Some Thoughts on Social Media
I’m about done with social media. I probably should have reached this point long ago but here I am .
I used to be able to say that I’m getting more out of social media than it’s getting out of me. But now I’m on the downside of that see-saw and it pulls way more out of me than I get from it.
At this point, It feels like I’m allergic to feeds and timelines.
I wonder for what percentage of people social media is a net positive.
The 80-20 rule absolutely cannot apply here. This is a net negative for most.
There should be a mood ring that blocks social media when you’re down.
A bracelet would also be fine.
We already have Fitbits and Oura rings. They are already connected to our phones.
Autoplaying short form videos should be banned.
It’s a shame because there is some really great stuff out there. But finding it feels like looking for a piece of hay in a stack of needles.
Writing this, here, is a bit ironic but it doesn’t feel hypocritical. People (including me) still want to connect and relate.
There is a gap between scrolling and connecting online. It’s harder to distinguish because both are on the screen of your phone or computer. It was easier to distinguish when the options were watching TV or actually talking to people.
It was also easier to determine the motives of the other person when you’re talking in person or even on the phone. Behind the screen it’s much harder. You don’t know if the other person actually wants to connect or if their reply to your reply is the top of their sales funnel.