I was born in the 90s.
My impression is that folks in my generation are increasingly leaving or ignoring social networks and, after roughly a decade, have concluded that they aren’t helpful or interesting to them as a concept (perhaps outside of special domains such as professional networks or dating). They still stay in touch with groups of friends via messenger apps.
Do you share this observation? How universal is it? How has it come about?
Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
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Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#2It’s more of an age thing than a generational thing, Once you get in your 30’s, you have had enough real human adult socialization to realize the value of actual relationships vs the fake personas that people generate, curate and filter on social media.
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#3[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#4Born late 80s. Stopped using Twitter about 8 years ago. Stopped using Facebook 5 years ago. I still use Instagram, but mainly it’s just stories because I enjoy the ephemeral format and there’s no algorithm or suggested content. I stay in touch with different groups of friends using various messenger apps, mix of DMs and group chats, which is pretty consistent with your experience.
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#5Im 36, I guess so? I don’t use “social media” at all anymore, but I use Discord a lot. It reminds me of the good ol’ days of AOL and IRC, and I prefer chat rooms over posting into the void.
I find Twitter and such intolerable because it mostly started to feel like I was just a mark for random grifts. At some point around ~2016 everything seemed to turn into a link for Patreon or a podcast or blah blah
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#6I'm not observing this at all. Most of my Millennial family and friends are on Instagram, regularly posting Stories about their family or travel. Many 30-year-olds+ are as hooked on short-form content (TikTok, YouTube shorts, Reels etc.) as the younger generation, but the latter are more likely to contribute rather than passively consume.
Messenger apps are very popular, with WhatsApp still being the number one choice.
I don't know anyone outside of tech who regularly posts on Twitter. Most ignore it completely.
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#7I'm not observing this at all. Most of my Millennial family and friends are on Instagram, regularly posting Stories about their family or travel. Many 30-year-olds+ are as hooked on short-form content (TikTok, YouTube shorts, Reels etc.) as the younger generation, but the latter are more likely to contribute rather than passively consume. Messenger apps are very popular, with WhatsApp still being the number one choic…
The only thing I would add is that I find the only people using whatsapp are grandparents talking to children, not groups with any level of tech savvy...
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#8It’s more of an age thing than a generational thing, Once you get in your 30’s, you have had enough real human adult socialization to realize the value of actual relationships vs the fake personas that people generate, curate and filter on social media.
I do not that that will be true for teens growing up today. They seem to be weened on a sort of cyborg I traction model rather than any actual direct human contact.
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#9Im 36, I guess so? I don’t use “social media” at all anymore, but I use Discord a lot. It reminds me of the good ol’ days of AOL and IRC, and I prefer chat rooms over posting into the void. I find Twitter and such intolerable because it mostly started to feel like I was just a mark for random grifts. At some point around ~2016 everything seemed to turn into a link for Patreon or a podcast or blah blah
> I don’t use “social media” at all anymore
Posted on HN, QED.
Re: Ask HN: 90s kids happily less connected?
#10Im 36, I guess so? I don’t use “social media” at all anymore, but I use Discord a lot. It reminds me of the good ol’ days of AOL and IRC, and I prefer chat rooms over posting into the void. I find Twitter and such intolerable because it mostly started to feel like I was just a mark for random grifts. At some point around ~2016 everything seemed to turn into a link for Patreon or a podcast or blah blah
> I don’t use “social media” at all anymore Posted on HN, QED.
I've also quit all social media besides HN. At least I can try and tell myself that HN is more stimulating intellectually, it's my one dirty little digital habit I have left