#Microblog Monday 445: Is Social Media… Social?
Not sure what #MicroblogMondays is? Read the inaugural post which explains the idea and how you can participate too.
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Just when I think that social media has ceased to be social, people peek out to say happy birthday, or discuss an article, or reminisce about college. A friend posted a story that sent all of us down a rabbit hole of connected stories and people who have drifted away (whatever happened to them?). Suddenly, it felt like we were all hanging out in someone’s living room, tossing out facts so someone could pull them together into a cohesive memory.
I love that you can’t write it off. That social media keeps popping back up and reminding you that it can be anything we want it to be. We just have to make it happen.
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5 comments
I struggle so much with social media. On the one hand, everything you said. On the other, unrealistic portrayals and bullying and a false sense of communication and compare-o-rama. Which is why I took a break for a while. But, since being home and recovering and being pretty much housebound, I have been more active and I do love being able to interact with people who I don’t regularly see what commiserate and be awkward and real there. It’s helped me feel less isolated, but I also have a healthy balance with phone calls and emails and texts and (sorry) visits in person. I’m glad you enjoyed the birthday love and the rabbit hole!
I’m really lucky. I don’t see the unrealistic portrayals – my friends are as likely to post something funny, or something that has gone wrong, or just something general. There’s not much boasting. Maybe from me because I did feel a bit guilty posting our travel pics! But it wasn’t boasting – it was bringing people along. We had really good interactions and everyone seemed to be on our trip with us, which felt really nice. Maybe it was because we’d all been a bit starved of travel pics? Or maybe just because we were all looking for connections.
Sorry for not participating this week… I honestly could not think of a single thing to write about (let alone succinctly, lol). But I had to add my two cents here. 😉 I have a love-hate relationship with social media, and I see the harm it can & does cause. But I think that when you use it well — as you and Mali and Jess above described — it really can inform, entertain and connect us with others in a way that few other media can. (The “mute” and “unfollow” buttons can really be your friends!)
Okay, I’m a liar, lol. Some belated inspiration finally hit me after I posted the comment above!
I’m good at limiting my consumption to things I enjoy. I avoid the things that make me angry. If that puts me in an echo chamber, so be it, but I think I have enough friends with differing views to offset some of it. I don’t mess with anti-vaxxers or election deniers, though, because there’s nothing of value for me in those opinions.