Social Media

[Levi_Ackerman]

I'll be honest with you all, TTW is the closest thing to social media that I still participate in. About a year ago, I divested myself of all kinds of social media proper. I was never really an avid user anyway. But, about a year ago, I deleted my Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google+ accounts. I don't learn anything from them, and I think nowadays, they do more harm than good. There's also something narcissistic about how people use social media nowadays. It seems to me to be more about self-validation and self-importance, as oppose to connection with other people.

Anyway, my question is this: what are your thoughts on social media? Do you use them? Which do you use?

I would elaborate further, but I really don't like writing long paragraphs, I think I'll reveal my thoughts piecemeal.

Please, no politics. Let's keep this purely philosophical.

 

[PDJ]

Yup. I just use one. Mainly because I live abroad and it keeps me in touch with friends and family. And I'm generally rubbish at that.
BUT I have all the privacy settings and I'm only active in one group.
The downside is that some one on this forum stalked me on it.
I'm more wary now.

 

[Minion]

I don't use any form of social media. I believe my personal life, info, habits etc.. has nothing to do with anyone. It's on a need-to-know basis And my opinions, outlook on life etc..is quite different from most people, and I'm way over justifying anything.

 

[Levi_Ackerman]

Yup. I just use one. Mainly because I live abroad and it keeps me in touch with friends and family. And I'm generally rubbish at that.
BUT I have all the privacy settings and I'm only active in one group.
The downside is that some one on this forum stalked me on it.
I'm more wary now.

Someone stalked you on this forum! How did you deal with that?
Love your signature BTW.

 

[Levi_Ackerman]

I don't use any form of social media. I believe my personal life, info, habits etc.. has nothing to do with anyone. It's on a need-to-know basis And my opinions, outlook on life etc..is quite different from most people, and I'm way over justifying anything.

That's one of the reasons why I'm not so keen on social media. Like I said, it seems to be about narcissism. People pour details about their private life out there via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram et al. I don't know if you've ever watched a British political satire titled "The Thick of It", but in one scene, the arguable protagonist, Malcolm Tucker scathing critique of the internet and social media encapsulates some of my disdain for the entire thing (i.e. social media) and people in general (I'm a bit of a misanthrope):

Let me tell you this. The whole planet's leaking! Everybody is leaking! You know, everyone's spewing up their guts onto the internet, putting up their relationship status and photos of their Vajazzles! We've come to the point where there are people, MILLIONS of people, who are quite happy to trade a kidney in order to go on television! And to show people their knickers, to show people their skidmarks, and then complain to OK Magazine about a breach of privacy! The exchange of private information - that is what drives our economy. But, you come after me because you can't arrest a landmass, can you? You can't cuff a country. You might as well just go and-- you can't lynch that guy there, can you? But you decide that you can sit there, you can judge and you can ogle me like a Page 3 girl. You don't like it? Well, you don't like yourself! You don't like your species. And you know what? Neither do I, but how dare you come and lay this at my door! How dare you blame me for this! Which is the result of a political class, which has given up on morality and simply pursues popularity at all costs. I am you and you are me.

Video version:

 

[PDJ]

They're banned.
They added personal info and twisted it in to something hateful and libellous.
I didn't report her.
I was quite content for people to see what a vile woman she was/is.
Many others reported her.

Signature - you're welcome

 

[Levi_Ackerman]

They're banned.
They added personal info and twisted it in to something hateful and libellous.
I didn't report her.
I was quite content for people to see what a vile woman she was/is.
Many others reported her.

Signature - you're welcome

It wasn't Angie, was it?

 

[Minion]

Another problem I have with social media, is that they (facebook) automatically own (not sure if right term?) whatever you publish on their platforms - at least that's what I've heard and read. That is understandable, but that doesn't sit well with me.

 

[Jay_The_Nomad]

I've been using Facebook since 2006. Admittedly my usage patterns changed alongside changes to the service delivery over the years. These days it's a nifty way to just connect and keep in contact with friends who live far away.

Started using Twitter and Instagram. Twitter I use irregularly to vent frustration during live sporting events. An absolute blast. I think our best talk tennis trolls should engage the platform. Who knows what might happen.

Instagram is really sexual. A co-worker of mine has recently started posting lots of sensual topless photos of herself (covered of course) cuz she recently got a boob job. Her profile is set to private but she doesn't realise I'm already on her followers list.

 

[stringertom]

They're banned.
They added personal info and twisted it in to something hateful and libellous.
I didn't report her.
I was quite content for people to see what a vile woman she was/is.
Many others reported her.

Signature - you're welcome

 

[PDJ]

 

[Krish872007]

I admit that I am on a fair number of social media platforms (including FB, Twitter, InstaG, LI, Google+)
This is how I think each one breaks down:

Facebook: used primarily for private chats, weird & supposedly "cool" photos to collect likes, keeping in touch with certain groups of people
Twitter: trying to stay relevant by sharing controversial opinions and battling trolls
Instagram: excuse for self-validation and the chance to post loads of selfies and food/building pics every day
LinkedIn: sense of entitlement, who's got the largest "networks", brag about career accomplishments
Google+: what? who actually notices this one? Just link it with youtube

 

[Poisoned Slice]

I'm not keen on it. The only reason that I joined up on facebook again was because of a top spin group. Benefits include no cheesy play. It is hard to find that online especially if you're using custom players that can cheese out their stats. Other than that, I don't care for it. I don't care what you're doing.

 

[Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil]

It certainly helped me prosper. When I was little and a bit isolated, I considered all of it to be evil which is why I never became a big social media addict. Only using Facebook since 2012 or 2013. A good part of my mates use it to become some mini-celebrities, add thousands of fb friends and attract a lot of likes. I have also added and chatted to several anonymous people, mostly girls from other classes or schools, but still it was all about having nice conversations, not having big numbers to show the popularity level.

In the end, I believe that there is hardly anything harmful, as long as you are not overusing it.

 

[Levi_Ackerman]

Started using Twitter and Instagram. Twitter I use irregularly to vent frustration during live sporting events. An absolute blast. I think our best talk tennis trolls should engage the platform. Who knows what might happen.

I've got TTW for this.

 

[MathGeek]

We've moved a lot over the years and social media helps us stay in touch with dear friends and relatives all over the country.

Grandmas just love keeping up with their grandkids on social media, seeing all the latest pictures and videos, etc.

 

[Vcore89]

Nowadays, bosses require staff to divulge their FB accounts in order to gain access to their subordinate's [private] behavioural preferences.

 

[r2473]

Nowadays, bosses require staff to divulge their FB accounts in order to gain access to their subordinate's [private] behavioural preferences.

I just reveled on FB that I'm a transvestite. Included lots of pics. Hope nobody finds out. That would be embarrassing

 

[Vcore89]

I just reveled on FB that I'm a transvestite. Included lots of pics. Hope nobody finds out. That would be embarrassing

Don't think bosses cared ENOUGH about that! However, bosses cared about friends' exotic preferences.

 

[r2473]

Don't think bosses cared ENOUGH about that! However, bosses cared about friends' exotic preferences.

Sometimes I'll post videos from the motel where the secretary and I spend our lunch hour.

It's also a great place to write down my credit card, social security card, and PIN numbers in case I forget them.

 

[Vcore89]

Sometimes I'll post videos from the motel where the secretary and I spend our lunch hour.

It's also a great place to write down my credit card, social security card, and PIN numbers in case I forget them.

Ha ha! Never happened to me since I was once the Systems Administrator of our company for 3 years...

 

[tennis_pro]

I only use FB for communication and nothing else. There are some groups that I joined to know what's going in uni, courses etc. I don't use any other social media because it's absolutely useless and doesn't have any purpose whatsoever.

You're spot on about people posting drivel that nobody cares about other than themselves to feel better about their lives, I've got nothing on my FB profile other than 1 picture for my friends to identify me as me.

Several times I thought about deleting my fb account to feel free again, whatever that means (I registered in 2008) but the point is - you need to go with the flow. I've got a couple of friends who never registered on facebook and they never know what's going on.