I've been on an (unplanned) social media hiatus with my business for a few months, and what struck me a few weeks in was just how...empty all the (literal and figurative) noise and flashing lights and "connection" actually felt. I completely resonate with not missing it at all – and when I do feel the need to "pop-in" I'm always (like always always) left feeling some combination of anxiety, insecurity, and just generally like the world is a less-good place then it seemed even just a few minutes before. It's reassuring knowing others are feeling a similar disillusionment with life online – thank you for sharing ♡
Ashlynn, thank YOU for such a thoughtful comment! I agree with feeling the emptiness of the connection. It’s tricky when there is added pressure to have social media visibility for a business as well!
I grew up in an era of no social media (80's). Back then we did this thing where we actually hung out with people in real life (odd I know). Since social media has become so popular I find it so much harder to make new friends, get together with people, just be present with fellow humans. I went to a small tea shop yesterday and everyone was on either a laptop of phone. I was the odd ball who had an actual book (gasp). It made me sad for the good old days when people went to places like that & started conversations just to meet people and maybe, just maybe, make a new friend.
I’m a 90s kid, so I had the benefit of plenty of real life hangout as well (it helped that I was a debater... popular, I know 😉... and spent every weekend at a tournament). But I saw the precipitous drop off of real life interaction not long after-- including the willingness of people to have ‘low stakes’ or impromptu gatherings and interact with strangers-- and it does feel like a real cultural loss. Have you read The Friendship Problem? It’s a Substack essay that went semi-viral not too long ago that your comment made me think of!
I took my toddlers into a coffee shop as part of our holiday advent calendar a few weeks ago and it was immediately apparent that, even though they were perfectly well behaved, the normal chatter/ squeals of delight from 3 year olds were interrupting the silent phone time of the people around us. It definitely wasn’t a ‘third space’ experience to connect with others for me either... maybe optimistic, but perhaps we will see a resurgence of easy community meet-ups!
I've been on an (unplanned) social media hiatus with my business for a few months, and what struck me a few weeks in was just how...empty all the (literal and figurative) noise and flashing lights and "connection" actually felt. I completely resonate with not missing it at all – and when I do feel the need to "pop-in" I'm always (like always always) left feeling some combination of anxiety, insecurity, and just generally like the world is a less-good place then it seemed even just a few minutes before. It's reassuring knowing others are feeling a similar disillusionment with life online – thank you for sharing ♡
Ashlynn, thank YOU for such a thoughtful comment! I agree with feeling the emptiness of the connection. It’s tricky when there is added pressure to have social media visibility for a business as well!
I grew up in an era of no social media (80's). Back then we did this thing where we actually hung out with people in real life (odd I know). Since social media has become so popular I find it so much harder to make new friends, get together with people, just be present with fellow humans. I went to a small tea shop yesterday and everyone was on either a laptop of phone. I was the odd ball who had an actual book (gasp). It made me sad for the good old days when people went to places like that & started conversations just to meet people and maybe, just maybe, make a new friend.
I’m a 90s kid, so I had the benefit of plenty of real life hangout as well (it helped that I was a debater... popular, I know 😉... and spent every weekend at a tournament). But I saw the precipitous drop off of real life interaction not long after-- including the willingness of people to have ‘low stakes’ or impromptu gatherings and interact with strangers-- and it does feel like a real cultural loss. Have you read The Friendship Problem? It’s a Substack essay that went semi-viral not too long ago that your comment made me think of!
I took my toddlers into a coffee shop as part of our holiday advent calendar a few weeks ago and it was immediately apparent that, even though they were perfectly well behaved, the normal chatter/ squeals of delight from 3 year olds were interrupting the silent phone time of the people around us. It definitely wasn’t a ‘third space’ experience to connect with others for me either... maybe optimistic, but perhaps we will see a resurgence of easy community meet-ups!