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What has been the hardest thing to let go of when deciding to distance yourself from or drop social media entirely?

For me it's input. I have a continually thinking mind that feels that I must have something to say on anything. Whenever I've gotten rid of a Reddit account or took even a day or two off from activity on the internet. I had an itch to say something whenever something is reported or something I've seen while browsing that peaked my interest.

And I feel I have to say something on it, even if small. But yet I try to restrain myself from doing so because of how manufactured social media has become today.

It's gotten a little better, mainly because you know, after registering so many accounts for so long and having to upkeep so many. It is tiring to do for me so I think I'm finally slowing down from that to where this issue won't nearly be as big as it once was.

MrJameGumb ,
@MrJameGumb@lemmy.world avatar

The hardest thing for me was the instant gratification. If I was feeling bored or lonely I’d just go on there and post any old bullshit just because I knew it would get an immediate response. I’ve been off Facebook for nearly 8 years now and I don’t miss it at all anymore though lol

Frozyre OP ,

Or getting likes, upvotes .etc

Yeah that's another issue I've had too. I know what to say on Reddit that'll get me some good upvotes just to 'feel better' about myself over. But what it does is that it works against who you really are and invalidates a little of your true thoughts.

kionite231 ,

It’s also true for Lemmy too!

MagicShel ,

Facebook in particular makes it so easy. I have an account I check every now and again. Everything is 85% ads and recommended content (not hyperbole, I counted). I can barely find posts by anyone I actually give a shit about.

Reddit has been very hard for me to quit because the volume of subjects, content, and people to engage with where I’m in the mood for serious talk or shitposting is just limitless. Lemmy is great but especially while I’m out of work I run out of Lemmy frequently, sometimes even if I look at All and just see everything.

But I changed my password without looking so I don’t have a Reddit account any more and without that it’s not worth going back anyway.

iAmTheTot ,

Why not just delete the account?

MagicShel ,

Facebook? It’s a long story but the short version is I’m married and it wasn’t a war worth waging.

iAmTheTot ,

I was talking about the reddit one actually, but now I’m more concerned that what online accounts you have is somehow dictated by your partner. That’s bizarre to me.

MagicShel ,

There are a bunch of family picture’s and messages from early in our relationship. I need to be able to share photos and updates with the family and that’s how we do it.

You make it sound dictatorial, but the truth is I just don’t fucking care that much and it turned out to be a huge boon when planning her 50th birthday. I just have no use for spending time on the app, which having an account doesn’t obligate me to do.

As for Reddit, changing the password was pretty simple. I abandoned several Reddit accounts that way when I started feeling like the sum of all my comments revealed too much about me that I might have to worry about being doxxed just because I cheesed off the wrong autistic asshole. So every 3-4 years I’d start over from scratch. It was natural to just so that again.

Warned you. Long stories, none of it interesting.

maxprime ,

For me it’s the instant messaging apps like Messenger. Convincing folks to switch to Signal just for me feels evangelical somehow.

Frozyre OP ,

Nobody can help feel like a salesman or an evangelist for trying to get some people to go elsewhere that is a net positive for their sanity or privacy.

I've stopped trying to convince people to give up Facebook. If they're gonna be on it and want to be glued to it, then fine. I just don't want to hear anyone cry about how they haven't heard from me for X amount of time because I was the one that decided to delete or deactivate it.

Vinny_93 ,

I was a DJ once so I used social media to keep up with artists, venues, promotors et cetera. Out was shocking to see how quickly I went from a fringe character on the scene to a nobody who was completely out of the loop.

At a certain point I just stopped caring and my friends went through the same. Finished college, got a job, bought a house… Life catches up with you.

Kojichan ,
@Kojichan@lemmy.world avatar

For me, it’s a lack of meaningful contact with my family on the other side of the country.

Facebook and other social media sources are turning into just giant vanity “me me me!” and shit posting. Nothing more meaningful came out of it… So I abandoned it.

It’s hard to keep track of so many different media outlets as well, and got tiring. Especially with a lot of doom scrolling posts… Such a downer.

LarkinDePark ,

News. Factual information about the world. If not for social media I’d only have TV news and other legacy media. I’d probably be as ignorant of America’s latest mass murder as most people seem to be.

Raffster ,

It’s been no issue whatsoever. I’ve never been on social media to begin with as I’ve seen and experienced all the predecessors. That was enough to cure me entirely. The odd comment on Reddit and now here is plenty enough drama as is.

ArbitraryValue ,

Apparently Lemmy, because I’m still on Lemmy.

My serious answer is similar to yours. I want to talk about things I see on the news, but most people I know IRL either don’t want to talk about heavy stuff or agree with me about almost everything. Lemmy provides a place to debate (sometimes).

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