Author Topic: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?  (Read 15004 times)

jim555

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Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« on: June 16, 2017, 11:30:57 AM »
Maybe I am a fart or something but what is with everyone, especially women, who must bury their faces in their smart phones every single minute of the day?

I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.

[grumbles]Now these kids need to get off my lawn!

ooeei

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2017, 11:44:05 AM »
Maybe you see some sort of nobility in making small talk with strangers at a bus stop, but I personally am fine not doing it. 


zoltani

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2017, 11:48:25 AM »
Validation. People need to feel validated for their lifestyle, looks, politics, hobbies, etc. People have difficulty looking within for their own worth and validation so many seek it in external ways.

Chris22

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2017, 12:05:29 PM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.


Uh, you're ON social media, and have over 1000 posts on a site where people post all about their salaries, spending, and net worth.  It doesn't get any more "share intimate details of your life with total strangers" than that....

Most of my facebook/instagram stuff is A) with real live friends or at least acquaintances and B) is completely trivial in nature, i.e., let me share a funny thing that happened today, post an interesting article I saw, share a cute picture of my kid, etc.  You wouldn't learn anthing "real" about my life from my FB or Instagram page.

rubybeth

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2017, 12:21:18 PM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.


Uh, you're ON social media, and have over 1000 posts on a site where people post all about their salaries, spending, and net worth.  It doesn't get any more "share intimate details of your life with total strangers" than that....

Most of my facebook/instagram stuff is A) with real live friends or at least acquaintances and B) is completely trivial in nature, i.e., let me share a funny thing that happened today, post an interesting article I saw, share a cute picture of my kid, etc.  You wouldn't learn anthing "real" about my life from my FB or Instagram page.

Totally agree! Do you see the irony, OP?

A Definite Beta Guy

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2017, 12:47:13 PM »
I actually like following my friends and family members! I get to see what they are doing. My Dad uploaded pictures of a swing he made this week. Looks pretty cool! Excited to see it in person, but a lot of his friends and some distant family members probably won't.

Younger folks seem to treat social media as a competition. "Why don't I get more likes?" That's pretty unhealthy, but you don't need to treat it that way.

My sister-in-law uploaded a pretty cool video of the pandas over in DC, too. That's pretty fun.

jim555

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2017, 01:47:17 PM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.


Uh, you're ON social media, and have over 1000 posts on a site where people post all about their salaries, spending, and net worth.  It doesn't get any more "share intimate details of your life with total strangers" than that....

Most of my facebook/instagram stuff is A) with real live friends or at least acquaintances and B) is completely trivial in nature, i.e., let me share a funny thing that happened today, post an interesting article I saw, share a cute picture of my kid, etc.  You wouldn't learn anthing "real" about my life from my FB or Instagram page.
I post from a desktop computer that I don't carry with me everywhere, so it is different.  And I don't share real names or data.  I know people who post real names, pictures and personal info which I feel is private.

acroy

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2017, 01:51:28 PM »
No you're not, but millions (billions?) of people love it and eat it up.
We're not all wired the same. Thank God!

zoltani

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2017, 04:04:55 PM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.


Uh, you're ON social media, and have over 1000 posts on a site where people post all about their salaries, spending, and net worth.  It doesn't get any more "share intimate details of your life with total strangers" than that....

Most of my facebook/instagram stuff is A) with real live friends or at least acquaintances and B) is completely trivial in nature, i.e., let me share a funny thing that happened today, post an interesting article I saw, share a cute picture of my kid, etc.  You wouldn't learn anthing "real" about my life from my FB or Instagram page.
I post from a desktop computer that I don't carry with me everywhere, so it is different.  And I don't share real names or data.  I know people who post real names, pictures and personal info which I feel is private.

That's some interesting rationalization. It's like those people that are all smug about not owning a TV but download shows and watch them on their computer.

mamedori

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2017, 04:10:10 PM »
Hi Jim, you are certainly not a fart. I'm a 25-year-old woman and I don't understand it either.

I recently tried to start actively using Facebook again after a 5-year hiatus because people at a Meetup group I go to use it to send event invitations, but it feels completely alien to me. I couldn't even write a single post without feeling embarrassed about myself.

When I read other people's posts, I feel more like I am engaging in some kind of anthropological voyeurism than interacting with real people. One of the weirdest things for me is this phenomenon of sharing things like wedding and baby pictures with someone you met once at a conference or something and will probably never see again. Another thing is when someone posts "How have you been?" or something like that on your wall for everyone to see. Why not just use email or chat? Do you need to have a public record of your friendship? (I find this particularly eye-roll worthy when couples do it.) I'm probably just reading too much into it, but I find this landscape very difficult to navigate.

Talking one-on-one works much better for me personally, so I've decided to stick to that. Just wanted to post and let you know that you're not alone.

cj25

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2017, 04:35:23 PM »
Not everyone friends everyone on the planet.  I only friend people I am friends with in real life - no one from work, no random people I meet, no people I had a class with in high school, etc... My privacy settings are for friends only.  I follow bloggers pages, but they can't see my page. 


milliemchi

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2017, 12:04:17 AM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.


Uh, you're ON social media, and have over 1000 posts on a site where people post all about their salaries, spending, and net worth.  It doesn't get any more "share intimate details of your life with total strangers" than that....

Most of my facebook/instagram stuff is A) with real live friends or at least acquaintances and B) is completely trivial in nature, i.e., let me share a funny thing that happened today, post an interesting article I saw, share a cute picture of my kid, etc.  You wouldn't learn anthing "real" about my life from my FB or Instagram page.

Totally agree! Do you see the irony, OP?

I don't see it. This is anonymous, so social media it ain't. I have no SM accounts because I don't want to interact with too many people at once, and I like to know if an IRL person knows a certain fact about my life or not. This forum is not IRL.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 12:06:21 AM by milliemchi »

Lepetitange3

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2017, 05:50:27 AM »
I'd argue this is the opposite of social media.  Yes it's social, but "social media" is a specific thing in the language of the history of the internet that started with things like MySpace and has brought us Facebook.  Forums have been around forever, but aren't exactly the same beast.

In any event, I don't do social media because I have 4 children and mothers with children on social media are expected to post pictures of their kids all day long (and my family members would be asking me to do just that).  I don't post pictures of my children on the internet at all, full stop.  If I want to send relatives pictures, I will email or text them.  For me at least, that's comparable to the "old" days of mailing Grandma a pic of the kids to show off to her friends.  What's not comparable when you have Facebook is that you've created a digital trail for your child pretty much forever that they never had any input on putting out there. 

Roots&Wings

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2017, 06:29:56 AM »
Yeah I'm also not into social media or glued to a smart phone, you're hardly alone there. Anonymous web forums are not at all the same as Facebook/Twitter.

human

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2017, 06:37:15 AM »
I haven't read the whole thread but the only reason why I don't have twitter, facebook and all the rest is because I couldn't really say what I really want to say. I'd probably be shamed and maybe even fired.

I used to post things on facebook like, "I don't give a fuck what cereal you ate this morning or what show you watched on tv last night so why are you telling hundreds of people?" That did not go well and when coworkers saw it they all came to me asking if something was wrong. Awkward conversation, to friends I'd tell them to their face stop posting inane b.s. but to coworkers not a great idea. Since I'm a manager most of the friends requests I was getting were from coworkers and staff. At that point since I'm not the type to update people about the meat loaf I ate last night or do yoga poses on a roof or in front of a lake I figured it had lost it's utility as an outlet. No more social media for me, the end.

scottish

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2017, 04:17:06 PM »
I don't really like the public sharing.    My facebook page has very little on it, and I go there once a year to see what's new.

I find focused forums (like this one and a few others) are a good way to exchange ideas and learn new things.

fdhs_runner

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2017, 05:31:15 PM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Many have their FB set to private/friends only and basically use it as a virtual scrap book for their friends & relatives to view travel pics.

wenchsenior

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #17 on: June 18, 2017, 09:09:49 AM »
I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Many have their FB set to private/friends only and basically use it as a virtual scrap book for their friends & relatives to view travel pics.

I had a lot of trouble with FB my first couple of years on it: figuring out how private, what to post, who to follow (some people I love to interact with in real life tend to annoy me on FB, and vice versa). Eventually, I started viewing FB as 'semi public' social forum similar to a cocktail party.  There is a mix of close friends/family, and casual friends, and convos are/should be limited in terms of how personal they are (because it's semi public), and most interactions revolve around public events/recent activities, kids activities, travel, work, jokes, shared interests (but not in great depth because...cocktail party!).

Thinking of it this way helped me modulate the annoying things I initially tended to do (I stopped ranting about politics and I stopped braggily only posting travel pics) and think about how to come across as pleasant and social, without being too self absorbed or angry or braggy.

Just like a cocktail party.

I blocked everyone who annoys me (I think of it as wandering away from the annoying party conversation to a different one, but still being able to contact that person across the room at the party if you need to). Also, I never check FB after 5 pm, in case something irritating comes past my filter I don't want it to influence my end of the day mood).

I post maybe once per week (nothing I wouldn't say/show at said party), and comment on a few other peoples' posts once per day. 

The cocktail party approach has worked really well to keep me feeling positive about FB most of the time, without hanging out on it all that often.

ETA: I've never had a smart phone, so I can't access FB or social media except via laptop.  Also, the concept of twitter baffles me, and I've never used it.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2017, 09:12:04 AM by wenchsenior »

pachnik

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #18 on: June 18, 2017, 11:05:04 AM »
I like the above poster's view of FB - like a cocktail party.  That's a good and civilized way of looking at it. 

For me, I got a FB account about a year ago.  I almost never post but I do like to use it to wish people a happy birthday.  People that I don't encounter IRL often - distant extended family members for example.  Also to see pictures of said distant family member's kids.  And I use it to get information with regard to a few different businesses that I go to like the local market garden.  They often post what has come in from the farm. 

Grog

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #19 on: June 18, 2017, 12:49:22 PM »
I had to revaluate Facebook. Here has evolved in something like your Craigslist. Lot of groups of people selling stuff, we practically bought everything 2nd hand for the baby from 'parents groups'.
It is crazy how good it works. You just literally have only to ask and post on the group wall what do you need and somebody somewhere will sell it to you. I guess being present with your real identity helps keep things ok.


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thrifty1

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #20 on: June 18, 2017, 01:10:03 PM »
I stopped social media when i was 22 as did my wife. Maybe paranoid but not a huge fan of you typing my name in to google and finding... ANYTHING for that matter.

Chris22

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #21 on: June 19, 2017, 07:40:28 AM »
I stopped social media when i was 22 as did my wife. Maybe paranoid but not a huge fan of you typing my name in to google and finding... ANYTHING for that matter.

Again, this forum is a form of social media as well.

I am lucky because my name is generic enough that you don't get much if you google me. 

ooeei

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #22 on: June 19, 2017, 08:00:19 AM »
It's just another method of communicating.  Plenty of people gossiped before social media.  I used to have relatives when I was a kid who'd corner us to look at their vacation pictures and stuff like that when everyone got together.  Social media just makes these things more efficient and easier.

It also makes keeping in touch with old friends easier. I've got probably 5-10 friends who I'd keep in touch with regularly by phone/text/email if that was my only option.  I've got probably 100 who I enjoy seeing or hearing from once in awhile if the stars align, but would never go through the effort of keeping up with if not for social media.  A girl I knew from years back stayed at my place with her friend on their cross country road trip 5 years ago, I hadn't seen her in 2 years and it was really fun to catch up and see how she's doing.  I messaged her because I saw her post about the trip on social media, and it turned out she was coming through my town.  I met up with a buddy from college while he was studying abroad in Germany, I didn't even know he was there but he saw my buddy tag me in a post about our trip, and we met up for drinks.

I also like being able to see how people from other demographics are thinking about things, I'm friends with people from high school on facebook who I would never hang out with, but it is interesting to see what they are thinking/saying regularly.  It's a window into a few different groups of people that I'd never see if not for social media. 

I post very little, but I'm a more private person.  My girlfriend posts all the time, the same way she starts talking about all sorts of private stuff in person with people.  Some people are just more open, social media or not.

Personally I don't ever have a desire to go out to a bar.  It seems ridiculous to want to have a conversation with your friends in the same room as a bunch of other people having conversations, where you have to wait in line for drinks.  Yet all sorts of people do it.  It's a personality thing, some people are just open and extroverted and love human interaction.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2017, 08:04:09 AM by ooeei »

golden1

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #23 on: June 19, 2017, 05:17:23 PM »
The cocktail party is a great way to frame FB. 

I felt the same way about texting for years as the op feels about social media.  I just didn’t get it. Why not just call people instead? Or email them? Especially back when it used to cost $0.10 a text.  Then I went back to work, and it became very useful to be able to fire off a quick message to my husband that way. 

surfhb

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #24 on: June 19, 2017, 05:49:09 PM »
There's a book called "Irresistible" that looks interesting.    About how FB, Google, Amazon, Apple and just about every other app maker main purpose is to keep you coming back to your phone.   They are basically mini habit forming devices.   Mini slot machines if you will. 

An ex Google employee named Tristan Harris was on 60 Mins and Bill Maher recently discussing it.     He even suggested turning off the color on your phone to Greyscale.

http://www.tristanharris.com/author/tristan/

Everything from the little red dot to the colors are there to keep us coming back.    I know I find myself looking at my phone for no reason what so ever.   Crazy!

My goal is to completely go Dumb Phone.....but googlemaps and my banking and fidelity app are so damn useful!

Phone addiction is real and kinda sad IMO
« Last Edit: June 19, 2017, 05:52:29 PM by surfhb »

matchewed

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #25 on: June 20, 2017, 07:57:27 AM »
Anonymous interneting=social media. The anonymity does not change the fact that someone is utilizing social media.

So there were two parts brought up. The constant usage of it and the privacy sharing.

The constant use thing is the accessibility, cellphones and the like. jim, even if you're using a laptop you're still posting nearly two posts a day on average.

The seeming sharing of private information is probably a misconception. People share what they want the world to see. Some will find that too much and some will not share anything at all.

It is a broad... I don't want to the word tool... cultural device?... which people will use in different ways. You don't have to like it or get it or anything at all. Maybe just accept that people will use it in different ways. If it doesn't harm you or someone else then let it go man/woman/person.

Kris

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #26 on: June 20, 2017, 08:25:18 AM »
Anonymous interneting=social media. The anonymity does not change the fact that someone is utilizing social media.

So there were two parts brought up. The constant usage of it and the privacy sharing.

The constant use thing is the accessibility, cellphones and the like. jim, even if you're using a laptop you're still posting nearly two posts a day on average.

The seeming sharing of private information is probably a misconception. People share what they want the world to see. Some will find that too much and some will not share anything at all.

It is a broad... I don't want to the word tool... cultural device?... which people will use in different ways. You don't have to like it or get it or anything at all. Maybe just accept that people will use it in different ways. If it doesn't harm you or someone else then let it go man/woman/person.

This. When I post on social media (FB primarily), it's not very often personal information about me. It's more interesting articles to share and things like that. Often, it's about politics, because I follow politics fairly closely and so do many of my friends. But of course, there are people who bitch loudly and often about how people "shouldn't" be posting political stuff on FB.

Those people tend to be the ones who post tons of pictures of their kids, or of the food they are eating, or exactly where they are at the time ("mani pedis with mom!!!"). I'm not sure why they think their stuff is more legit. There are no "rules" for what you're allowed to post, as long as it doesn't contravene FB's TOS. I personally find their endless food and baby pics boring as shit. Do I complain about it, though, and post endlessly about how they "shouldn't" post that stuff? Uh, no.

So. Maybe to each his or her own?
« Last Edit: June 20, 2017, 08:27:37 AM by Kris »

Cookie78

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #27 on: June 20, 2017, 08:46:11 AM »
I really like the cocktail party analogy. I post on my main page every 1-4 weeks maybe. Sometimes I share events or articles a little more often if they are relevant. What I really like are the groups related to my hobbies and interests, especially those who are full of inspiration and ideas. Local gardening groups for help/ideas/plant sharing/support. Hiking groups. Traveling/camping/etc. I find they are great to share ideas and ask questions. I suppose maybe you could find forums for each of the groups, but it's nice to have everything in one place.

aaahhrealmarcus

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #28 on: June 23, 2017, 11:50:04 AM »
"Events" are what sold me on FB. I've been a member since 2005, before the feature was added, and I never had much use for social media before that. FB Events have been SO useful for me in throwing/coordinating parties, BBQ's, weddings, protests, any kind of social event.

Poundwise

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #29 on: June 24, 2017, 05:46:50 AM »
Quote
In any event, I don't do social media because I have 4 children and mothers with children on social media are expected to post pictures of their kids all day long (and my family members would be asking me to do just that).  I don't post pictures of my children on the internet at all, full stop.

I totally agree! I just joined FB this year but it is problematic for me because I don't want to post photos of my kids, and these days I can't help posting uncomfortable articles about politics and world change.  I'm not enjoying cocktail parties either these days... I rant too much and my small talk is too small to share with any but a very specialized group (i.e. the "Odd Jobs" thread). Since I don't go on splashy trips or post photos of my kids, I can't really lighten up my feed.

On the other hand, I recently went to a school reunion and it was great to catch up with folks whom I esteem, but because of my poor correspondence,  haven't seen in decades. It's nice to keep up with them.

Pigeon

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #30 on: June 26, 2017, 06:59:28 PM »
This forum is a type of social media.

I use Facebook and I like it.  In an era where families spread out all over the country and even the world, it's a nice way to keep in touch.  I don't friend everybody, just family and IRL friends.  It's a joy to see photos of my many nieces and nephews as they grow up.  I don't particularly enjoy talking on the phone and I would never call them all that much.  I have a few relatives whose political views disturb me, so I've unfollowed them.  Easy enough.

Geoduck

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #31 on: June 27, 2017, 10:00:51 AM »
A great read about social media and apps -- Masters of Distraction
« Last Edit: June 27, 2017, 10:46:00 AM by Geoduck »

zoltani

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #32 on: June 27, 2017, 10:28:12 AM »
Just heard on the radio that facebook will start producing their own original television shows. They say they are willing to spend 3 million per episode, wow. 

HipGnosis

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #33 on: June 27, 2017, 10:56:22 AM »
I had to revaluate Facebook. Here has evolved in something like your Craigslist. Lot of groups of people selling stuff, we practically bought everything 2nd hand for the baby from 'parents groups'.
It is crazy how good it works. You just literally have only to ask and post on the group wall what do you need and somebody somewhere will sell it to you. I guess being present with your real identity helps keep things ok.

WTH is "group wall" on FB?!?!?

Pigeon

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #34 on: June 27, 2017, 01:29:00 PM »
I had to revaluate Facebook. Here has evolved in something like your Craigslist. Lot of groups of people selling stuff, we practically bought everything 2nd hand for the baby from 'parents groups'.
It is crazy how good it works. You just literally have only to ask and post on the group wall what do you need and somebody somewhere will sell it to you. I guess being present with your real identity helps keep things ok.

WTH is "group wall" on FB?!?!?

There are groups you can join.  I'm also part of a local "garage sale" page.  It functions like Craigslist, but mine is more local, is subject to far fewer spammers and people who say they will buy something are much more likely to show up than the people on CL.  The "group wall" is the newsfeed for the group.  You post the things you want to sell there and people who are part of the group see it.

electriceagle

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #35 on: June 28, 2017, 03:08:33 AM »
Seems like an obsessive mental illness.

Social media provides continuous stimulation with no cost, little effort and little risk. Its a bit like using heroin instead of running a marathon to get a runners high.

Susceptability to this "free" stimulation is part of the human condition.

Dancin'Dog

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #36 on: June 28, 2017, 06:24:21 AM »
I'm so relieved to see I'm not alone in "not getting" the attraction of social media. 

It sure looks like a "drug" that everybody is addicted to.  People look like robots walking around with their eyes glued to their phones, like they can't function without it telling them what to do next.


WhiteTrashCash

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #37 on: June 28, 2017, 06:59:37 AM »
Social media seems to have largely replaced hanging out at the mall or getting drinks with friends because now everybody has to work much longer hours for the same or lower pay. At least that's my theory. I also think expanded work hours and responsibilities are largely the reason why weight has become an issue for a lot of people. With modern jobs, it can be really difficult to find enough time to get adequate exercise. That certainly was the case for me until I got a side hustle in fitness.

zoltani

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #38 on: June 28, 2017, 10:25:43 AM »
Social media seems to have largely replaced hanging out at the mall or getting drinks with friends because now everybody has to work much longer hours for the same or lower pay. At least that's my theory. I also think expanded work hours and responsibilities are largely the reason why weight has become an issue for a lot of people. With modern jobs, it can be really difficult to find enough time to get adequate exercise. That certainly was the case for me until I got a side hustle in fitness.

Interesting theory, but I don't buy it.

ooeei

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #39 on: July 13, 2017, 10:15:51 AM »
Social media seems to have largely replaced hanging out at the mall or getting drinks with friends because now everybody has to work much longer hours for the same or lower pay. At least that's my theory. I also think expanded work hours and responsibilities are largely the reason why weight has become an issue for a lot of people. With modern jobs, it can be really difficult to find enough time to get adequate exercise. That certainly was the case for me until I got a side hustle in fitness.

Plenty of people in other countries with different work cultures and people without jobs at all are all over social media. If it has replaced those things (which I'm not convinced of), it's because people like it more or see some other advantage to it.

Weight problems are due to modern jobs? Maybe that's partially true, but diet seems the more likely culprit. Japan is known to have very intense high stress long hour jobs, and has roughly 1/10 the rate of obesity as the US.

BoonDogle

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #40 on: July 13, 2017, 10:49:47 AM »
I'm with you Jim.  Full disclosure - my wife FB's, I do not.  I use my wife's account on occasion to access some of the local buy,sell, trade groups.  Seems like it started out as a great concept to keep in contact with close friends and family that live a ways away.  Now most people that use FB are "friends" with more acquaintances and colleagues than close friends and want to post about everything they or their kids did or saw that day plus throw in several articles that they found interesting, etc.  Information overload.

Missy B

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #41 on: July 14, 2017, 12:18:33 AM »
I have zero interest in FB, twitter, instagram etc. It's just more crap to sift through.
I am enormously cheered every time I hear from someone who feels the same way.

WranglerBowman

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #42 on: July 27, 2017, 12:09:44 PM »
Validation. People need to feel validated for their lifestyle, looks, politics, hobbies, etc. People have difficulty looking within for their own worth and validation so many seek it in external ways.

Agreed 100%.  FB, instagram, the tweet thing, etc... it's just a personal billboard for validation.  I'm busy just about all the time, I don't have time to update my status, and because I don't update my status no one thinks I do anything.  It also seems to bother some people that they don't know what I'm doing...people just have a lot of time on their hands and are bored.  Most of social media seems to be dominated by people who want to live, or think they live, in an alternate reality.

a1pharm

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #43 on: July 31, 2017, 08:55:57 AM »
There is one reason, and only one reason, people are "addicted" to social media:

Biological fitness

Biological fitness is an evolutionary concept, and is the basis for pretty much everything that goes on in an animal's head (humans = animals).  This concept is the animal's system for deciding which behaviors to engage in, and which behaviors to avoid.

Example: you feel good after you eat a delicious meal.  The "feel good" chemicals released by your brain will make you want to replicate the behavior.  Same thing for sex, shelter, relationships, etc.

Social media "tricks" the brain into thinking you are contributing to your relationship related biologic fitness.  Getting more "likes" means your biological fitness went up (well, at least according to you animal brain's reward system).  These "likes" release feel good chemicals which encourage you to continue to chase them - just like a good meal.

What is interesting, is that the younger populations' biological fitness in relationships has ACTUALLY become intrinsically linked to social media in many cases.  This is important: social media = social life = biological fitness.  It's a little messed up if you are outside looking in, but it feels completely normal to folks whose biological fitness is now directly linked to social media.

I think the reason social media actually took off (for ordinary people) is not because of its effect on perceived biologic fitness.  In the USA, young people are not exclusively working 9-5 jobs with weekends off.  Their schedules are all over the board, and they rarely have time when their and their friend's schedules line up.  They can have a "social" experience with others they care about asycronously (not at the same time).  This is also a reason text messaging took off (but not the reason it exists the way it does nowadays).

In summary, biologic fitness was exploited by social media to get users hooked by making them think they are increasing their fitness when using the service.

FireHiker

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #44 on: July 31, 2017, 02:46:31 PM »
I've not gotten into twitter or instagram, but facebook is handy for staying in touch with distant family and the Buy Nothing Group.

Jet711

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #45 on: August 01, 2017, 01:59:12 PM »
I don't understand it either (even as a kid). I understood Skype (online messaging with people I know, used for work).

However, I don't understand things such as Instagram. Why is it so important to share PHOTOS? Videos, yes, I understand. But PHOTOS?
Also, it looks really stupid seeing people scroll down an Instagram page and just tap photos, then move on after 3 seconds.

Neal300

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #46 on: August 13, 2017, 07:40:50 AM »
Maybe I am a fart or something but what is with everyone, especially women, who must bury their faces in their smart phones every single minute of the day?

I don't get the whole shred your privacy aspect of social media.  Why share intimate details of your life with total strangers?

Seems like an obsessive mental illness.

[grumbles]Now these kids need to get off my lawn!
You are absolutely right.Social media is an obsessive mental illness.

Villanelle

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #47 on: August 13, 2017, 08:37:38 AM »
Weird that you think this is more of a female thing, which has not been my experience at all.  Interesting observation.

I'm on Facebook, though rarely via my phone or in public unless on on a train (where, in Japan, it is polite to not make eye contact or engage strangers in any way).  Living across the world and in a different time zone, I can't just pop in for a chat with friends, so I like seeing the photos of their kids or reading about the funny thing that happened to them.  My friend's list is intentionally pretty small.  A fake name prevents that kid who sat next to me in 2nd grade from finding me and friend requesting me.  (I also have no shame about ignoring or denying friend requests.  Share intimate details of my life with total strangers?  Everyone I'm connected with on social media is someone I know well, and I generally am posting about a fun outing or a good book I read, not my inner most fears and fantasies. 

If that's a mental illness, it's one I'm okay having. 

WhiteTrashCash

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #48 on: August 13, 2017, 10:12:54 AM »
One of the really weird things I have seen happen because of social media is the rise of the "Instagram model". These folks are usually women who create an account on Instagram and then post photos of themselves wearing different outfits. A lot of them make really good bank from companies who pay them to wear the companies' clothes in the photos. It's a form of "viral advertising." Also a lot of them make money by putting out a PayPal "tip jar" and people just give them cash. Strangers will literally hand over money because they put up photos of themselves. It's such a strange concept to me, but a whole lot of people make a living that way.

Psychstache

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Re: Am I the only one who doesn't "get" social media?
« Reply #49 on: August 13, 2017, 10:27:59 AM »
One of the really weird things I have seen happen because of social media is the rise of the "Instagram model". These folks are usually women who create an account on Instagram and then post photos of themselves wearing different outfits. A lot of them make really good bank from companies who pay them to wear the companies' clothes in the photos. It's a form of "viral advertising." Also a lot of them make money by putting out a PayPal "tip jar" and people just give them cash. Strangers will literally hand over money because they put up photos of themselves. It's such a strange concept to me, but a whole lot of people make a living that way.
Is it really that much weirder that traditional modeling as a business? Personally, I think it is great for aspiring models because it allows them to directly access the industry rather than having the agents and agencies (who have a long history of shadiness and corruption) to be the gatekeepers of the modelling world and skimming out some profit for themselves along the way.

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