Back in, I want to say, 2006, my fiancee and I lived in an apartment complex with nine units around a courtyard. We’d wheel the grill out, and after a couple of times, neighbours asked if they could throw something on. It was an absurdly large grill for two people, so it turned into a thing where almost every night, half of the residents were out in folding chairs, drinking beer and sharing food when it was done.
As a group, the only thing we had in common was our address. My fiancee and I were to the left of the Overton window, while another couple was that classic redneck “I don’t like dem gays, but if they ain’t hurtin’ me, I got no issue” sort. We ended up forming a bowling team that fall.
Seriously. The time when everything didn’t have to be about politics was less than 20 years ago. Hmm … wonder what changed.
thingsiplay@beehaw.org 3 weeks ago
This is the core problem of getting rid from these social networks. I stopped using Facebook a long time ago and Whatsapp shortly after Facebook acquired them. As I was the only one in my family and friends circle doing this, I was also the most lonely one. Suddenly I could not be part of the discussions when or what to do next or other fun talks. I was the outside who communicated with one or few over email, just to tell me where to meet next in example. (Also not using Twitter or most other social networks…)
It’s an organizational problem off course but this showed me why social media once got foothold in the mass, is hard to abandon individually. For a person like me, its not a big deal. But getting rid of Facebook and Whatsapp at the same time, without everyone switching to an alternative is a big deal for most.