Quitting social media

[arkitect]

but it's true that Facebook networks can bring to light things one would generally manage to have escaped knowing otherwise about assorted family members and real-life acquaintances as well. It's one of the reasons I've taken some sibs' tales about that to heart, and so have no FB setup.

Definitely.
I was surprised (and not in a good way) by the groups some family members follow, or the "Likes" etc — fairly Right Wing stuff and so on……
So I sit there and wonder (when we meet at a family event) "What do you really think of me…?"

I think some people don't quite grasp how much they expose of their inner selves on such a public place.
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Lol, thanks I was just being lugubrious. Lol.

Upvoted for use of "Lugubrious".

 

[D.T.]

No FaceBook. I have no friends and what family is left I hate.

I actually had zero family from my side as FB friends, basically no interest in any of them - had a few from the wife's side, but really not much interaction. Most of my friends what I have (had*) any sort of semi-regular communication with were close friends I made as an adult with my wife.



* Had as in I deactivated mine very recently - the couple of good groups I was involved with, we migrated to Slack, same features, no ads, no noise, completely controlled - plus we're using some slick add-ins that had no equivalent. The only slight PITA is I have several FB Apps (they're used for alternative auth methods), had to transfer those, change admins.

 

[0388631]

I assume most people aren't bitter like Gutty here. I've never liked most social media because it destroys talking points. In other words, have company over or go somewhere, there's not much to talk about when you've seen and done everything over social media. There isn't a way to fawn over your children's embarrassing photos or something hilarious your spouse did like slide across the driveway two mornings ago while there was a thin sheet of ice on it.

We still shop for a lot of stuff in person because it's nigh impossible to find online and the order services, like Instacart, are awful at picking stuff out or the price difference from in store is terrible. Though we did use it and Google's service last month when neither of us felt like going to the shops due to being ill.

 

[BarracksSi]

I assume most people aren't bitter like Gutty here. I've never liked most social media because it destroys talking points. In other words, have company over or go somewhere, there's not much to talk about when you've seen and done everything over social media. There isn't a way to fawn over your children's embarrassing photos or something hilarious your spouse did like slide across the driveway two mornings ago while there was a thin sheet of ice on it.

Hmm. I hadn’t noticed this... until this week while we’re visiting family back home. Met a couple people who said, “I feel like I know you already because of all the photos your mom posts on Facebook.”

One of the better conversations was between my wife and another family friend, neither of whom spend much time on social media at all.

So, yeah, you’re totally right. Sobering observation, too.

 

[0388631]

Hmm. I hadn’t noticed this... until this week while we’re visiting family back home. Met a couple people who said, “I feel like I know you already because of all the photos your mom posts on Facebook.”

One of the better conversations was between my wife and another family friend, neither of whom spend much time on social media at all.

So, yeah, you’re totally right. Sobering observation, too.

If you watch the show Life in Pieces, they had an episode dedicated to social media in the first or second season. The show is hilarious and I highly recommend watching it.

 

[Easttime]

I don’t know if social media is dividing us up more or making us realize how divided we have always been. Probably both. I have a restricted social media life to keep up with family, a few friends, positive news, and info about stuff I need to keep things going well in my life. Unfiltered social media is hard on the soul.

 

[maflynn]

I don’t know if social media is dividing us up more or making us realize how divided we have always been.

I think its the former and not the latter. Social media is rife with negativity, and so we see some people coming out harshly on a given topic, they you feel diffierently, and you defend your position, At some point things get heated. Typically (but not always), when you have a discussion face to face, people are polite, but when they're behind a computer, all of that decorum is thrown out. I think social media has harmed more then it has helped - just my $.02

 

[0388631]

I think its the former and not the latter. Social media is rife with negativity, and so we see some people coming out harshly on a given topic, they you feel diffierently, and you defend your position, At some point things get heated. Typically (but not always), when you have a discussion face to face, people are polite, but when they're behind a computer, all of that decorum is thrown out. I think social media has harmed more then it has helped - just my $.02

I kind of agree. Before Twitter and other services, forums and BBSs were king. And even then you had nasty people, however, they got weeded out over time or learned to behave nicely. Don't see that with social media. Twitter is just... absolutely vile. There was at one time a live link where you would be shown random tweets going live (duh) and it was either alright or incredibly awful. The only real use the service has is to send out breaking news at lightening fast speed whereas something coming over the wire takes a while to rewrite and push out.

I've been using message boards in one for or another since the mid 90s and it's remained relatively the same. There's more adventurous type snow (see:trolls) but it's been smooth sailing forever. I fear that younger generations prefer more modern social media and that is more harmful to the future generation of adults than anything else.

 

[lpolarityl]

I simply removed the apps from my phone. FaceBook and Twitter. There is nothing vital on any of those "resources" that is worth looking at while I'm at work. When I'm taking a break from work, I do check MacRumors and various other news sites, but that is about it. When I get home and have downtime to check anything social related, I simply don't care to. 95% of the stuff on FaceBook nowadays is just a waste of my time. I only kept my FaceBook account to share photos with family, it is THE only reason why I didn't delete my account. Social media mediums have become nothing but self promotion, advertisement platforms which unfortunately is very annoying. I hope the people heavily enthralled in social media meet their "likes" goals for the hour/day so they can get that dopamine boost they forever crave. I just don't get the drive to be heavily invested in social media.

 

[smallcoffee]

I simply removed the apps from my phone. FaceBook and Twitter. There is nothing vital on any of those "resources" that is worth looking at while I'm at work. When I'm taking a break from work, I do check MacRumors and various other news sites, but that is about it. When I get home and have downtime to check anything social related, I simply don't care to. 95% of the stuff on FaceBook nowadays is just a waste of my time. I only kept my FaceBook account to share photos with family, it is THE only reason why I didn't delete my account. Social media mediums have become nothing but self promotion, advertisement platforms which unfortunately is very annoying. I hope the people heavily enthralled in social media meet their "likes" goals for the hour/day so they can get that dopamine boost they forever crave. I just don't get the drive to be heavily invested in social media.

Why not send an email instead? Or you could share a Photos album with your family so they’ll see a new picture whenever you add it to the album!

 

[lpolarityl]

Why not send an email instead? Or you could share a Photos album with your family so they’ll see a new picture whenever you add it to the image!

That is a fantastic idea (album).

 

[ericgtr12]

I stopped using FB years ago for a variety of reasons but mainly it was the fact that people who I had barely been acquaintances (or those who never really even liked me) back in high school would wanted to be friends, seemingly just to pad their friend count.

Also, I would sometimes like to comment on a story without all of my friends seeing it but FB acts like a Trojan horse in many ways, disseminating and spreading your personal information and surfing habits at every corner. It automatically takes over your contacts in your phone, shares everything you've done and propagates itself. Anyone I really want to keep in touch with is already in my contacts and they can reach out by calling or texting anytime.

 

[smallcoffee]

That is a fantastic idea (album).

I used it when I traveled to europe for awhile and didn’t have mobile service other than WiFi. Whenever I’d get back to the hostel or to a coffee shop I’d go through all my pics and add a few good ones and my family would just get an updated album. I honestly really really love that feature. It’s a great way to circumvent social media sharing or email flooding.

 

[rhett7660]

Why not send an email instead? Or you could share a Photos album with your family so they’ll see a new picture whenever you add it to the album!

That is a great idea! So simple to boot!

 

[Southern_Vet]

Today, I'm initiating a self imposed exile to social media. Some of this may be temporary, other portions will not.

I think the meanness of some of the stuff I see (without getting overly PRSI) has just turned me off. I also think most of the stuff I see is useless, like those quizzes to see what type of villian, superhero, cartoon character you are.

I waste enough of my time here at MR I don't need to have my nose in my phone on facebook.

With that said, have others been tempted to leave social media and/or quit?

I'm sure there can be some good coming out of social media but as it stand I'm not seeing too much

I call it anti-social media. Outside of your immediate family, nobody really cares what you had for supper, the vehicle you bought, your phone, your vacation or your dog. It's a well devised means to provide perceived value to people's otherwise meaningless lives and make them feel better about themselves. It's also a place for people to argue about politics and act nasty. (yes, both sides act nasty)

 

[smallcoffee]

In case you still have Facebook, just FYI there’s a big news story about how Facebook sells you to 3rd-parties like the Trump campaign.

But hey guess you need it to “keep up with your addiction... I mean family”