Thoughts on ditching social media...

NewBerlinEggprentice

I understand the irony that I post this question on social media but here is goes...

I watched a video today about millennials in the workplace. Quite a bit of it was discussion the impact that social media has had on thier ability to form deep, meaningful relasionships and so on. Stuff most of us have all heard before. This in not a millennial bashing post. For the record, at 38 I am not a millennial, and I do have the ability to form relasionships "the old fashioned way", and I cherrish those relasionships. I have people who I can acctually count on to come physically get me out of ditch if needed. If I were to post about being in a ditch, then a lot kind people we be offering comentary and kind words, but I would still be in the ditch.

After thinking about the content of that video for a while, I think its high time to step away from social media. I went through a similar epiphany when I dumped my facebook account several years ago. My current social media, dopamine-release agents are an instagram account, an Untapped account (because...beer) and this forum.

I have found myself lately almost feeling a longing, of sorts, for "likes" on my instagram posts about my food, and I am  equally engaged in seeing how many views there have been on my discussions on this forum. What this has done to me has created this drive where I look for the admiration of complete strangers. It feels bizzare to even type that out. I am a confident, secure person and never would have thought I was going to be one who sought out attention, but that's what I have allowed social media to do to me.

So the whole point of this rant is to say that I think it's time for me to step away from my social media addictions. It has started to consume quite a bit of time, and that feels unhealthy. I am going to try and seek out local people who share my interest in egging (and now Blackstoning) and acctually try to get together to share a meal and a beverage and engage in real inter-personal communication about cooking and life. I guess like those "meatings" the Manbque guys do in Chicago. Alright, if you made it to the end if this post, you either have plenty of free time, or you're like me and use social media to waste your time.

Happy cooking y'all, maybe I'll be lucky enough to catch up with some of you in the physical world, if you smell BBQ smoke and I'm in my yard, stop by. I appreciate the members here who have provided me with insight and helped shorten the learning curve by sharing thier knowledge and experiences.

Sardonicus

Somewhere, it's Friday.

JethroVA

First step is to admit that it's problem so you're on your way.   I visit this site for these reasons only: To learn or help others learn, and to laugh.  Usually the latter. There's only a handful of people (all who know in real life) whose opinions I care about so I really can't be of much help to you.  

blasting

Good for you.  I believe the facebook, instagram, twitter etc have had a very negative effect on society and the depth of individual thinking.

This forum is different, at least in my mind.  I hope to actually cook with a lot of the different members.

Spaightlabs

I commend your decision.  I have family in New Berlin, when there this summer I will try to sniff you out.

WeberWho

Millennial here. Never done social media of any type. This is the closest it gets for me. I can't make fun of too many people on social media. I take pictures of food I make.  

Lit

I am jealous of you I wish I had time to do those things. I have never had a social media account this is as close as it gets. I would say drop them and don't look back. I have been contemplating not posting here anymore and just looking at cooks lately I hate wasting time here I could have spent with my kids.

kl8ton

I am 38.
This is my only social media account.
I did have a Facebook account way back when.  Even when I had it, I made a rule to only friend people that I talk to face to face.  The social media scene disgusts me.

ToTheMax

Everyone needs at least one friend who they can call at 3am and say "I need $10,000 and your car in 15 minutes" and the friends only reasonable response is "small bills or large bills?"

Beyond that, who cares?


I come on social media (Facebook, here, a car forum, a deals forum) to kill time between having a real life. If I have some down time between tasks at work, etc.  Social media doesn't replace my time for other more important thing or time with kids (my wife and I have even have a strict no electronics at the dinner table rule), it's a time filler for what otherwise I'd be just reading a book, watching a movie 3-minutes at a time, etc.

But hey, do what's best for you.



O yeah, millennial here

fishlessman

there will be alot of time on your hands, maybe northGAcocks neighbor can help you find a hobby

GregW

The various BBQ forums that I participate in are as social as it gets for me.
I have no use for things like Facebook. I would say that I hate Facebook, but that's pretty strong language, but that sums it up for me. 

Gulfcoastguy

I avoided Facebook for professional reasons and frankly to keep nosy relatives out of my business. Sometimes that means that I am late on the information loop but 95% of what I see on other people's pages is stuff I have no interest in knowing. I am on a few more forums but they are being weeded down, often because they move to Facebook. This forum relates to a past time of mine and we do have Eggfests.

Dobie

If it's negatively effecting your life then unplug and see if your life improves. 

NewBerlinEggprentice

Thanks for the discussion everyone. Interesting to hear other people's thoughts.

I think this forum is a different type of social media and doesn't seem to stink like FB and IG do.  

fishlessman said:

there will be alot of time on your hands, maybe northGAcocks neighbor can help you find a hobby

This is what you picture reminded me of:

Eoin

Never done FB and never will.

Sea2Ski

@NPHuskerFl quit for a bit a while ago to demonstrate something to his kid or something. If I recall properly....

If I have this correct, I am on this site way too much.

ToTheMax

Reminds me of this


So, if this is you (i.e. where it interferes with your real life), then I agree that having a breather might be a good idea:

HeavyG

We are all prone to become a victim to various vices and addictions.

If various social media outlets are causing problems in your life then it may be wise to reexamine how you use them.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are tools and like any tool what you get out of them depends on how you use them. None of them are intrinsically evil. All of them can be potentially very useful. 

tclamberth

Twitter is awesome. Didn't read OP just throwing that out there 

SkinnyV

I too have never done Facebook, don't do instagram ... maybe just browse from time to time.
 I have 2-3 sites I post to and that's about it.
i am kind of a news junkie so I do wake up and click to see what's going on in the world,I also generally like forums because of the information and entertainment value. I enjoy peoples opinions and comments on various things.
i watch little TV, listen to lots of radio , and get some BS giggles and entertainment from the netz.

Hans61

Guys, he's probably not reading our replies :-)

NewBerlinEggprentice

Hans61 said:

Guys, he's probably not reading our replies :-)

I am actually.

texaswig

Just like anything else it's what you make of it. If someone is annoying I block their posts. I mostly use it to keep up with out of town friends and relatives. 

Acn

HeavyG said:

We are all prone to become a victim to various vices and addictions.

If various social media outlets are causing problems in your life then it may be wise to reexamine how you use them.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are tools and like any tool what you get out of them depends on how you use them. None of them are intrinsically evil. All of them can be potentially very useful. 

I agree with this.  What are you getting from your use of social media?  How much time are you dedicating to it?  Do a cost benefit analysis, and if the time commitment is causing you to miss things, then cut back.  If you get real value and it is a tiny part of your day, stay with it.

keener75

You should watch the show Black Mirror on Netflix. Deals with the negative effects of social media and technology in general. 

Hans61

NewBerlinEggprentice said:

Hans61 said:

Guys, he's probably not reading our replies :-)

I am actually.

Since you are i'll add a real comment.

I dumped my Facebook years ago. This is my only social media. Some days I'm on it more than others. This forum is different to me than Facebook or instagram. Common love of outdoor cooking puts me with a group of guys I instantly have way more in common with then the general population. 

I get the best advice and ideas from like minded people here. That goes for on topic threads or off. 

if social media is causing you to miss out on real life than yeah cut back or take a break.

GATraveller

I'm holding out for the "Cliffs Notes" version of this head. In lieu of reading the entire rant I'll say yes. 

gmac

I considered going "socially silent" including dumping the forum when I found out I may have to do a job hunt soon but a few folks convinced me my fears were unfounded. I do have IG and I have to have a Twitter acct for work (yes, I'm expected to tweet - I don't). And of course untapped but as a certified beer judge I just know the world wants to hear my opinion...

For me (46, 4 kids) I have no use for FB. I don't mind IG but rarely post. I did a couple knife pictures and got told to stop making knives and go brew more beer (my friends have their own priorities). I do have a higher level of respect for a few people here so I stayed but I can see your desire to go. I mostly use this to kill time during boring work calls and there is always good cooking advice here that is worth staying for. I would suggest coming on when you want to ask a question. 

HofstraJet

Never really though of message boards as social media. 

I have a FB, Twitter, IG, and Snapchat account, as well as a blog. I don't post often and don't read them often - just don't have time for that.  But they are useful when there is something of interest to me going on and I want to hear the views of others on it or when I have something to vent about. IG and Snapchat are just so I can follow what my nieces and nephews are up to.

stlcharcoal

I don't have a FB page.....never will.  We have one for the company, but it's not that active.  Same goes with the Instagram account.  They're there for the folks want to find us through that gateway.  But personally, I have no reason to have one.  People I'm friends with call, email, or stop by.  If I'm not important enough for direct communication (or vice versa), then I'm not sure it's really a 'friendship' at that point.  I don't have time to monitor "statuses"--to know what people ate for dinner, where they went on vacation, etc.  It just gets me when someone is surprised I don't know something about them, and they say "well I put it on Facebook!"  Well, out of hundreds of people I know, and all the BS they probably post & I would have to wade through, how am I supposed to find that one fact about you unless I'm glued to my FB account all day, every day? 

Keep in mind, like ANY of the FREE social media sites, they are there for one reason......TO SELL YOU ADVERTISING.  They monitor your activity on the site, cache all of your pictures/posts, track god knows what on your phone, etc.  Through many algorithms, they display ads, news, people you may know, and more that they think you may like to get you to use the site more.....thus seeing more advertising.  Since I only watch this from the business side of things, let me tell you: It's scary effective and money well spent.

I guess you could say the same thing about texting or email, but social media has destroyed human interaction.  Small talk is dead since people just stare at their phone rather than interact.  Think about how many cool people you're not going to meet in your life if you're only interacting on a computer with "FB friends".  Moreover, it's like people don't know how to talk to one and other.  I can strike up a conversation with anybody, but over the last 10 years or so, it just seems harder to get people to interact-especially if they have a smart phone in their hand.  When the eyes drop to check the phone, you know where you are on the priority list.  

SemolinaPilchard

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