Beware if you’re constantly updating your status, uploading your pictures

If your friend’s list on social networking Facebook has crossed 1000, and you love to tag your friends and update your status all through the day, chances are you maybe a narcissist, a new study suggests. A research from Western Illinois University showed a link between the numbers of Facebook friends you have and how active you are on the site to the likelihood of being a “socially disruptive” narcissist.
This isn’t a baseline that how friendly a person is and how many friends he has, but it just gives people with heightened attitude a platform to self-promote themselves on the site to get the feedback they need and become the center of attention.
Varun Gupta, a Ph.D student, who has over 800 friends on Facebook says, “Facebook is a good way to share your thoughts with distant friends, tagging photos and updating status about recent activities, gives a morale boost. I have been using this platform to create a positive self-image too. I do not lie on Facebook, but it is partial me. Honestly, out of all the friends, only a few are close friends, most are acquaintances at some level or the other. However, with a busy and fast lifestyle many of us have, Facebook is not at all a bad option to share such virtual emotions.”
From her latest haircut to new tattoo, from party time to relaxing at home, young model Purvi Ahuja’s Facebook page boasts of more than 1,000 pictures of her in various avatar. “I love uploading my pictures and wait for my friends response. It feels great to hear good things about yourself. It makes me feel confident and elated. I love to flaunt myself on Facebook and love the attention I get from my friends,” she adds.
But there are few who don’t agree with the study and say that Facebook is not the place to garner attention and respect they deserve.
Ayesha Sharma, an investment banker, says, “So, if I have over 500 friends does it mean I am a narcissist? I have nearly 800 friends on Facebook, but I’m not obsessed with tagging random people, except very close friends. I admit to update my status couple of times a day, and feel good when my friends comment, does it make me a narcissit? I clearly don’t obsess about other people’s profile and what they say on their wall.”
Seconds Pawan Hora, a media professional, whose limit crosses 1,000 friends on Facebook, “I don’t agree with the study because Facebook is not just a platform where I post pictures, comments or status updates. It also gives me a platform to interact with people who are related to me professionally. Having 1000 plus friends doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a social animal who wants to be in the limelight all the time. I’m a public relations consultant and it’s my job to be in touch with most of the journalists and clients and believe me I’ve made clients through FB.”
“Besides Facebook gives me regular industry updates as well. As far as the feel good factor is concerned, I’m sure everybody feels good if someone compliments them on their profile pic or like their post or feed a positive comment on their status, but that in no way could be termed as narcissism and don’t forget how it connects you with your old and long lost friends. Having them on your friends list doesn’t make you guilty of being self-centered,” he says.