Logging off Social Media

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Logging off Social Media

I find myself using social media platforms less and less. Admittedly Facebook is the primary one I used, but my time and effort has greatly decreased over the past 5 years or so.

I think "social" media is a misnomer partly. It is a fantastic tool for conversing with strangers and maintaining long distance relationships that was simply not possible before, but I feel like I miss-out more with those I'm closer with.

In a sense I now view these platforms as "anti-social" media. Sure, you're conversing via text, audio, or visual, but it's still very isolating and lonely. When we got back from our honeymoon I was reminiscing about the days of my parents and their grandparents. How their grandparents would go on vacation, come back with a Kodak Carousel, and effectively make a presentation of their vacation to the family.

Fast forward to now and it's an image dump to Facebook and that's it. There's no connection or narrative. It all feels so cold and impersonal to me now.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Logging off Social Media

Mainly using it for family stuff and am blocking/unfollowing people evey day.

90% people with "I bet you won't share" posts or letting me know they decided to.make chili...

[pietasterp]

Re: Logging off Social Media

I used to read and post in political groups/pages on FB with regularity but the simple fact of the matter is this, that material was very unhealthy. I'd find i'd get visibly angry and my blood pressure boiling because of it. I'm just speaking in generalities here so as not to break the TOS but the level of discourse was almost always bottom of the barrel and i've found it a lot more healthy to just avoid that stuff.

Nowadays I only use FB to play games and talk to a couple of friends. I don't use Twitter very much and due to personal life events didn't even get to do my live tweeting of the World Series.


So yeah, i'm not Mr. Social Media.

Do it.

I’ve learned that social media has given a platform to stupid, toxic, and politically pigheaded (on all sides) people. I took a hiatus from Facebook and came back only when my parents convinced me to. Now, I just keep up with my friends and sports teams, as it was meant to be. Social media is a toxic medium.

I find myself using social media platforms less and less. Admittedly Facebook is the primary one I used, but my time and effort has greatly decreased over the past 5 years or so.

I think "social" media is a misnomer partly. It is a fantastic tool for conversing with strangers and maintaining long distance relationships that was simply not possible before, but I feel like I miss-out more with those I'm closer with.

In a sense I now view these platforms as "anti-social" media. Sure, you're conversing via text, audio, or visual, but it's still very isolating and lonely. When we got back from our honeymoon I was reminiscing about the days of my parents and their grandparents. How their grandparents would go on vacation, come back with a Kodak Carousel, and effectively make a presentation of their vacation to the family.

Fast forward to now and it's an image dump to Facebook and that's it. There's no connection or narrative. It all feels so cold and impersonal to me now.

I don't know if any of you ever watch "Frontline" on PBS, but last week and this week, they did a 2-part documentary series on Facebook called "The Facebook Dilemma", which is all about how social media has turned into this really toxic cesspool - BY DESIGN!

It's worth watching/DVR'ing if you have a chance, but the crux of the thing is that their entire business model is predicated on engagement with the platform (thus giving them more opportunity to collect your information), and they don't differentiate - and perhaps more importantly, don't care - whether that engagement is positive or negative. As it turns out, the most polarizing and angering content is also what drives the most "engagement" with the platform. So Facebook (and all social media, really) became a wasteland for extreme opinions and polarizing content, because that's what makes them the most money.

Anyone looking to disengage from social media is probably doing the right thing.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Logging off Social Media

That perspective does not surprise me at all. In fact my initial response was, "Duh."

I've caught myself going to comment on news articles or friends' posts that I wouldn't otherwise in a normal, friendly setting. Heck, some of them I've gotten as far typing out a response. Then I realize, "why the **** do I care," delete it, and move on.

I'm looking for more proactive involvement as opposed to simply fighting comments on the local news feed.

[pietasterp]

Re: Logging off Social Media

That perspective does not surprise me at all. In fact my initial response was, "Duh."

I've caught myself going to comment on news articles or friends' posts that I wouldn't otherwise in a normal, friendly setting. Heck, some of them I've gotten as far typing out a response. Then I realize, "why the **** do I care," delete it, and move on.

I'm looking for more proactive involvement as opposed to simply fighting comments on the local news feed.

Right, I think that's the point exactly: it's not surprising to anyone who's ever thought about it for a moment or two, but what is surprising is how true it is and how well it works, even if you know you're being manipulated by FB's "news feed" to see triggering posts. It's like you can't stop yourself. Which is exactly the way they want it.

[SPTO]

Re: Logging off Social Media

Right, I think that's the point exactly: it's not surprising to anyone who's ever thought about it for a moment or two, but what is surprising is how true it is and how well it works, even if you know you're being manipulated by FB's "news feed" to see triggering posts. It's like you can't stop yourself. Which is exactly the way they want it.

The sad thing is, even if you leave an innocuous comment that is definitely slanted to your POV but NOT attacking the other side you're still going to get broadsided by some idiot. It's like people go on Social Media just to throw their weight around and feel more important than they really are.

It's pretty sad to be honest with you.

[pietasterp]

Re: Logging off Social Media

The sad thing is, even if you leave an innocuous comment that is definitely slanted to your POV but NOT attacking the other side you're still going to get broadsided by some idiot. It's like people go on Social Media just to throw their weight around and feel more important than they really are.

It's pretty sad to be honest with you.

Yes. Yes it is.

[bcruise]

Re: Logging off Social Media

Only thing I use Twitter for is its PS4 screenshot upload and for following a few game developers and some Twitch content creators.

Never was the least bit interested in getting seriously involved in social media.

[tdawg3782]

Re: Logging off Social Media

I feel you brother. I've been "off the grid" for over two years now. No social media accounts at all. This message board is the closest I have to social media.

Anyways I was the same as you. Checking just for the sake of checking. I didn't really care but felt the need to be in the know. And honestly a lot of my social media "friends" just aggravated me with their SMW opinions and just whatnot. Quit cold turkey and never looked back. It's a very refreshing feeling. I realized if the were my actual friend I have was to keep in contact with them other then social media. I don't miss it one bit.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[bravesfan1984]

Re: Logging off Social Media

I feel you brother. I've been "off the grid" for over two years now. No social media accounts at all. This message board is the closest I have to social media.

Anyways I was the same as you. Checking just for the sake of checking. I didn't really care but felt the need to be in the know. And honestly a lot of my social media "friends" just aggravated me with their SMW opinions and just whatnot. Quit cold turkey and never looked back. It's a very refreshing feeling. I realized if the were my actual friend I have was to keep in contact with them other then social media. I don't miss it one bit.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I long to be off the grid, it's just exhausting. Just checking in constantly is maddening and devoting all the wasted time elsewhere and being more productive would feel incredible. The more I read the responses from everyone in here, the better I feel about unplugging. I thank you all, keep the responses coming! I'm not the only one out there longing for social media freedom!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Operation Sports mobile app

[DrJones]

Re: Logging off Social Media

This is the one and only site where I interact with people who I don't know IRL. I follow a few people on Twitter but don't have an account myself. I still have Facebook but mainly to keep in touch with out-of-town friends.

As others have mentioned, I think smartphones are the biggest problem. I only used flip phones with no net access up until 2 years ago (whereupon I needed a smartphone for my job). Whenever I use transit to go anywhere, I read a book. Doesn't matter if it's a novel, nonfiction, comic, whatever. Very good at reducing stress. I always recommend reading at least 15 min before going to sleep as well; don't go straight from phone/computer/gaming to bed. I try to cram in all the CE/sports/entertainment news in one hour a day, bookmark long reads for the weekend.

[SmashMan]

Re: Logging off Social Media

Right, I think that's the point exactly: it's not surprising to anyone who's ever thought about it for a moment or two, but what is surprising is how true it is and how well it works, even if you know you're being manipulated by FB's "news feed" to see triggering posts. It's like you can't stop yourself. Which is exactly the way they want it.

I don't think many people even put that level of thought into it. They see a meme or a quote or whatever...it appeals to people on an emotional level instead of a critical level, they get high on the feeling and don't look for the underlying fact in whatever it is.

I'm not going to say I've never fallen victim to it, but I'm also someone who has tried to look into context for most things like this. That has only increased in the last few years. There's so much crap out there, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not having the most accurate info.

The sad thing is, even if you leave an innocuous comment that is definitely slanted to your POV but NOT attacking the other side you're still going to get broadsided by some idiot. It's like people go on Social Media just to throw their weight around and feel more important than they really are.

It's pretty sad to be honest with you.

Agreed. I've stopped replying to things, even if I agree, because it's just not worth it. Replies, tweets, and comment boxes don't lend themselves to having actual discussion. It's built for quick, hit-and-run opinions. Combine that with the relative anonymity and disconnect between typing on a screen and actually speaking to someone? You can never really tell who's just trying to bait a reaction.

The biggest problem is that in the cycle of people only taking in what's in their bubble, they've created a caricature (of all the worst traits) of the person who may disagree with them so they're starting off a discussion at a point of insanity.

As others have mentioned, I think smartphones are the biggest problem. I only used flip phones with no net access up until 2 years ago (whereupon I needed a smartphone for my job).

It's a double-edged sword. The ease of use of smartphones and tablets open up so many other avenues of information to us, but to take it in we have to stare at a small screen instead of just experiencing it.

I think it's all about moderation, though that obviously sounds easier than it is.

[pietasterp]

Re: Logging off Social Media

Another interesting tidbit (maybe only interesting to me?) that an acquaintance who works for Facebook told me is that >80% of posts on Facebook are "Happy Birthday", or some similar pithy, mindless, throw-away sentiment. In case you needed any more evidence that social media was vacuous...

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: Logging off Social Media

What percentage of general human interaction is mindless in that same way? Every time I see someone say social media sucks I read it as people suck, and theres no easy way around that one.

[SmashMan]

Re: Logging off Social Media

What percentage of general human interaction is mindless in that same way? Every time I see someone say social media sucks I read it as people suck, and theres no easy way around that one.

Yeah, social media itself isn't the problem - people are generally jerks. Social media has only made it worse in that we all have easy access to platforms to air these grievances if we want.