Completely quitting social media gets lonely.

[Shortpay]

Agree the apps kinda push you to use it more.

A decade ago I noticed that after I installed certain social media apps my iPhone's battery nosedives.

It also does not help that it encourages the practices of forwarded Religious spam and other time wasters.

When I removed the app, battery life improved and I was using the phone far less often.

If I could redo my social media use I'd use a purposefully misspelled name or pen name so that anyone cannot easily search me out.

The possibility of being falsely accused of anything is always there, outrage and cancel culture will motivate anyone bored to try to destroy your life for the smallest of infractions.

This lady below tried to off themselves because of the cyber bullying she suffered for a moment of out of character weakness that was recorded and shared online.

 

[compwiz1202]

Honestly, I feel like that situation could happen at any time in life with any friend. People don’t always maintain similar paths in life. Friends grow apart, whether that be friends you met at 15, or 35. I wouldn’t discount continuing or even being open to a relationship with someone just because we may have lost touch.

I made lifelong friends in high school. I’m 55 and have more than a few I talk to and see regularly. Certainly there are ones who have tried to connect that I didn’t have a particular affinity for, and those I just keep things simple and don’t make much effort to move forward, but I still enjoy seeing where their lives led them.

We have had 2-3 reunions since high school, and they’ve been a blast!

Yea one of the few nice things with FB is groups that lead to real meetups, but we haven't had a reunion in almost 15 years

 

[Apple fanboy]

Honestly the more I read in this thread what you all use social media I’m so glad I never joined.

Add in the story I read today about TikTok. 670 million views of parents cracking eggs on young children and toddlers heads.
WTF is wrong with the world?

 

[1rottenapple]

Ok I deleted my Reddit. It’s useful for specific topics like mac and steamdeck cars and stuff, news. But I don’t like how they add feeds to engage you making it addicting. I’ll stick to MR and forum specific sites.

 

[5580463]

Ok I deleted my Reddit. It’s useful for specific topics like mac and steamdeck cars and stuff, news. But I don’t like how they add feeds to engage you making it addicting. I’ll stick to MR and forum specific sites.

It's actually fine to use these days without an account. Not too long ago it was a very cumbersome experience, trying to push users to the app.

 

[maxoakland]

Like, in a deeper way than I would have expected.

I have a wife, kid, and large family who I love, but no friends who I speak with regularly. I'm only now noticing how much socials took up that need for me, until I stopped them completely.

Now, when I think of something I think is clever, I write it down, and.... nothing. The page doesn't eventually get a like 10 min later, and maybe three more over the course of a thrilling hour. It's ********.

That's a great observation and I think it's an important one

Loneliness is at the heart of social media addiction and the only cure is building community in our physical lives. We need people in our lives outside of our families who we can share that stuff with

And it's harder to build that now that it's ever been, but it's possible and it's a lot more satisfying than social media. I've started volunteering at a community garden. I've been meeting people. I'm a lot more satisfied with myself and my life and a lot more confident too.

It's only 2 hours a week and it's already making that much of a difference and that's only the start. Maybe you can find something that suits your time, location, and interests

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

I got off all social media when someone tried to destroy my life

Had a Facebook account, I thankfully didn’t tell it where I actually lived, Facebook based on the incorrect city I gave did it’s “do you work here” thing and I just clicked yes, I didn’t work there and it wasn’t even my industry.

Fast forward and gas prices went up, I made a very mild comment that had maybe a slight hint of politics, spicy level was like mayo lol

A few days go by and I get a message from the owner of this shop asking me to not say I work there, I found it odd but ok, I said no problem but how did you happen on my profile, apparently some busybody was trying to get me fired from that fictions job (not even a high paying job ether) because of some comment

For all this yahoo knew I could have had a family I was supporting, and with what that job paid I would have been living MAYBE paycheck to paycheck..

Think the issue with social media and the sensitive shut in culture these days is we have large amounts of people who never got into a fight
It’s important in life to have had your butt kicked at least once in life, today we have people who have never physically learned about consequences for messing about in others lives, add social media and this is what you get

I now have zero social media, zero alphabet accounts, frankly there is just no good reason to have them

“Buuuut I use them to keep in contact with blah blah blah”
If you need zuckbook to keep in contact with them, sorry they arnt really your friend or anyone you REALLY care about


Do yourself a favor and treat social media like a fungus

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

Saute them in olive oil, garlic and onion?

We’ll some think Zuckerberg is a lizard, and lots of Mexicans and Cubans have told me iguana is the “chicken of the tree” so 🤷‍♂️

 

[1rottenapple]

That's a great observation and I think it's an important one

Loneliness is at the heart of social media addiction and the only cure is building community in our physical lives. We need people in our lives outside of our families who we can share that stuff with

And it's harder to build that now that it's ever been, but it's possible and it's a lot more satisfying than social media. I've started volunteering at a community garden. I've been meeting people. I'm a lot more satisfied with myself and my life and a lot more confident too.

It's only 2 hours a week and it's already making that much of a difference and that's only the start. Maybe you can find something that suits your time, location, and interests

I love this! I need a different outlet these days do to other issues. But trying to find a volunteer source has been a little challenging.

 

[rm5]

If you need zuckbook to keep in contact with them, sorry they arnt really your friend or anyone you REALLY care about

Um, I don't think that's necessarily true, from my experience anyway. Sure, being "friends" with someone on Facebook, or having followers on Instagram doesn't guarantee that they really know you, but in my experience, a lot of people who I'm friends with on Facebook/who I follow on Instagram are people who I know and care about in real life. It also mitigates the need to have all those peoples' phone numbers, too.

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

Um, I don't think that's necessarily true, from my experience anyway. Sure, being "friends" with someone on Facebook, or having followers on Instagram doesn't guarantee that they really know you, but in my experience, a lot of people who I'm friends with on Facebook/who I follow on Instagram are people who I know and care about in real life. It also mitigates the need to have all those peoples' phone numbers, too.

If one wouldn’t keep in contact with someone without zuckbook, their ain’t that important in your life

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Um, I don't think that's necessarily true, from my experience anyway. Sure, being "friends" with someone on Facebook, or having followers on Instagram doesn't guarantee that they really know you, but in my experience, a lot of people who I'm friends with on Facebook/who I follow on Instagram are people who I know and care about in real life. It also mitigates the need to have all those peoples' phone numbers, too.

Phone numbers help, also, when ensuring that you can remain in touch with someone.

 

[maxoakland]

I love this! I need a different outlet these days do to other issues. But trying to find a volunteer source has been a little challenging.

Another option is something like Meetup.com. They have a lot of groups based on different interests. It's better in larger cities, but I think even smaller ones have some activity

Pretty much any interest you can think of has something related to it. From running to art to music to business

 

[rm5]

Phone numbers help, also, when ensuring that you can remain in touch with someone.

True true... but I find, especially with people my age, that (in some cases) they'd rather exchange Instagram usernames than phone numbers. Not true all the time, but it's happened. I'm not saying phone numbers aren't important, because of course they are, but I've never felt the need to exchange numbers with everyone I meet.

 

[Apple fanboy]

True true... but I find, especially with people my age, that (in some cases) they'd rather exchange Instagram usernames than phone numbers. Not true all the time, but it's happened. I'm not saying phone numbers aren't important, because of course they are, but I've never felt the need to exchange numbers with everyone I meet.

When I was younger I always had plenty of girls willing to give me their number.

Strange thing is they all lived at the same taxi office….😝

 

[Scepticalscribe]

True true... but I find, especially with people my age, that (in some cases) they'd rather exchange Instagram usernames than phone numbers. Not true all the time, but it's happened. I'm not saying phone numbers aren't important, because of course they are, but I've never felt the need to exchange numbers with everyone I meet.

I'm not on Instagram.

That is another one of those platforms that I have heard of, but know next to nothing about, - usernames? like Skype? - and have no real interest in joining.

Now, I tend to agree with you in that I have never exchanged my phone number with everyone I meet (and, moreover, I tend to be most miffed and extremely irked, if I learn that my phone number has been given out - by others to third parties - without my consent).

In general, my phone number has been given to (good) friends, (close and some extended) family, and to some colleagues whose company I had enjoyed and with whom I wished to stay in touch when our work together came to a close.

Not to the world at large.

 

[rm5]

Loneliness is at the heart of social media addiction and the only cure is building community in our physical lives. We need people in our lives outside of our families who we can share that stuff with

And it's harder to build that now that it's ever been, but it's possible and it's a lot more satisfying than social media. I've started volunteering at a community garden. I've been meeting people. I'm a lot more satisfied with myself and my life and a lot more confident too.

It's only 2 hours a week and it's already making that much of a difference and that's only the start. Maybe you can find something that suits your time, location, and interests

YES! YES! YES!

I can't stress enough how important building some sort of community outside of social media is. As @maxoakland says, find something to do that's away from your house and where electronics aren't the main focus. Volunteering in a garden is a great example - or playing sports if you're an athlete - or playing music... anything really.

If it's something you truly enjoy doing, you'll find a profound sense of joy, belonging, and accomplishment (at least that's my experience).

If nothing else, go for a walk every day (so liberating and refreshing!), or do something that benefits your physical and mental health.

 

[Apple fanboy]

YES! YES! YES!

I can't stress enough how important building some sort of community outside of social media is. As @maxoakland says, find something to do that's away from your house and where electronics aren't the main focus. Volunteering in a garden is a great example - or playing sports if you're an athlete - or playing music... anything really.

If it's something you truly enjoy doing, you'll find a profound sense of joy, belonging, and accomplishment (at least that's my experience).

If nothing else, go for a walk every day, or do something that benefits your physical and mental health.

This!
I work in an office or my home office and go out for a walk almost everyday. Good for the body and mind.
Our office is opposite a country park and I live in the countryside.
The number of my colleagues who just sit and stare at a screen for their lunch hour. Headphones in not communicating with anyone.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

When I was younger I always had plenty of girls willing to give me their number.

Strange thing is they all lived at the same taxi office….😝

So...did they find you handsome, or just handy?

 

[avz]

So...did they find you handsome, or just handy?

It is very common for girls to give "fake" numbers(taxi office in this instance) in order to indicate their lack of interest without hurting the feelings of the other person on the spot.

 

[BotchQue]

This has been an interesting thread to me, but I've realized something else.
I quit the only "popular" SM I was on (facebook) about three weeks ago. And up til that point I've noticed that the battery life on my '21 MacbookPro was steadily decreasing, from over a day (I charged it every night) to dying about 7 pm at night. Since I left facebook, my battery life is now about (right now, at ten pm, exactly) 33%! My actual daily "on-line" time hasn't changed (I'm getting more news/ewetubes to replace the FB time) so I'm thinking FB had a lot of "behind the scenes" activity going on, that isn't there anymore. FWIW.
Also, even though I tried to do everything to delete everything in my FB account, I still get the occasional (every two days or so) email (!) saying that a contact left a message, memory or whatnot. If I click on that, it takes me to my FB "Notifications" column, with all the inputs from my contacts but without any advertising; I read thru them and if I notice one post that has a huge number of responses from others, I click on that to see what's up, and again get no advertisements/clickbait.
I'm actually okay with this, so am going to leave things status quo. If there's something serious with one of my contacts I can email/call them directly. Just some FYI for anyone else thinking of deleting FB (I'm resigned to the fact that I can't delete all my info they have, unless I bomb their headquarters (and I'm too old for that anymore)).

 

[Mousse]

So...did they find you handsome, or just handy?

I'm a man, but I can change. If I have to, I guess.🤗

 

[CMoore515]

I quit Facebook proper in the lead up to the 2020 election as most of my "friends" had gone bat **** crazy and I felt it was bringing me down.

I still use Instagram for pictures of my kids. I don't use Twitter (X?) as much as I use too and only to talk Baseball or Tech now. Reddit's API bull-**** made me significantly cut back there (R.I.P. Apollo)

Other than that all I have is MacRumors.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

I won’t use WhatsApp as it’s FB. No data shared with those guys thanks.

You are correct. I just use it for international calls, but that's about it.

 

[Apple fanboy]

You are correct. I just use it for international calls, but that's about it.

I don’t have any of those to make, but if I did I’d use FaceTime or MS Teams.