Here’s the most irritating thing you can post on Facebook in your state

Facebook etiquette can be a little murky at best, with posts ranging from startlingly banal to way, way, TMI. But the truth is, you just never know what’s going to bother your FB friends — until NOW!

Thanks to Cosmo and Rantic.com, we now have a clear and simple infographic to tell us how we’re annoying everyone we love by state.

The graph, which was based on a survey of 10,000 Facebook users, breaks up the most typical offenders into a few pertinent categories (this prevented users from submitting things like “everything Aunt Barbara says about her colon.”)

Perhaps not shockingly, “Personal Problems” from breakups to health issues is listed as the biggest offender, with 21 states sick and tired of hearing about your job woes. “Selfies” are the next problem post, taking top (or bottom) honors in eight states. “Baby Photos,” “Food Photos,” and “Political Rants” are all about even at six or seven each — although there’s an interesting condensation of anti-baby-photo folks in the Northeast that we think anthropologists should look into.

Broken down by gender, “Personal Problems” wins again, with 67% of women and 62% of men voting for it as the most annoying type of Facebook post — so much for women being the more compassionate gender!

Still, rather than look at the chart as a guide for what not to say on social media, it’s more intriguing to consider why people are so darn miffed by these specific issues. “Personal Problems” might strike a chord because people use social media to relax and catch up, which can become a stressful activity if they’ve got a timeline full of crisis. “Selfies” might seem annoying if there’s a daily barrage of them — this ain’t Instagram, people.

If we want to take a zen approach to things, however, we should remember that releasing our frustration is the key to serenity. If unbridled annoyance at any of these categories feels familiar, maybe we should take some time to think about why we are so irritated by the lives of the people we care about. Let’s all breathe in some compassion for those struggling, even if it seems like they’re always, always, always struggling, and exhale frustration before it makes us feel bitter. Or better yet, maybe close the Facebook app.

(Image via Twitter/Cosmopolitan)