As a writer who depends on social media to bring readers to my Substack, I'm conflicted. I loathe FB, Twitter, IG, etc. but a substantial amount of my livelihood his tied into those machines. It's a bad arrangement but unavoidable.
Do I spend 'time' on those networks, as I did in the past (posting family photos, getting into discussion meltdowns with imbeciles?) No. But I still have accounts there.
I'd love to read your take on this theme in one of your upcoming posts.
Right? One of the more effective pieces I've seen in a while, at least rhetorically. And this is coming from someone who is off social media, aside from LinkedIn as I look for part-time work. However, I had to make the conscious decision to NOT use it like social media... Which is a risky decision, not going to lie.
You've given me theeee best idea for reader-supported article sharing for time spent offline! I'm rarely reading stuff online, and you all always find and share the best stuff with me/here.
"Reality is a gift—and it’s highly underrated." Thank you, it's an excellent read.
I wrote three very lengthy paragraphs and deleted them, all to say; is the juice worth the squeeze, because you can't have your cake and eat it too. And so, decide.
If it helps, I've been rereading my journals from before I set my old life on fire, and a line from Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion I wrote down then: "You ever decide? I decided in '61 and haven't shed a single tear since." It really spoke to me about making difficult decisions and sticking by them with conviction and dignity. There's no easy way out.
On a practical note, because I sense you have already made your decision and just want to ease the conflict you're feeling, and seeing how well your newsletter is performing, I say find your satisfaction from the fact that you have managed to use these platforms to gain something very positive (focus on what actually matters, which is your writing, readers, and community on Substack; think lightly of social media as a tool) while avoiding their powerful negative influence on your personal (non-writing) life. A mantra for when you feel conflicted: "I can't have my cake and eat it too." What other ways can you ease the conflict? You know yourself best-est.
Thank YOU for reading, and for sticking around. :)
I feel like social media was a lot more palatable when we had to sit down to use it. Doesn't mean we weren't on there a lot; we were. But there was something more..... or rather, *less* frenetic about it.
I always enjoy your posts. Thank you.
As a writer who depends on social media to bring readers to my Substack, I'm conflicted. I loathe FB, Twitter, IG, etc. but a substantial amount of my livelihood his tied into those machines. It's a bad arrangement but unavoidable.
Do I spend 'time' on those networks, as I did in the past (posting family photos, getting into discussion meltdowns with imbeciles?) No. But I still have accounts there.
I'd love to read your take on this theme in one of your upcoming posts.
You definitely aren't alone with that conflict. I'd love to hear what Mehret has to say as well, and I want to share this in the meantime: https://theamericanscholar.org/deleting-delusions/
Wow! Thank you David for that article. The opening paragraphs imparted a gravitas to her thesis that made her warning doubly emphatic.
Right? One of the more effective pieces I've seen in a while, at least rhetorically. And this is coming from someone who is off social media, aside from LinkedIn as I look for part-time work. However, I had to make the conscious decision to NOT use it like social media... Which is a risky decision, not going to lie.
You've given me theeee best idea for reader-supported article sharing for time spent offline! I'm rarely reading stuff online, and you all always find and share the best stuff with me/here.
"Reality is a gift—and it’s highly underrated." Thank you, it's an excellent read.
I wrote three very lengthy paragraphs and deleted them, all to say; is the juice worth the squeeze, because you can't have your cake and eat it too. And so, decide.
If it helps, I've been rereading my journals from before I set my old life on fire, and a line from Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion I wrote down then: "You ever decide? I decided in '61 and haven't shed a single tear since." It really spoke to me about making difficult decisions and sticking by them with conviction and dignity. There's no easy way out.
On a practical note, because I sense you have already made your decision and just want to ease the conflict you're feeling, and seeing how well your newsletter is performing, I say find your satisfaction from the fact that you have managed to use these platforms to gain something very positive (focus on what actually matters, which is your writing, readers, and community on Substack; think lightly of social media as a tool) while avoiding their powerful negative influence on your personal (non-writing) life. A mantra for when you feel conflicted: "I can't have my cake and eat it too." What other ways can you ease the conflict? You know yourself best-est.
Thank YOU for reading, and for sticking around. :)
I feel like social media was a lot more palatable when we had to sit down to use it. Doesn't mean we weren't on there a lot; we were. But there was something more..... or rather, *less* frenetic about it.