A time to leave the social web?
I’m what you call a digital advocate. My tagline for a long time has been a lover of all things digital. But considering recent news, I’m really wondering what is the cost to society that two people control the bulk of the digital global expression. Just a tad bothersome.
I think 18 years ago, when social media was coming to age, we all thought it would be this revolutionary tool that would make society better. But today, as a grumpy mid-30-year-old, I believe it has made us more isolated and angry. The Internet feels so … blah.
When I started web development, I saw the Internet as a means of authentic and creative expression. Though now, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and others, it’s just a vast dumpster fire of hate, disrespect, and self-loathing, what reality tv was like in the 90s.
I don’t really know what the next step is. I don’t think blockchain and web3 are the answers. Perhaps the next step will be to slowly find ways to not use it as much and focus on my own website, my little place on the web.
Maybe a new collective could be formed. One of the people who create for good, where there is respect, compassion, and giving people the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know what that could be, but I sure know that something needs to come sooner than later.