Ask HN: How do you deal with social media

3 pointsby throwmea5년 전5 comments

I recently found me in the situation that some peers in a specific group use social media alot. I use(d) Instagram from my photography and enjoyed Facebook for a while and streamed on Twitch for some friends. I tried Twitter recently but dont like it that much. Especially in IT-Security seems like you either have an professional Twitter account or some anonymous one with anime and meme posts in between. Now im slowly in a situation where i want to post what i create (writing a blog, writing papers, posting images, throwing my oppinion into the world) but i also enjoy consuming and sharing a lot of Meme and Gaming content or other foolery and see that some others are completely fine without social media at all or do a much better job seperating. No one prepared me for this private vs public content predicement and part of my decision difficulties are the question if it is even necessary at all. Im not a very social guy so i got to know some great people through social media (that im now friends with IRL), but overall it seems pretty time consuming. I never wanted to be one of those narcists feeling happy when 20 people like the selfie you post but i realised how easy it is to fall for it and how tempting it can be. Another fear is missing out on things. You can read tweets from every conference and almost all vulnerability reports include twitter handles and are shared shortly after they go public. You could spend 24/7 getting the latest news on certain topics and i did pretty much that for a while. Now im wondering how much it gives you an advantage over those who dont use social media. When you have people who listen - an audience - its much easier to spread your work or projects. You can get in touch with others and spread word about your latest discoveries. But good work should also spread by itself, right? Is it worth the effort being on social media and building and audience or is it better to pour the effort into the work itself? Also how do you get to know other people when not using it and how can you share your projects with others? Im just having difficulties dealing with social media and this kind of concepts. Its not like smoking where you have a warning on the package - i realise the mental effects only now that i used it for quite some time. Ive probably been more productive when not checking my phone every 5 min (though this is mostly messangers) and thinking about social networks. Also why do i even want to blog or share what i do? Shouldnt it be enough to do it because i want to? Theres so many questions and difficulties. As far as i can see Bezos stopped using Twitter too - wonder if he had the same struggle.

So how do you deal with social media? How do your friends do? Is it necessary to use it in your field or can you be successfull withiout it? Even in the future?

Addition: I even have to stay away from Hacker News regulary because theres too much content that i want to read

6 comments

PragmaticPulp5년 전

You are vastly overthinking this.

If you don’t want to use social media, you don’t have to. It won’t end your career or social life. If you’re struggling this badly with just thinking about social media, maybe it’s best if you stay away.

If you do choose to use social media, you don’t have to use it a certain way. Keep in touch with friends if you want. Or don’t. Up to you. There’s no requirement that you get sucked into endless social media debates.

> Addition: I even have to stay away from Hacker News regulary

Hacker News is a form of social media. We’re here having discussions with up and down votes. It’s not that different than other social media sites like Reddit, except for the topics and moderation format.

psyc5년 전

I don't use social media. If there's a downside for me, I'm blissfully unaware of whatever it is. I do not struggle to keep up with people I care about. I don't classify HN as social media, but neither do I excuse myself for spending so much time here. I'm addicted, and I think that's bad.

throwmea5년 전

probably good then that you dont use other social media. Hope its not too bad regarding HN. Its kinda nice to see im not the only one struggling with this kind of things.

[deleted]5년 전

truro5년 전

Never understood the need for social media. Seems weird to me to be concerned with what others are doing in their lives. FOMO? Really? But, I'm a social assassin. I'm also a grammar and spelling Nazi. To wit: alot should be a lot.

throwmea5년 전

i suppose its different / easier when youre older as many peers dont use it >that much<. Everythings changing and i dont have the insight into the industrie.