Things You Need to Stop Doing on the Internet Part II: Using Social Media to be Antisocial

Today's post is part two in a series we're doing about things we all do.  On the internet.  That need to stop.  Today's topic?  Using Facebook for good and not evil. See Part I on plagiarism here. Got an idea for this series you'd like us to write about? That "Leave a reply" button is all yours, babe.

I'll preface this by saying that today's post is rather brief and certainly not earth-shattering.  Just a dose of some good old common sense. However, it's one that I've been needing to hear, so I did me a favor and gave myself a good talking to. Perhaps it will come in handy for you, too.

Sometimes I imagine if things that weren't tangible suddenly became so. For instance, if every 30 minutes I spent wrapped in my own little bubble of self-indulgence and entertainment became an actual, physical object, I know for certain there would be days that my house would filled, Hoarders-style.  But that's part of the challenge presented by time spent on the internet - the consequences are rarely that visible.

Another little exercise to put things in perspective: Are you the type of "friend" in the virtual world that you'd like to be in real life?  If Facebook were a party, would you walk in and immediately start complaining about things that have annoyed you that day?  Would you not say a word to anyone but walk around and listen in on every conversation, silently judging/envying everyone around you?  If someone at the party shares something funny, clever, or interesting, would you just give them a thumbs up and move on?

Maybe some days you would do those things, but I'd suspect that you'd want to engage with your friends a little more than that.  We have that opportunity every single time we log into Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., so use it. (And of course I'm speaking to myself as much as you. You know this.) Start simple, of course. Say an unsolicited nice thing, post a photo of a good memory, ask someone about their grandfather in the hospital.  It's so easy.

But won't that girl I knew my freshman year of college think it's weird, you know, that I'm commenting on her vacation photos from 2007?   Umm, maybe.  That's certainly a possibility. But that's fear speaking, and fear gets in the way of a lot of good things happening. Perhaps the best way to look at it is to ask what you yourself are getting out of your social media time. Are you feeling connected to anyone?

The antidote:
When I need a jolt out of my internet antisocialness, I like to watch this TEDtalk from Ze Frank.  It's a great reminder of what we're capable of when we truly are trying to connect with the world around us rather than just consuming it. And since I've fallen into a slump myself, you can bet I'll be making the effort to "get out there" on the internet. Hope to see you doing the same, and if I do, I'll be sure to say hello!