I do not like the like button on facebook

Okay that's not strictly true as the like button does have it's uses, sometimes it's hard to know what to respond to a persons post, especially if much more eloquent friends have posted before you, and then the like button is good, it say's I have read this and I liked it. However, when the like button becomes the lazy options it makes me want to scream. I have one friend who it seems is permanently attatched to the like button. Before the like button you got to have some pretty witty and entertaining talks with her, but now, she is perpetually silent, just her little like letting you know she has been there at all. I feel the like button has killed facebook communication to a large degree. Instead of taking the time to actually reply to your post people just smack that like button and wander away. What's so wrong with communicating with words?
Ok so we may not always be at our best when it comes to witty comments, but who cares, by actually commenting on post we get to stay in touch with our friends, see how they are getting on and what is going on in their lives, and more tends to be revealed when we actually take the time to talk with them, instead of just hitting the stupid like button.
On top of that the regular liker's seem to only comment on there own post, which means you are forced to constantly check their pages if your to have any hope of catching up with them in any depth.
I'd happily lose the like button on facebook, despite it's moments of use, and go back to just plain old commenting any day. Sadly I don't see facebook getting rid of it any time soon.
are you a like button liker, or a like button hater? I'd be interested to hear you opinion on the matter.