Yup. This is another genuinely unpopular opinion.

I completely deleted my Facebook account in 2017 and I believe it was one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. It brings out the worst in so many people.

Even when I would try to stay off of it for a little while I was constantly being bombarded in Facebook messenger with people wanting me to take part I their bullshit drama.

I saw people whom I thought I knew posting the most horrible hateful things. When I would go on the app it was just a constant stream of bad news and petty arguments occasionally interrupted with pictures of what people ate for lunch that day. I eventually found myself just making stupid posts to get reactions because I was bored.

Facebook kept me connected to the point that I didn't want to talk to anyone anymore.

Now I just have Lemmy and an Instagram that does not have my name or picture on it that I use to follow craft channels and I am much happier! I still have plenty of friends who I either talk to in person or directly on the phone and those connections feel so much more important to me

Yeah we are at a weird moment where the future of social media is by far and away the most exciting it has ever been in terms of the potential and ease at which federated social networks outside the control of corporations can be set up and yet people have been so burned out from toxically designed corporate social media that most people (understandably) can’t muster up the energy to care.

Social media is transformative, problematic but undeniably transformative. We just have to build it in ways that are healthier for people.

This is only true if you believe that solitary pursuits are worse for people than the kind of social engagement that is common on social media. I definitely don't agree, but I'll hear you out if ou want to explain.