Thread by @thetrudz

#IfSocialMediaDisappeared then people could stop pretending like prior to social media everyone were “public conversationalists” dying for conversation with “everyone” on earth at all times because that never fucking happened prior to social media. The myth could finally die.

It’s simply that some people never had to respect a “no” (e.g. someone deciding not to engage; muting; blocking) prior to social media, and they still don’t offline. Still. They get angry about being blocked because they feel entitled to engagement 24/7.

🗣🎙

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by @thetrudz view original on Twitter

1) People ignored each other long before smartphones, if they wanted to ignore each other. 2) Smartphones are used for communication; it happening online doesn’t automatically make it invalid. 3) People can be superficial/lack intimacy *in person* as well.

Some ppl engage *more* online b/c 1) some physical safety even if other abuse is major factor 2) hard to connect to marginalized folks offline depending on where they live 3) introversion, exhaustion, disabilities etc 4) they’d ignore some folks otherwise (e.g. 3rd cousins on FB)

Watch *who* complains the most about “the art of public conversation” as lost, like I mentioned in the thread I linked. You’ll find an over abundance of 1) privileged and/or don’t respect “no” 2) some extroversion 3) misunderstanding of social media as multi-faceted.

Crying over “conversation lost” while ignoring that some ppl can only speak to folks who care about them online. Not in unsafe home. Not in unsafe community. Not at a bad job.

Also some use social media as a tool for work. FOR WORK. For info. For news. Share/study. Get over it.