Absolutely loved this read!! You’re so eloquent in the way you explore these topics. I’m sure I’ll be thinking about this for a while!! Also funnily enough I did have a Tumblr blog and was okay posting on there because it felt a lot more ‘anonymous’ and silly than any social media where people knew me. I never felt any pressure to be anything but myself if it was separated from my day to day life
Aw thank you Grace!! The anonymity of Tumblr is such a good point - leaning into that would have helped be feel more comfortable curating my own blog. I think the insecurity of tweenhood is quite pervasive though haha, not even sure anonymity would help me through that.
I was the same way! Aside from a brief time back in the Myspace days, I've never shared much beyond an occasional pet or hiking photo on my 'real' social media accounts - as Madison said, I was always afraid putting my actual life and thoughts out there would make me vulnerable and open to harm. But the anonymity of Tumblr was like an alter-ego that wasn't attached to the 'real' me, so I could be vulnerable and share silly things without fear of judgement. Even on Substack, I've yet to use my last name or real photos of me. I'm not even posting anything controversial or negative on here, I just have this instinct to have my online persona be unattached to my actual self.
I'd be lying if I said this post didn't make me secretly feel better. I relate to so much in this! I think I count as part of the 1% of creators online and I used to oscillate between posting everything from my breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday to deactivating all my social media in a huff because I'd get mad at friends for not making the effort to keep in touch, then wonder if it's because they felt like they didn't have to, since I shared so much of my life online.
I like your perspective that while sharing snippets of our lives on social media is inevitable / normal these days, we should make sure not to forget to maintain those connections with loved ones away from the public eye of our online realm.
Loved reading this! I think you’re so right about the strange impersonality of following even friends/acquaintances online. We lurk in their lives and Instagram stories in the way we lurk and observe celebrities.
I never know how much to reference “oh, I saw your post/tweet/story!” when I meet up with a friend
Thanks Celine :)) I feel like lurking on our friends’ social media is such a common part of our social script but I still really don’t know how to respond/discuss it with friends ahaha. Really speaks to how unnatural it is.
Absolutely loved this read!! You’re so eloquent in the way you explore these topics. I’m sure I’ll be thinking about this for a while!! Also funnily enough I did have a Tumblr blog and was okay posting on there because it felt a lot more ‘anonymous’ and silly than any social media where people knew me. I never felt any pressure to be anything but myself if it was separated from my day to day life
Aw thank you Grace!! The anonymity of Tumblr is such a good point - leaning into that would have helped be feel more comfortable curating my own blog. I think the insecurity of tweenhood is quite pervasive though haha, not even sure anonymity would help me through that.
I was the same way! Aside from a brief time back in the Myspace days, I've never shared much beyond an occasional pet or hiking photo on my 'real' social media accounts - as Madison said, I was always afraid putting my actual life and thoughts out there would make me vulnerable and open to harm. But the anonymity of Tumblr was like an alter-ego that wasn't attached to the 'real' me, so I could be vulnerable and share silly things without fear of judgement. Even on Substack, I've yet to use my last name or real photos of me. I'm not even posting anything controversial or negative on here, I just have this instinct to have my online persona be unattached to my actual self.
I'd be lying if I said this post didn't make me secretly feel better. I relate to so much in this! I think I count as part of the 1% of creators online and I used to oscillate between posting everything from my breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday to deactivating all my social media in a huff because I'd get mad at friends for not making the effort to keep in touch, then wonder if it's because they felt like they didn't have to, since I shared so much of my life online.
I like your perspective that while sharing snippets of our lives on social media is inevitable / normal these days, we should make sure not to forget to maintain those connections with loved ones away from the public eye of our online realm.
CHEERS to the unfollowing spree 🥂
Loved reading this! I think you’re so right about the strange impersonality of following even friends/acquaintances online. We lurk in their lives and Instagram stories in the way we lurk and observe celebrities.
I never know how much to reference “oh, I saw your post/tweet/story!” when I meet up with a friend
Thanks Celine :)) I feel like lurking on our friends’ social media is such a common part of our social script but I still really don’t know how to respond/discuss it with friends ahaha. Really speaks to how unnatural it is.
Ah, this is my favorite introspection reading from your writing in 2024 so far.
It slaps—not only remind—our mind,
it humbles—not only pass by—our heart, in regard to parasocial relationship phenomenon.
Thank you for the article, Madison.
Ah this comment made my day, thank you so much 🤍🤍
It is pretty crazy when you feel like you know someone because of all their crazy posts , but to your point in only parts .
So THAT’S what’s happening? 😱 wow! My gut says you’re right. Amazing…