accepting social media
Inspired by Flox's refusing social media out of spite.
What you think something is about and what you can do with it don't need to fully overlap. For example, you can still connect with others and express yourself through the Internet despite the many evolved pain points you find within it. In my eyes, that also holds true for mainstream social media platforms.
Note that I'm not saying you must use social media. You can skip using it for whatever reason. No, you don't have internal issues you need to work out if you don't use it. Use what you want.
That said, I believe learning how to use social media well can teach great lessons about how to cease performative behavior through it. Being okay with yourself over chasing approval, then believing you can share and connect through it over classing it as a means to achieve fame and validation, go a long way toward instilling healthy patterns of use. I can only imagine that those breakthroughs not only ease activity within them, but also the act of decoupling personal growth from gnarly metrics like follower counts. As a bonus, practicing social media can complement or even manifest wonderful face-to-face or known voice interactions.
I'm convinced that none of the following criteria have to be mutually exclusive, nor require an "if you're not online, you don't exist" mindset:
- Being active on multiple social media channels
- Posting during "prime time"
- Boosting your online presence, connections, and expression
- Tapping into the real world
- Renewing nuance
- Partaking in more involved creativity
- Practicing critical thinking
- Avoiding drama
- Curating who you share your life with more
- Connecting with people more
My acceptance of spending quality time with kind, lovely people through mainstream social media platforms has become an act of rebellion. One that I'm happy to take. I like what my interactions with people there are turning me into, so I accept taking more chances to enrich more people than just myself. I can't save so many others from using social media tactlessly, so I accept participating with those who can or are willing to employ tact. Despite the pain points of social media and beyond, I too am putting forth my energy towards the places and people that really matter. Yet, I can always do better.