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The benefits of staying off social media

durmonski.com

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Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#41

Post by m0llusk »

This piece has the same tone as a recovering alcoholic talking about the dangers of just one drink. It is true that social media can be damaging and should probably be used minimally. It is also true that lots of people get value from social media and then step away because they for whatever reason are better able to balance the situation.

My own minimal use of social media has allowed me to keep up with old friends, to share unusual online experiences, and to learn about many things like detailed product evaluations, specialized cutlery, and several forms of dance that I had never before even imagined.

There are many dangers with social media, but also great value. Anyone recommending to turn it all off because of the damage that may be done is probably missing out on a lot and propagating that blind spot with their well intended advice.

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#42

Post by UnpossibleJim »

CapmCrackaWaka wrote: post #23
aluminussoma wrote: post #4

I am now off popular social media (Facebook, Instagram). The void is now replaced with other forms of social media (Reddit, Hacker News). Reddit, arguably, is more toxic than my version of Facebook - but it is strangers being toxic, and zero FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which is prevalent on Facebook and Instagram.

I played around with different methods of interacting with these websites and found one that works for me. With Reddit, I deleted my account and simply visit the site on the mobile browser. I just have the subreddits I like bookmarked. Eventually, a little screen pops up and says "get the app or get off", and that's usually about the time I should get off Reddit anyway. It's a shame, I used to be an active contributo…

I also used to have a Reddit account but, like Facebook, more often than not, when I left it I would feel worse than when I logged in. Once that starts happening with a site, I stop going and delete my account. I'm not exactly sure when it happened with Reddit, but it's been about a year and a half to two years since I've logged on, now. The site just got angrier and angrier, regardless of the subreddit. I tended to stick to the more technical subreddits, and even there squabbles were breaking out and the moderators were not reigning it in =[

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#43

Post by afavour »

Not to dispute anything the article says, but a reminder: Hacker News is social media too.

Which is fine! But I often see comments on here (typically under any article about Facebook) where the poster says they’ve deleted all social media and their life is much better for it, etc etc. No you haven’t because you’re still on here. No problem with that as long as you’re getting value from the time you spend here, but it should perhaps give you pause when prescribing what others do with their time: others may decide some other form of social media is a worthy use of their time and their choice is not necessarily more or less valid than yours.

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#44

Post by jl6 »

pkdpic wrote: post #12

> A futuristic dystopia. A place where the real world sucks. Where people consider talking to someone a chore. Connection, closeness, ambition are replaced by detachment and dogmatic slumber. Society is satisfied with shallow thoughts and the pursuit of artificially created stimuli in an imaginary world. Beautifully written top-notch orwellian poetry. Seriously inspiring. Also as someone who has only ever used social…

> the pursuit of artificially created stimuli in an imaginary world

A description which could apply to all of art, ever?

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#46

Post by fullshark »

civilized wrote: post #21
pkdpic wrote: post #12

> A futuristic dystopia. A place where the real world sucks. Where people consider talking to someone a chore. Connection, closeness, ambition are replaced by detachment and dogmatic slumber. Society is satisfied with shallow thoughts and the pursuit of artificially created stimuli in an imaginary world. Beautifully written top-notch orwellian poetry. Seriously inspiring. Also as someone who has only ever used social…

I feel like the challenge for creators is less the "social media Orwellian dystopian hellscape etc" and more that virtually everything you can contribute has been done better by someone else before you.

And you can learn that fact with just a few clicks of some buttons on your magical view screen.

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#47

Post by cpctheman »

ronnier wrote: post #22
aluminussoma wrote: post #4

I am now off popular social media (Facebook, Instagram). The void is now replaced with other forms of social media (Reddit, Hacker News). Reddit, arguably, is more toxic than my version of Facebook - but it is strangers being toxic, and zero FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which is prevalent on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm of the opinion Reddit is the most toxic and hateful website on the internet. It's also the most influential.

I would agree that in some areas, Reddit is toxic and hateful, but I think pretty much every other major social media platform suffers from this as well, and most suffer worse than Reddit. There will always be a corner of hatred.

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#48

Post by rwnspace »

I think the laundry list of "things quitting gives you" is massively overblown. I know people whose use of social media puts them in a competitive mindset that helps them get to work that day and put their face and clothes on nice in the morning. It's a major part of their success and happiness. I know other people without it who are depressed degenerates that don't know very many people.

As far as the individual is concerned, large studies on the effects of quitting are pretty much meaningless. It depends entirely on your context and relationship with it, and how much your social life hinges on events primarily organised on FB/Messenger et al. I quit about 5 years ago, and missed out on a ton of casual, ad-hoc events. And yes, they were "real", if mostly circumstantial - but still important - friends.

For me, these are the things which I think aren't so context-dependent when it comes to these good/bad/unhealthy discussions:

Issue A is the addiction pattern - "the scrollies" - being unable to tear your thumb (and eyes) away.

Issue B is losing your own take and knowing what your own take requires - I now do my best not to read other people's words in my usual reading voice, although it's not easy. Particularly with toxic/pseudonymous sites, you're often eating where someone else is shitting. You take on opinions without knowledge and viewpoints without experience.

Getting off social media doesn't do shit. Fixing why you are vulnerable to the issues we all know about does. Sometimes you need to get off SM to fix it. Sometimes you don't. Let's not turn this into some kind of religious rite of transition.

Re: The benefits of staying off social media

#50

Post by lezojeda »

ronnier wrote: post #22
aluminussoma wrote: post #4

I am now off popular social media (Facebook, Instagram). The void is now replaced with other forms of social media (Reddit, Hacker News). Reddit, arguably, is more toxic than my version of Facebook - but it is strangers being toxic, and zero FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) which is prevalent on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm of the opinion Reddit is the most toxic and hateful website on the internet. It's also the most influential.

Why do you find it the most toxic? Just curious, I personally find Twitter way more toxic, maybe it's because of the subs I'm subscribed to
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