Social-Less Media

So it looks like I am about to take another long vacation from social media.

If you are reader of any length here, you know that I had an on again-off again relationship with The Book of Face.  In a way it is very hard as most all organizations I follow or belong to have gone to The Book of Face as their primary contact and distribution of information point - and also, my family (my parents especially) like pictures and updates of the girls. 

But the Book of Face can become littered with opinions and thoughts such that even if you are not directly involved in the discussion, you are flattened by the input.  Reading it can be enough to ruin your day, even if you had nothing to say.

As a compromise (and because apparently no-one under the age of 30 uses the Book of Face regularly) I went to Insta-tele-gram, which in theory is only pictures and videos.  Mistake.  The same thing happens there as well, just without the longer conversations.

Oddly enough, one of the things (for me anyway) is that I also tend to take to heart what people post.  You learn some things about people and their opinions, sometimes things that disappoint or sadden you - much, I suppose as I disappoint and sadden some individuals as well.  I understand that we are supposed to separate the individual and their worth from their opinions, thoughts, and beliefs - but being someone who believes we should be integrated in our actions and beliefs I tend to see the individual along with their opinions, thoughts, and beliefs.

And so, in the midst of a busy week in the midst of a busy Spring, I suddenly find myself walking back from social media.  More and more.

I have a few groups I follow and one or two friends that I keep in contact with, and for them I will keep the account (and for the family, of course).  But social media continues, in the midst of its growing reach, to be less and less impactful for me.  I do not know if I would define it as I am less social, or social media is less social.  Either way, there is less and less of life improvements that it has to offer me.

At some point I am going to get very brave and do an entire week without it.  That will lead to two weeks, and that to four, and then before long I will wonder how I ever lived with it, as I used to wonder how I ever lived without it.