindless consumption of content decided by algorithms. If you are not able to finish then you’ll gain respect for that art.

Empathy is a reasonable replacement for hasty judgments.

Thank you for you attention!