facebookWas anyone surprised last night when America's Next Top Model crowned Lisa D'Amato and Angelea Preston was disqualified -- for mysterious reasons? It looked like Angelea was going to win, but CW issued a statement saying that after production wrapped, they "learned information that made Angelea ineligible" and disqualified her!

There's a theory out there about what exactly disqualified Angelea: she may have bragged on Facebook about winning -- and before the finale aired, too. Oh Angelea, I cringe for you. The Facebook boast is unconfirmed. But if true, it's an obvious spoiler rule-breaker. Not only that -- Facebook bragging is just kind of gross.

You could fill a telephone book with all the stories of Facebook posts gone wrong. My own stories would fill a long, sad chapter. Darn Facebook! Who knew anyone was actually paying attention to what I have to say? Geez. But if we know anything about our electronic lives, it's that 1) there is no such thing as privacy, and 2) no one is paying attention to you until you say something phenomenally stupid.

Everyone loves to hate the Facebook braggy post. Look, we're all happy your kids are doing great in school and that you had a super week in spite of your Lyme disease. I'm not talking about those posts. I'm talking about full-on competitive crowing. People, women especially, just find that sort of thing unfriendly. It doesn't strengthen relationships. It doesn't inspire.

Isn't the whole point of Facebook that it's a form of technology that helps us connect with each other? What kinds of connections are you trying to make?

If Angelea was bragging on Facebook -- and that's a big "if" -- it probably didn't just sink her chances for winning. It probably stirred up some ill will as well. And since this was a televised event, it was also unnecessary; she could have modestly sat back, let everyone watch the show, and then waited for the congratulations to pour in. That kind of electronic graciousness is inspiring.

What do you think about bragging on Facebook? Is there a right way and a wrong way to do it? How do you share good news without being annoying?

 

Image via Adriana Velez