Unsocial Media

Having been on the Internet for a long time — like a long, long time (This blog is over 17 years old.) — I find it amusing when people discuss changes in Internet behaviour. Was social media more social in olden times? Sure – more people commented when they read on their computer instead of their mobile device. More people paused to answer questions on Facebook or retweet something they found amusing. Social media is definitely a little less social than before; we read more than we react.

But delurking week — that first week in January — has been around for 15+ years. We’ve been telling people that they’re not being social on social media since the beginning of social media. Things have changed fractionally. Social media was always more people reading than reacting because life offline was also more intaking than extending.

Think about how much information you gathered either through people telling you stories, or overhearing gossip, or reading it in the local paper. And then, think about how much outreach you did after taking in the information. Life isn’t quite as social as we think when you consider how many people observe, hear, and know something vs. reach out, ask, and take action.

Maybe it’s harder for new apps to catch on because we know exactly how things will be on the app before it begins because we’ve seen the trajectory before. It’s not the apps themselves, though certainly the easier you make it to use on the go, the more people will use it when they’re not really in a position to pause, reflect, and reach out.

For what it’s worth, it’s okay with me if you just want to read. If you saw I was upset about the twins, noted it, but had nothing you could add except a head nod I couldn’t see. I sensed the vibrations in the universe and appreciated them.