Quitting Social Media

[Blossom]

I was just wondering how many people here have quit social media? I’m talking about the major ones like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.
I’ve done it before and really prefer life without social media. Today I deleted my Instagram and Twitter and the last one I have left to deal with is Facebook.

I read this interesting write up by a guy who quit social media (shared by someone on social media ironically) and it really helped me face the fact that I truly don’t like it and there are multiple things about it that make me uncomfortable!

The 11th Reason to Delete your Social Media Account: the Algorithm will Find You

TL;DR: outrage mobs aren’t a bug. They’re a feature. After the introduction, there are five parts: the algorithm is real, the algorithm wants you online, the algorithm will find you, walk away from…

simondedeo.com

The last straw was getting two messages from men this week that I don’t even know! Seriously I don’t have the time or energy for that nonsense.

Please share if you’ve quit and your feelings about it!

 

[yerrag]

Good for you Blossom!

I've quit long ago FB and Twitter but I maintain a presence. I don't do FB Messenger nor WhatsApp because of Zsuck, yes really. I used to be in a WhatsApp group on health with folks here but when WhatsApp made some changes to its policy - I didn't even read it but it had to do with tying it to FB - I left. I joined Telegram at that time, and I continue to use Viber, which is very popular in the Philippines. Still, I have a limited presence in Telegram, but find there are way too many groups that I can handle. I'm already sharing and interacting here, and I've taken a break from Telegram as it's information overload even with one group only. Besides, I'm just repeating what I have shared here.

I find being away a great relief because I have to respond to people as I feel rude not to. So being away I'm free from that burden. Besides, these days I learn a lot more from observing what I've learned here and observation needs thought, more research and more reading, and I feel I absorb and learn more away from the cacophony of crowds, which is social media is and more.

There is also a lot of regurgitation of bad research that I already have to vet. No one would deny this is what we also face here. In social media, I spent too much time trying to correct myths and honestly, it's way too much work. I'm not responsible for people who just run with whatever is short and condensed and prettily explained with no depth. With our RP orientation, it is more than meets the eye and hard to waste time on people who like quickies.

Time and life expands without too much social media. I find I miss time enjoying nature in my backyard, seeing the birds, tasting the sun. I get my workout done tending to my koi pond, with some occasional back-breaking lifting of pails of water from the waste in the filter to the plants which love the fertilizer in the waste. I get to call a friend who has some marital problems and listen with all ears. I get to spend a month with my brother who visited, and spend that whole month helping him deal with vexing health issues, which to me is easy to improve and we did got a lot of mileage from his stay. I also got to understand my brother more and we have grown closer than we've been before, being practically strangers actually.

That said, I also tend to overdo it. It's practically hard to stay in touch with social media. I still like the grand reunion where you don't see or know anything about a friend, and when we see each other, it is a big welcome to each other. Nothing beats having a friend over for a barbecue or having my "tapas" with beer. I don't need to clean up the place (it's always messy anyway haha), and I can be as I am, and we'll have a good time being ourselves. I like small gatherings of people you really know over large parties. I like the simple weddings in heartland America in a park over the large ballroom events in a tux. With social media, It's kinda like you have to be the Instagram version of yourself.

 

[Blossom]

Thanks @yerrag! It was lovely to hear all the benefits you’ve experienced. There’s just so many things to enjoy and focus on without the distraction of social media.

 

[Lollipop2]

Hi @Blossom I quit FB in Jan 2020 and Twitter back in 2016. I did join MeWe but it is mostly dead - not many people on it on a few friends from FB. I use it to stay in touch. Otherwise, I am here on RPF. I do NOT miss any of it. I kept my FB account because it is tied to my business account. I could not delete one without the other. But I have not posted in 2 years and have deleted all FB, Messenger apps from my phone and computer.

edit: actually some of the most interesting writers and blogs are on Substack. I read a lot of amazing blogs and writing.

 

[Dean]

I've never in my life has a Facebook page or "Twitted". Never with any of the social media platforms. Never had a smartphone until 2 yrs ago when work COVID protocols dictated.

Still, even though I've left the job, still have the phone.

Real progress I think can only can from ditching Smartphones or even any cell phone entirely and severely limiting, if not eliminating, internet and TV use. Living a local, non-virtual community based life is really the only hope in terms of resisting the personal and societal demise that seems inevitably awaiting us all.

It's a tough leap to take though.

 

[tankasnowgod]

I first joined Facebook long ago simply to get invited to a party. And I went to that party. Mission accomplished!

I kept it after that, but noticed it was sucking more time over time. Never posted anything too personal (I don't like doing that anywhere), more just goofy thoughts and such. But, it became less fun over time. Around 2016, it was getting constantly political (and only in one direction) and I deleted it. No regrets there.

I had a parody account on Twitter for a bit... that was kinda fun. But, Twitter ended up sucking the life out of that, too. They both seem like a full blown dumpster fire now.

I can see the point of having a "business" type account on those platforms, but even then, I can imagine they jerk you around quite a bit.

I've tried to get rid of more and more distractions in my life, and social media is a huge one, right up there with TV. The time and also freed up "mental capacity" has allowed me to focus more on subjects I've wanted to dig deeper into. Like, reading about trusts and such. I have a ridiculous list of books and documents (pdfs and such) that I want to get through, and just don't need those obvious distractions.

 

[Peatness]

I've never had a social media account. Never had a smart phone. Right from the start I was suspicious of them. I rejected the fashion magazines in my early 20's and rejected television round about the same time. I kept on getting that feeling that I was being played and I didn't like it. I kept the radio and went to the theatre/concerts/galleries and read books but post 2020 I am questioning everything. I see the world through the prism of the great reset now. I love nature, that hasn't changed but my ability to explore it has changed. I've never regretted not being on social media nor regretted not having a smart phone.

 

[Dutchie]

I'd quit the last one ( FB) halfway 2020. I'd wanted to quit it earlier, but I was bound to it by a writing job and they had their group on there.
Eventually I decided enough=enough! I'm not getting much joy out of this hobby-writing job anyway, so I'll quit it alltogether.

 

[Blossom]

Thanks @Lollipop2, @Dean, @tankasnowgod, @Peatness and @Dutchie. I woke up feeling relieved already that 2 of the 3 are gone. I did get rid of my smart phone for 2 years before and preferred life without it as well. I do not watch TV either but my husband does so it’s on a lot when he’s home but I do my best to ignore it!

 

[mariantos]

I have given up Facebook for many years, I do not use Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and other such applications. I don't have a TV. What's more, I've been without internet for the past two months to spend more time with God's Word, I was wasting too much time gathering information from bitchute and reading... I can say it's awesome, now I'm back just to download some additional information only and intend to give up the internet again for another period of time, hopefully much longer. You won't regret it, it's just worth it. We need to get back to living simply.

 

[Blossom]

Thanks @mariantos, great work! My dad doesn’t use the internet at all. He’s 76 and I had to get him an email account as it was required to activate service for one of his utilities. He has me print off their correspondences. He uses only regular mail and banking etc but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him to navigate the bills required to manage his household. He’s retired so that helps his situation.

 

[mariantos]

Thanks @mariantos, great work! My dad doesn’t use the internet at all. He’s 76 and I had to get him an email account as it was required to activate service for one of his utilities. He has me print off their correspondences. He uses only regular mail and banking etc but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him to navigate the bills required to manage his household. He’s retired so that helps his situation.

May God keep your father healthy and strong!

 

[Makrosky]

I never had twitter. That is absolute posionous. I manually follow a couple of accounts from a specific niche that I am interested. And I shouldn't honestly, because nothing truly important can be summarized in 140 chars and with the immediateness of twitter. It is a trap.

FB I almost never use it but keep the account. I find it VERY USEFUL for specific times when you need to address a message to a wide audience related to you somehow. And also for local groups where you can buy/sell stuff, find mutual help, etc.

Also for messaging people from other countries, if you travel a lot it is very convenient.

Instagram is also very useful for discovering activities, events, interesting places around you etc. The main problem with it is that they made it in a way that you have to scroll a lot and cannot discriminate what you see. FB to that regard is much better. IG is quite poisnous really, but they decided to make it that way.

The very best thing to do IMHO is finding the way to socialize, have a group of close friends/relatives or some community where you truly feel you belong to in a meaningful way. All in "real life". Then the need to use social media banishes without much effort.

Also, social media for expats, travelers, etc. is an amazing tool. Hate to say it but it is true. I would like to quit it but I still need it.

Hugs Blossom.

 

[Lilac]

I was on Facebook, and it had a big upside--keeping in touch with relatives, hearing about concerts, and so on. But it really sunk in at one point that the whole magilla was a trap and a tool of control. I quit about eight years ago (took the compressed file with me) and never regretted it. I have found other time-sucks to take its place.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPn2zH_8OmY

 

[L_C]

I quit social media ages ago.

 

[InChristAlone]

Am I the only one who got addicted to facebook and instagram on here? Well I know I'm not the only one as most people are glued to their phones. Well.. it got out of hand during covid so I deleted all social media besides youtube last year. I wasn't engaging in my real life enough. Internet "friends" can't take the place of real life community. We were made to interact in person so I think we can really lose touch with reality only talking on the internet. I'm glad to hear some on the RPF have not gotten swept up into it.

 

[Mister]

I'm one of the rare breeds that never had social media.

Already saw immediately (speaking 2009) what superficial garbage it was. Also was I the only one not being comfortable putting pictures of yourself online? Really I thought back in the day when facebook got popular that it seemed almost nobody cared about privacy?

Guess social pressure cracked most people...

 

[InChristAlone]

I'm one of the rare breeds that never had social media.

Already saw immediately (speaking 2009) what superficial garbage it was. Also was I the only one not being comfortable putting pictures of yourself online? Really I thought back in the day when facebook got popular that it seemed almost nobody cared about privacy?

Guess social pressure cracked most people...

You could argue talking on any internet forum is social media. But RPF is a different breed.

 

[Blossom]

I got Instagram about 5 years ago with the thought of staying more connected with my adult daughters. I have learned since that it’s completely unnecessary and has way more negatives than positives.

In 2019 I got Facebook for the first time due to my job recommending it. Out of the last 3 years I’ve been active on it for 2 years with a one year break in the middle. Only one situation in that time that was positive for my work came about so when I’m honest with myself the cost (in wasted time) far exceeded any benefit.

I just got twitter 6 months ago and it’s proven to be another mostly toxic waste of time.

Every now and then I find something valuable and interesting but the amount of nonsense required to weed through is way too much.
@sugarbabe, it does seem potentially quite addictive!

 

[Blossom]

You could argue talking on any internet forum is social media. But RPF is a different breed.

I’m definitely not including this forum! :)