Why Writing on Social Media Feels Like Day Old French Fries
Thank Goodness Some People Still Like to Read!
A part of me felt hopeless. Spending years on Facebook attempting to connect with friends on there, but to no avail. It was like waiting at the bus stop for a bus that never arrived.
POSITIVITY LACKS INTEREST ON SOCIAL MEDIA or it doesn’t garner much of a response. People want sensationalism, something like a soap opera that never ends. I can admit that I like reading about drama occasionally, but as I evolve in this life, my desire for it has faded, well…almost😜. My interest in reading gossip, angry rants of a peer, or the hot story of a devastated Hollywood star is not as entertaining as it once was.
I began to develop a gripe with social media. I was annoyed and bored by it, but I didn’t fully understand my frustration. It took me some time, but it has come to me. I am evolving, but what I see on these social media platforms, is not.
Thus, I’ve come here. Reading thoughtful writings on various topics and engaging in in-depth responses from other readers. It feels like a breath of fresh air.
It reminds me that people actually do read! It makes me want to write!
I wasn’t sure if the times of reading and analysis have become obsolete. Reading articles and then asking questions that may challenge the perspective of the writer or provoke more food for thought, seemed like a distant memory. I got so used to social media comments regurgitating, “I love this,” “Wonderful,” “Facts” and, “Amen” to many of my posts, it shredded my expectations. I had no more expectations. I embraced the one-word comment phenomena like how a woman embraces an extra inch in her waistline, with reluctance!
It’s quite boring until..
BLAM, a fuel filled post revs up those engines. It’s drama! The comment section fills up with opinions and then arguments. Suddenly, the comment section becomes just as entertaining as the post! I’m eating popcorn reading the comments. Snickering and sometimes shaking my head at how ruthless those fingers can get behind a keyboard. Yet, a commonality I often see is that it ends with no resolution. It leaves me wondering what does these types of posts accomplish?
It provides exposure to an issue and allows an opportunity for people to share their opinion. But, it doesn’t seem like many of them take in what the other person is saying. What I see here on Medium is that the writer addresses an issue and provides insight, whether it is personal or scholarly, they dive in. Information is written in a tactful way and gives the reader more to process. Truly food for thought. Thus, the response from readers is diverse and in tune with what they connected with. Therefore, conflicting opinions feel less personal.
I like that!
In all, I am pleasantly surprised and utterly grateful that here lies a community of active readers that still enjoys reading various topics and providing engaging and thoughtful responses. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not naive. I do see that there are different levels of writing here, which illicit different kinds of responses. They are not always the best. However, this platform was designed for writers; writers attract readers, and this place is filled with many of them, and for that I am truly grateful!
Keep reading! We need you!
