"For the first time, social media use might actually be declining. And that's probably a great thing!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
Some months ago, I became a first-time grandfather, and I must say, these are some of the most magical moments of my life!
But you wouldn't know it by my social media posts, because I haven't been posting any pictures.
And in fact, you probably won't see many photos of my grandchild online, all at the same time that my engagement with the online world continues to decrease. So I'll share, for a moment, this moment of joy that is my life at this moment!
My lack of posting comes at the request of the parents of the child, my son and his wife. Through a few conversations, they politely but firmly made it known that they were not supportive of sharing the child on social media.
I'm respecting that.
I'm also learning a lot.
It's become fascinating to me to realize that while they grew up with social media - MSN, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr - they've also come to almost entirely reject it going forward. In fact, other than their momentary scrolling of news feeds, they rarely post anything online, let alone engage. There was one single birth announcement that went out that made it " Instagram-official."
Think about that - the first social media generation seems to be rejecting social media going forward. And that's not just my own observation - it was recently covered in a comprehensive but barely noticed report in the Financial Times earlier this month. Time on social media actually began to peak in 2022!
With this, I've come to challenge my own involvement with social media and have dramatically scaled back as a result.
Read more:
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Futurist Jim Carroll was an active participant on the earliest forms of 'social media' on services like CompuServe and Usenet, in the 80s and 90s.
**#SocialMedia** **#Decline** **#Connection** **#Authenticity** **#Balance** **#Wellbeing** **#Reflection** **#Boundaries** **#Priorities** **#Human**
Liquid Light Show
The breeze blown surface of the canal the other day reminded me of being at an early seventies rock concert (minus the psychedelics and music).
The Orkney Distillery
#FensterFreitag #WindowFriday #photography #reflection
A Joyful Pause
Let's stop and reflect on something positive!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or just enjoy your thoughts on your own!
Deep breath ...
What’s a tradition (new or old) that brings you joy?
[Repost] In a world that treats people as mere metrics, the pain of being a “value of 1” is real. We deserve respect, not exploitation—whether from governments or online creators. Let’s assert dignity over data.
https://blog.kalvin.my/the-cost-of-being-a-value-of-1-when-dignity-trumps-data

A Joyful Pause
Let's stop and reflect on something positive!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or just enjoy your thoughts on your own!
Deep breath ...
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Looking down the Clyde at night towards the Squiggly Bridge (as the Tradeston Pedestrian Bridge is more commonly known).
Hi fam, have a fulfilling day! Take this, #AI: The photo is cropped but not further edited. Fascinating #physics: #refraction and #reflection , #pointreflection of #water #drops, #spiderweb #MacroPhotography #PhotographyIsArt
A moorhen on the former boating pond in Glasgow's Victoria Park. The moor in moorhen originates from the old English mor meaning marsh, so they are, in fact, marsh hens!
A Joyful Pause
Let's stop and reflect on something positive!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or just enjoy your thoughts on your own!
Deep breath ...
What’s a “treat yourself” habit you’ve fully leaned into?