Happy Blog Anniversary To Me
Category: Social Media
Post Detox: 3 Weeks
It’s been about 3 weeks since I’ve returned to social media. Honestly it’s not as exciting. People don’t really communicate through these platforms. Of course I don’t exactly bare my soul either. So, in that case do I keep it? Does it add to my life? If others don’t really communicate as directly then why keep it?
There are groups I’ve joined that I value. I may pair down who I have ‘friended’ on those platforms and keep it strictly to those I’m close to. Why just add to add if I know of someone or if they were an acquaintance of mine years ago? Not that I don’t care about those individuals, but why let everyone have a window into my personal life? Sure I don’t exactly share very personal things, but if and when I do share something personal I want it to feel like a safe space. No I’m not a millennial.
This detox was good for me. It showed me who kept in contact during it and who didn’t. I’m sure some maybe thought I wanted personal space, but wouldn’t I want to still hear from friends? Especially when taking a long break.
T-Minus 4
Today marks 4 weeks until my social media detox is over. 3 months has felt sluggish and yet sped by. Can I go back to the main social media platforms? I still have one more month of chosen quiet. I don’t know that I’ll return. If I choose to it’s to keep in contact with a select flew.
Part of me wants to scrub it from my life. Even to add into the mix Good Reads. Recently Jesnevertheless made a great point. She mentioned how sites like Good Reads has turned the joy of reading into a competition rather than a means to share one’s love of reading. I’m a sucker for a reading goal. This year I’m barely over half way to my own reading goal and that’s ok. Instead of focusing on enjoying the books I’m reading I could be internally freaking out I’m not going to reach my 2021 challenge. My focus is misplaced.
I also, have felt like book blogging is in its self a competition of sorts. It doesn’t help that I NetGalley request splurge like a drunk going on a shopping spree at midnight. I’ve felt convicted in this department. No more requests!
So will I be back on the usual social media suspects next month? Potentially and possibly not. I have provided direct contact to a few friends and for the most part there has been silence during my detox. Maybe they thought I want privacy or something. Who knows. All I know is that social media is a communication crutch to replace direct communication. You’re viewed like you’ve died if you leave the platform and welcomed back when you return.
Detox Week 2
Today is 2 weeks of me surviving being off of social media. It felt at first challenging to not want to log on, but now that I’ll be going into week 3, that urge is dissipating. I think I’m starting to get used to the silence. It’s like being invisible, though you are very much alive.
Will I return come January 15th/16th? I might. I might not. Will returning change anything? The only thing I see it changing is providing an easy way for people to stay in contact. That’s it. Will people reach out more when and if I return? I highly doubt it. Maybe I’m transforming into a pessimist, but when society lives virtually is it really all that surprising?
True connection has been turned into a little box to type, add cute emoji’s to match the mood and sentiment. Sterile. As a society we’ve settled for digital affection. Our brains have gotten used to our Pavlovian response to notifications. Will our virtual life get likes? Does anyone give a bleep? It seems we are gradually going from flesh and blood humans into technical beings. Is that progress? Honestly I believe it’s by design, planned and not an accident. We’ve become digital zombies and that’s what they want.
Detox: Day 7
Well today marks day 7 of being off major social media platforms. Boy is it quiet. It truly puts into perspective how a lot of communication is strictly virtual via a social media platform instead of by direct communication.
Honestly it’s depressing. Maybe others feel like they want to give me the personal space while I do this 90 days of no social media. On the other hand, it’s proving that as soon as I jump back on I’ll probably get an assortment of “Welcome back,” comments. Though I’ve been accessible this whole time.
Am I going to return to social media? The depressed side of me is like, “I can’t not go back….how will people keep in contact with me easily?” The healthy side of me is like, “Why shackle yourself again to the addiction?”
A week in feels like it’s been months. That’s just how tough this detox is. And to think I still have a long way to go till 1-15-22.
Detox Day 1
Recently one of my best friends shared she was going to do a 90 day social media detox. I thought that sounded like a great idea. A month detox is good, but a 3 month detox sounded epic. If you can change a habit within twenty something days, then you could really change a habit in a big way after 90.
It’s weird to be off the grid minus Good Reads and blogging. It feels like I’ve entered my own private cave and all the worldly noise is gone. It will be interesting to see if anyone directly contacts me. I highly doubt it. That fact alone speaks volumes about social media. It’s a communication crutch. Yes, it’s easy to update multiple people all at once, but is it truly personable and do people truly bare their soul online? Only the occasional person does.
I’m excited to see how many books I can finish by the end of the year. I doubt I will reach my goal of 100, but that’s ok. I just want to enjoy reading for once.
Openly Bookish 