The Absurdity of Social Media and the Fediverse

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It’s Ten Fourty Eight on a Monday and i have barely touched social media. I have barely touched social media for two reasons. People don’t see it as socialising anymore. They take a utilitarian approach to social media, which makes it absurd. The second reason is that we see how ignorant the world is about current affairs.

In the past when we used social media we were looking to have conversations, share ideas and do more. Now people want to promote books, and fill gaps in time between when they are with family, friends or colleagues, without considering that social networks, for decades, were about connecting people who lived alone, or were too introverted to be the life and soul of “physical world” parties.

Everyone on Twitter says “I am not looking for friendships” and “I am not looking to meet online friends in real life” and as I see these posts every so often I think “then what the fork am I still doing on the Fediverse, and Twitter?” I am not on Twitter anymore, but I wrote that out of habit.

If the people I interact with on Social Media don’t actually want to be social, then my use of social media has become absurd, because I want one thing, and everyone else is utilitarian. It nullifies the use of these social networks.

The uphill battle that I have strived towards, for decades, is absurd as it was in the 90s. It’s as lonely to use social networks as it was in the 90s.

Meetup

I did consider dumping the Fediverse for Meetup.com, to meet with people in person, and to do pleasant sports. I changed my mind when I saw that they want 30 CHF per person, per event, in some cases. When I’m doing the driving and navigating I don’t want to pay someone 30 CHF just for organising something that should be free. I am fine with covering petrol and other costs. I’m not fine with paying a random person money for organising something, without anything being provided.

Facebook

The reason for which I dumped Twitter is clearly present on Mastodon instances so I am tempted to dump Mastodon too. I find myself gravitating back towards Facebook. If people are not looking to build friendships on the Fediverse, and if people are not informed about Current Affairs, then it makes sense to gravitate away from Twitter and Mastodon instances, towards Facebook. Facebook is, after all, a network of IRL friends that we happen to be friends with online, too.

Local Groups

One of the key advantages of Facebook over the Fediverse is that we can find networks of local people. We can meet local people, and go to local events. We don’t have to be isolated with strangers ranting about current affairs that no one has read a book about. We can meet local people, and shift our personal lives from online solitude, to offline friendships, and maybe more.

And Finally

I still hate Facebook but Meetup wants money for events. The Fediverse is filled with ignorant people arguing about current affairs rather than reading and understanding context. Twitter is degrading rapidly, and swinging to the Right. The Fediverse is also filled with the Utilitarianism that I was complaining about from 2007 onwards. In the end Facebook might have become the least worst option around, for the moment. I can’t believe I wrote that.

The reason I dumped Facebook hasn’t left, but there does seem to be a local community at last, and that’s priceless. I use social media to negate solitude, and the Fediverse is not helping negate that sentiment.

Facebook is still filled with a lot of kitsch.