Escaping Social Media

For many reasons, that I will probably expound on in future posts, I have been trying to escape social media. I have been on Twitter and Facebook for almost 13 years and for the past six years, I have been trying to give it up. Giving it up meant that I would lose the positive connections I have developed. If I cannot escape social media, I can at least change my relationship with it. 

I have been trying to get back to blogging and having a website with social media being a source of writing and art prompts. Eventually, when this is fully operational, I can just use my social media accounts to point here if people want to keep in touch or interact with me. I can use social media here. 

This plan I have has already made a difference. I was properly outraged by something on social media this morning and was into a Facebook post. Then I stopped myself and scolded myself, "Save that for the blog. You are there to enjoy and stay in touch with friends and family."  

So much of social media delivers pellets of outrage that is designed for you to engage with it without thinking or  what Princeton psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls fast thinking instead of slow thinking. Slow thinking is more purposeful and careful, whereas fast thinking just blurts out in flight or fight. I will blog more about this.

I am off the 24/7 cable news opinion peddling and have returned to the days where you go to one of the three broadcast channels and have an hour of local news and an hour of national and international news. It is a healthier way to consume news. So I am trying to do the same with social media. 

I just peaked over at Twitter and someone I have followed for a long time is taking a break because someone had sent death threats to his brother. So, there is a toxicity there as much as it can be silly. So I am creating an online home that is mine. Hope you can join me.