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Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

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101–110 of 169 posts

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#101
post #4

>Among iPhone owners, a striking 91% of respondents indicate that they would prefer Apple to release the iPhone every other year rather than every year. Among respondents not owning the iPhone, this fraction is even larger, at 94%. I wonder why the 94% care so much about a phone that they do not even intend to own. I can't help but think that this study simply shows that more people should mind their own damn busines…

> I wonder why the 94% care so much about a phone that they do not even intend to own.

People around you see if you have the shiniest, most expensive toy or not. It's stupid to care about it — but we're stupid and that's nothing we can really do about it. Comparing yourself with others and caring about social status is something that's built-in very deep in our psyche by evolution. It's irrational to try to ignore or completely conquer something so foundational to our being; the best we can hope for is to channel it to something better.

Of course, HN is full of people on autistic spectrum or adjacent (me included) who may not feel the same emotions or psychological reactions as a neurotypical. But, once again, it's irrational to judge an average human being by yourself in this case.

It's irrational to expect humans to not have any irrational thoughts or inclinations.

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#103
post #4

>Among iPhone owners, a striking 91% of respondents indicate that they would prefer Apple to release the iPhone every other year rather than every year. Among respondents not owning the iPhone, this fraction is even larger, at 94%. I wonder why the 94% care so much about a phone that they do not even intend to own. I can't help but think that this study simply shows that more people should mind their own damn busines…

[deleted]

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#105
post #91
post #50

One of the contributing factors here is that we keep calling these "social networks," but that's not really what they're being used for. If you look at an average user's feed, it probably breaks down into 30% traditional advertising, 20% nontraditional advertising (via influencers and friends shilling for their employers and promoting their side hustles), 30% content by people they have no social relationship with (c…

It is quite bizarre we call them social networks. Actually I wonder if there’s a market for an actual social network that is restricted to only being social. Maybe you can only have 100 connections and you can’t post links or rants. Just life updates and photos.

There is one, it's called Hallo. I have it and don't have a single friend on it yet which is a shame. There's a few more "healthy rules" like no influencers, no more than 100 friends, etc.

I believe Path tried to do this too, and failed.

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#106
post #50

One of the contributing factors here is that we keep calling these "social networks," but that's not really what they're being used for. If you look at an average user's feed, it probably breaks down into 30% traditional advertising, 20% nontraditional advertising (via influencers and friends shilling for their employers and promoting their side hustles), 30% content by people they have no social relationship with (c…

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Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#108
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have literally asked people "would you pay $5 for this?" they say yes, then I tell them to buy it and they say no. When this kept happening I realised the only thing that matters in sales is... actually making sales. Everything else is window dressing.

Probably they're interpreting your first question as "would it be reasonable for me to offer this for sale for $5?" They may not be personally interested in buying it but can still tell you whether a price seems fair or not. For instance, I think it would probably be fair for you to sell your car for the blue book value... but I'm not offering to buy your car. I don't need another.

Agree. The question also lacks a "when" part. If it were "Would you pay $5 for this NOW?" then the answer has a higher chance to be NO, regardless of whether the other person think it is a good deal. The question is more like a phrasing trap to make the other person look inconsistent.

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#109
post #91
post #50

One of the contributing factors here is that we keep calling these "social networks," but that's not really what they're being used for. If you look at an average user's feed, it probably breaks down into 30% traditional advertising, 20% nontraditional advertising (via influencers and friends shilling for their employers and promoting their side hustles), 30% content by people they have no social relationship with (c…

It is quite bizarre we call them social networks. Actually I wonder if there’s a market for an actual social network that is restricted to only being social. Maybe you can only have 100 connections and you can’t post links or rants. Just life updates and photos.

> Maybe you can only have 100 connections and you can’t post links or rants. Just life updates and photos.

Many I’ve been exposed to wouldn’t know what to post if it wasn’t regurgitated content or rants.

We could go back to the early days of Facebook and Twitter: “I’m having toast! And it’s not burned!”

It could be an improvement.

Re: Large shares of consumers use social media out of a fear of missing out

#110
post #23

Did they actually take the money /pay and deactivate or is this all hypothetical? Because I don’t believe this for a second.

The exact dollar amounts don't matter. As long as the ratio between amounts is the same, the authors' point still stands.
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