Facebook coupling: it takes two to tango

There are some couples on Facebook — husband-wife-type couples — who observe a mystifyingly lovable pattern: each (of the two halves that make the whole unit) ‘Like’ a post the other has. On my wall, it’s unmistakable. Every time I get a notification that so-and-so has Liked my post, I know it’s only a matter of time before I will get another notification saying that the first Liker’s better half has also followed suit.

I asked one of my friends, who is generally sparse with his output of emojis (as in, he rarely comments or Likes), why he feels compelled to ‘Like’ something the moment his wife does. “Well, you should ask her too,” he offered. “In case you haven’t noticed, if I’m the first one off the block, she puts in a Like minutes after my Like... but yes, she tends to be much more generous with her Likes, so, more often than not, I have to be the follower.”

I have noticed, I told him. Which is why I wanted to find out more about this social (media) trend.

She joined us and the two of them proceeded to tell me stuff that sounded a little contrived. “We are like-minded — why do you think we got together [haha]? — so when I ‘Like’ something, chances are he/she will feel strongly about the same subject… we want to be on the same page” was one explanation he put forth. “Our friends and family on Facebook feel happy for us that we are so simpatico,” she added. Together they said, “Every time I Like something that he/she has already liked, like we are a team, we fall in love all over again.” And then they laughed, while I felt a little sick in my stomach; they saw my face and piped up with, “We are KIDDING… about point number 3.”

The other side of the spectrum consists of those couples who want to have nothing to do with each other on Facebook. I know a few who are not even “friends” with their significant others. Then, there is a subset of the same set who have actually unfriended their spouses. “It’s irritating, really, to be constantly tagged with our togetherness… I want social media to showcase my status as being my own person,” was what someone told me a few months ago.

It’s interesting how much Facebook — despite its sweeping fakeness — can offer by way of extrapolations. The other day, I saw yet another friend put up a new cover photo: he was posing with his golf buddies on beautifully-manicured greens. I immediately noticed there was a woman standing next to him, and it seemed like she was standing too close to him. His wife — also my friend — is on FB with him, and she always comments whenever he changes his display photo (which is mostly of the two of them being all cosy and looking all lovey-dovey) or his cover photo. And I know — for a fact — that she keeps an eagle eye on him, especially when it comes to ‘other’ women. “Foolhardy much?” I WhatsApped him. “What is she saying about the closeness?”

He sent back laughing emojis.

A few minutes later, his wife WhatsApped me. “He just told me even you’ve noticed the ‘closeness’, so here’s the status report: I just shouted at him, he will be taking down that DP, and tonight he will sleep on the couch.”

sushmita@khaleejtimes.com

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