How do you feel about social media?

[BlueLine7045]

So I've kinda been on an anti social media kick lately, and I feel like this is a good discussion. I know I am a 28 year old and supposed to love everything social media, but ive just never really been into it. I'll admit I had my obsessive moments, when I was going through high school and college, but these past couple years I just haven't been into it at all.

I used to be obsessed with Facebook and snapchat, spending so much time on them to the point where I'd be ignoring family members for my phone. I also found myself getting angry or riled up over news articles and posts on Facebook and other social media.

Anyway, I deleted every last bit of social media I had back in January (is this site considered social media?) and I actually feel like I'm happier and more carefree now. I also don't watch the news a lot. Sure, I'm ignorant of a lot of things going on, but I generally feel a lot happier and carefree. Its actually funny because I've been reading quite a few articles lately about how social media could be causing problems such as depression, anxiety, etc. in people, and how suicide rates have gone up a lot. Not jumping to conclusions and saying its all 100% true, but it did get me thinking. Id love to discuss all this further.

So, How do you all feel about social media? Do you use it? Pros/cons?

 

[chicago]

I'm 33 and I used to use a lot of different social media sites, but I pretty much got rid of everything - FB, FL, IG, I don't even remember what they all were.

I miss people at times especially with the covid stuff and events being cancelled, but I think it helps my stress level. I can't deal with all the arguing and politics.

I still have the accounts in case I change my mind again, but they've been deactivated. That said, I think it can be a positive thing that benefits some people, it's just not for me right now 🙂

I also don't watch the news, but I read a lot. TV cable news is a cancer

 

[Bohemianne]

Twitter is more useful if you are into marketing.

 

[MrPeanut]

I have never been into social media, but then again, I'm an old fart (42). I generally quit adopting new tech-related stuff (hardware/software/online stuff) in the early 2000's.
I don't feel like I'm missing out on stuff. To me all those social media are much overrated.

 

[dskodj]

I've been anti-social media since the beginning of social media time, going back to My Space. Unless you have a product or business to market, or you have overseas friends to keep in touch with it is nothing but a trap to dumb your mind down to acting like a 16 year old. I've seen it happen to people I know that are in their 60's....very sad. So i'm with ya on the anti-social media kick. I know a young person around your age that feels the same and never opened up one...so you're not alone.

 

[bengali tickler]

I was an avid Orkut user but that was in the last decade. Now at the age of 49 Facebook, Insta, Twitter no longer interests me. Here most people seem to be 'self-proclaimed pseudo intellectuals', film/music critics, poets/writers political commentators etc, etc.

 

[Tenebrae]

Twitter is more useful if you are into marketing.

Also to get info. Politicians tweet constantly to communicate their new policies and announcements, very useful.

Personally, I use Wechat first, Twitter & LinkedIN occasionally, and that is it. I used to be very active on Facebook but I stopped after moving to China. I also use Telegram to talk behind my employers' back, and WhatsApp to connect with my friends in Western countries who do not wish to install Wechat.

 

[tickle_prince]

I have always felt strongly about this, i have never really liked it, I came off fb years ago because it never get used for what it was designed too do, I think it would be greaf if it did..but it just doesn't so I think it causes more harm than gd. But that is my opinion, everything these days is social media this and social media that. The only one I really use is WhatsApp because its gd to send photos to friends and families, but this whole obsession with social media i think us unhealthily.

 

[Gothika]

It's nice being able to connect with others but things have gotten do crazy on FB..people being torn apart.. arguing..it sux

 

[lostphilosopher]

For myself, it's a necessary evil for networking and getting gigs. Otherwise I've been spending as little time as possible Facebook the last few months. I got tired of seeing nothing but Covid-19, political stuff and people arguing about both and everything else you can imagine. I even saw a few instances of people I know being threatened. That's where I decided I'd seen enough.

If I could get rid of my phone and computer, I would. Since I was young I've dreamed of dropping everything and heading off into the wilderness. With things in the world being the way they are, I'm about one bad day away from snapping and doing just that. I have a bag of survival supplies on standby if/when that happens. I've told my family and a few close friends it's a possibility though I don't think most of them take me seriously. We'll see.

"I'm tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I'm tired of never having a buddy to be with, to tell me where we's going to, coming from or why. Mostly, I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head, all the time... Can you understand?" - The Green Mile (1999)

 

[MeatyBreastedDullness]

Social media will be society's downfall but sadly it's so ingrained in our daily lives.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

On one hand, I think it's fine and has a lot of good uses. On the other, I dislike how it has further blurred the lines between personal life and professinal life, and how things said on it can now cost a person their jobs, even if it was said ten or fifteen years ago.

 

[Tenebrae]

Social media will be society's downfall but sadly it's so ingrained in our daily lives.

Be the change you want to see in the world~

 

[milagros317]

Back in 2005, a student of mine told me that I didn't exist because I had no Myspace account. I never joined Myspace and I don't regret that decision.
Now, I don't exist because I have no Facebook account. So what?

 

[bengali tickler]

Back in 2005, a student of mine told me that I didn't exist because I had no Myspace account. I never joined Myspace and I don't regret that decision.
Now, I don't exist because I have no Facebook account. So what?

But you do exist as you are an active member in TMF

 

[milagros317]

But you do exist as you are an active member in TMF

Exactly so! 😀

 

[Tenebrae]

Back in 2005, a student of mine told me that I didn't exist because I had no Myspace account. I never joined Myspace and I don't regret that decision.
Now, I don't exist because I have no Facebook account. So what?

But you do exist as you are an active member in TMF

Lol if existence is measured by one's presence on the Internet, I'd say Milagros is to us the realest thing that exists in the universe. He is the Earth Core of the TMF. Its heart and sole (see what I did there? 😀). I daresay, the place would not be the same without him.

 

[lostphilosopher]

Back in 2005, a student of mine told me that I didn't exist because I had no Myspace account. I never joined Myspace and I don't regret that decision.
Now, I don't exist because I have no Facebook account. So what?

The concept of existence is a whole other discussion 😛

 

[Tenebrae]

The concept of existence is a whole other discussion 😛

Your screen name really befits you 😉

 

[CaseyCambridge]

I'm 31, and for 90% of my adult life, I had a career that more or less depended on social media engagement. It was so... draining.

There are certainly benefits. I feel as if platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped to amplify voices and arguments that for decades had gone unheard. I'd like to think some societal progress has blossomed from that. But at the same time, when you're THAT plugged in all. the. time... it can be overwhelming.

 

[bitterbrew1973]

Interesting you should ask about this. Over a year ago, my family and I suffered a house fire. We were out of town when it happened, and most of our animals were fine (sadly, we lost a bearded dragon and gecko). Shortly after we worked with the Red Cross and insurance and got temporarily settled, I began really looking at my life and how I spend my energy. I only told a handful of people on social media about the fire because it was so personal.

Fast-forward to the present day, and our house is nearly finished being repaired. I've changed so much, and while I know I would normally change over the course of a year, this trauma caused the change even faster. Add to that the pandemic and all the soul-searching that's coming with it, and I'm a completely different person than the one who flew back from Boston to find his house ruined.

The person I am now has no current use for the "big" social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). I've discovered I enjoy reddit, but I rarely interact with others.

I'm sure things will change again, and I still have my accounts open. They just feel like wastes of time right now.

 

[BlueLine7045]

I'm glad so many people can relate. Like someone else said, paraphrased, I feel like its just more trouble than its worth. A lot of drama, A LOT of fake news and misinformation spreading around Facebook by both trolls, and possibly foreign agents/other governments (but im not gonna get into all the theories), and A LOT of people posting "brag" posts and show off posts about where they're traveling, how good their life is, what they're eating for breakfast, etc. I just don't care.

Plus why do I want to be preoccupied with taking pictures of every moment of my life and blogging about it, when I can be living in the moment without worrying about recording and photographing everything.

Plus I dont want everyone knowing what I'm doing. And I don't want to make it EVEN EASIER for Facebook and other social media to collect all my information

 

[TicklerOfNew]

I'm 25 and have been anti social media since it was invented haha. I never really participated in it much, it didn't seem too rewarding to me being incredibly introverted.

It has its issues but I don't have any really inherent complaints about it besides people using it as a substitute for real human interaction. It definitely does not replace it.

And the other issue I have is people wanting to use it for political and social discourse. I hear Twitter is where it is at for social discourse but you only get 140 characters right? ... how are you supposed to discuss something as complicated as the socio-economic status of a country in 140 characters 😄

 

[The Internet]

I'm not on any social media....other than the TMF, which is unfortunately VERY social media-ish. I was on an early social media site, pre-My Space, pre-Facebook that had some cool features. My Space was generic compared to that one. And Facebook I immediately identified as creepy when I first joined it in 2006, or 2007, whenever it was. I took down my account probably three months later.....as soon as I could figure out HOW to delete my account. (I hear it's gotten easier; back then, it was a hidden thing to delete your account, a whole big rigamarole that in itself was a red flag). Unfortunately if you have a business, or a band or something, you kinda need to have a social media presence. I've skipped that to my detriment, in some ways, but I'd rather not be on them, plain and simple.

That people actually get their news from Facebook or Instagram, by swiping down on their phones over and over again......unbelievable. No wonder why I hear the stupidest conspiracy theories.....and on both "sides".

I was on Instagram for about two months because someone from here asked me to join and look at their pictures. I looked at the pictures and told them what I thought....then got grilled as to why I hadn't "liked" any of them. I had to roll my eyes.

 

[feather_nympho]

Its cancer. I could be doing so many better things but I spend a lot of time mindlessly scrolling through social media. Ive been trying harder but its hard to break the habit.