I Quit Social Media for a Year • Hacker News Board

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#311

Post by CathedralBorrow » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 11:39 AM UTC

amelius wrote: post #296

oarabbus_ wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah and before that damn social media it was the cell phone, and the god danged TV, and that freakin radio accelerated the downfall of society, but it's really the telegram that ruined everything I tell you! What absurd and ridiculous claims. Go speak to someone who has receieved life-saving healthcare in the developing world because of social media. Talk to someone who found their spouse through social media. Talk…

> Go speak to someone who has receieved life-saving healthcare in the developing world because of social media. Sounds like an unfair situation to me: the one with the most likes on Facebook gets the best healthcare? > Talk to someone who left their home country to travel across the world for a better life and only in the last 5 years have they been able to easily reconnect with their loved ones back home. As in: jus…

That seems like a very cynical interpretation.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#312

Post by MisterTea » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 11:44 AM UTC

> I made a resolution in September of 2018 that I would quit social media indefinitely.

I had my phone die years back on my way to a social event after a combination of a facebook app bug that sapped battery and leaving my charger in other vehicle. I was so aggravated with the app that I deleted it. Never installed it again. Think this was 2016/17? After a few weeks I also deleted my instagram. Then again, I wasn't into the social media thing so I only had those two accounts and didn't post much. Never had or saw a need for twitter or whatsapp. Deleted instagram and facebook account was slimmed down to just a few pictures and I keep in touch with some family through it. I maybe visit facebook via web once or twice a month.

We've painted ourselves into a social anxiety corner as we removed the actual social aspect and replaced it with a poorly designed html implementation. You want to be social and have friends? Then call and hang out with people without feeling the need to post about it or sit in front of someone scrolling and endless sea of nothing.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#313

Post by gasgiant » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 11:53 AM UTC

redleggedfrog wrote: post #82

sigh Too bad this is now the special case. While I agree this is me just having a get off my lawn moment, I liked it better when you just talked to your friends on the phone. With lands lines, and all their beautiful fidelity. But, can't be a Luddite. It's here to stay, like smoking, and I tolerate it as such.

I hear ya. By my rough calculation, I lived for about 33 years without social media. It was nice.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#314

Post by Yuval_Halevi » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:02 PM UTC

I wish I could do the same, to be honest.

In my job, I'm required every day to consume a lot of information from many different platforms.

It turned me into Content Junkey

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#315

Post by loceng » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:09 PM UTC

tempsy wrote: post #55

My biggest issue with social media is less that it's distracting (IMO not necessarily an unhealthy thing) but that it has, for me, more than anything else seemed to make all aspects of my life a competition with others. On Instagram, you're competing with others on who has the happiest life. On LinkedIn, you're competing with others on who has the steepest career trajectory. Even on Twitter, perhaps more acutely in c…

You have to be in a place where you're grounded, secure, so you can self-regulate where social media becomes a tool you aren't or won't become dependant on, addicted to.

“Rule your mind or it will rule you.” - Horace

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#316

Post by not_a_cop75 » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:12 PM UTC

Am I wrong for stating that a social mediate is basically trying to say nothing happened to get more "atta-boys" from the social media empire at large?

I mean what you focus on is what has power. Social media doesn't deserve the power or respect that academia has, nor will it ever.Enforce social media to be purely academic and I might feel differently.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#317

Post by Izkata » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:44 PM UTC

flattone wrote: post #88

pesmhey wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haven’t we always done this though? It seems like it’s more that social media has made the playing field 10^9 instead of 10^3.

pre social media was 10^3? I was thinking more "10 to 20". I suppose from person to person and at different stages of life the filter of who is appropriate for your playing field might change. . but even 10^2 seems high. I can barely name 20 critically important people in my life let alone those which are on my playing field. I have managed this, a bit unconsciously. Generally when my field is managed in line with my…

As sibling comment hints, you have multiple concepts mixed together.

The monkeysphere is "how many people you can comprehend as people with their own full lives", and is on the order of 150-300.

"Critically important" in your life is a far higher bar, so 10 to 20 makes sense.

"Playing field" is a far lower bar where only the relevant metric matters, which widens the range to a far larger number of people.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#318

Post by birdfeeder210 » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:49 PM UTC

Neat, I quit Facebook over 5 years ago and never looked back.

JOMO saved my mental health when I realized I'd never be invited to every get-together. You learn who really cares about your once you dip out of the world's easiest connectivity network... when people actually have to put in just a bit more effort to get a hold of you.

Group SMS never gets old and I don't feel like big-brother is always watching, when in reality, they very well could be but it feels far less invasive.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#319

Post by b3b0p » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:14 PM UTC

PeterisP wrote: post #290

hnzix wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In between the SV hivemind posts is distributed just enough nuggets of mindblowing technical, business and even medical wisdom (from insanely switched-on people) that it keeps me checking. It's the ultimate infovore loot box.

What has helped me a bit is the https://hackernewsletter.com/ - I can be sure to get the good nuggets, just a couple days later.

Haha, you mention this, but I found it helps me find posts that slipped by my addiction. A blessing in disguise.

Re: I Quit Social Media for a Year

#320

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:15 PM UTC

artur_makly wrote: post #75

I'm sure the 1000 days of meditation he experimented with, had a lot more impact on his mind/body/soul than his Social fasting. But a blend of both for most I think would be ideal. https://joshcsimmons.com/2019/05/21/meditaton-practice/

[deleted]