Twitter

I tried it on two separate occasions, but came off quite quickly both times.  There are some interesting and funny people on it, but also a lot of opinionated and often rude people too.  Even if I could avoid the trolls and the arguments, I felt it was just taking up too much time for me.  I doubt many people have actually changed their minds about something important as a result of reading Twitter arguments; it just seems to be people hurling abuse and preaching to the converted.

I dont want to be on social media (as in having an account) though I do like Twitter as something I can look in on via Twitter Search. Its format at least makes sense to me - the vertical stacking of a chronologically emerging stories, reactions to them, etc. A good way to stay in touch with the global zeitgeist in small doses while not having to be locked into personal involvement in it.

Facebook on the other hand looks horrific and I avoid at all costs. The way it’s ‘wall’ splurges out in every direction, and obliges contact with people you’d cross the street to avoid in real life. How do the majority bear it? Life’s too short for the unrelenting grimness of it, and the continuous comparisons and keeping up it seems to want to prescribe for us all. at the same time I appreciate that it’s existence is inevitable- an evolutionary step along the way to something healthier in the future - no, not the meta verse! At least not it’s present or near-future form, something thousands of years off and as yet not within our ability to fully grasp or articulate. 

I dont want to be on social media (as in having an account) though I do like Twitter as something I can look in on via Twitter Search. Its format at least makes sense to me - the vertical stacking of a chronologically emerging stories, reactions to them, etc. A good way to stay in touch with the global zeitgeist in small doses while not having to be locked into personal involvement in it.

Facebook on the other hand looks horrific and I avoid at all costs. The way it’s ‘wall’ splurges out in every direction, and obliges contact with people you’d cross the street to avoid in real life. How do the majority bear it? Life’s too short for the unrelenting grimness of it, and the continuous comparisons and keeping up it seems to want to prescribe for us all. at the same time I appreciate that it’s existence is inevitable- an evolutionary step along the way to something healthier in the future - no, not the meta verse! At least not it’s present or near-future form, something thousands of years off and as yet not within our ability to fully grasp or articulate. 

Some of the Facebook pages and groups about specific interests/hobbies can be useful. Some of the Facebook groups are 'members only', which can be good because it tends to deter the trolls.

I've started using FB a lot, but it's mainly 'cos i'm learning to paint, so i joined a few pages where people post art that they've done. And i've been going to the hospital 'cos i have CKD, and have joined a couple of FB pages to get tips from others about diet etc. But up to now, i've not been posting, only reading.

I would agree that Facebook can be horrific. There are so many sponsored ads too, which makes it worse. These days, I mainly tend to use it for Messenger.

I agree with your last paragraph Coffee Guy. I've had people I wasn't friends with at school send me friend requests. My first thought tends to be, "Why?... Have they got me confused with someone else?" If I receive friend requests on Facebook from people I don't personally know, my response is to automatically reject them.

This is a question I have too. I say that I’m not on any social media (I agree with your summary of Facebook in particular) but then the question of whether this forum counts crept in. 

I never understood why people felt the need to add individuals that they either never spoke to or were unkind to in the past, rather just adding on the basis of knowing that person vaguely. The idea of school reunions also puzzles me for this exact reason too.

Actually I am on a forum or two and Discord so maybe those count as Social media? Not sure.