How to Exist Together on Social Media?
The jury’s still out for me
After all of these years on social media, I’m trying to figure out how to… Exist there.
I wrote an essay a couple of weeks ago about why I slapped an “auto-responder” of sorts on my Facebook wall and walked away.
I haven’t deleted my account yet. I haven’t even deleted the app from my phone. So much of life is tied into that little blue app. Plus, I like to check notifications to make sure I don’t miss anything life-threatening or urgent (haven’t so far).
People seem to show up as their worst selves on Facebook (some people say this about Twitter, but Twitter terrifies me, so I only peruse it on occasion; anyhow, what I say here might be true about Twitter as well). Most Facebook comments aren’t things that someone would say to someone else. It’s like trying to talk to one person while in the middle of a room full of people who you’re trying to impress standing on a table and talking through a bullhorn. Comments always seem to have a hint of (or are fully driven by) performative public peacocking (or, as I call it, PPP).
I kinda can’t stand it. And it’s not only the behavior of others. I can’t stand MYSELF on Facebook.
But since I’ve been away, I have to say, I miss these people (or, at least, a number of…
