The last time I published a blog post was June of 2020, when I was wrestling with whether to leave social media (and I was also learning about the behavior of ostriches). I have since come to a resolution. Drum roll and trumpet fanfare please: I have deactivated Twitter and Facebook, and thrown away the passwords.
The immediate reason is simply emotional. The manner in which these sites curate the news contributes to my anxiety, and it does so ruthlessly. The anxiety (and the noble urge to address it via producing counter-content) washes into my life and reduces my appreciation for the present moment. It’s been noticeable on plenty of occasions in the past (such as in June when I was writing my last post) and has many times led me to consciously reduce use of Facebook and Twitter, for some period of time until I felt better.
As a married man, though, aspiring to fatherhood, I no longer have the emotional bandwidth to ride in and out on that wave of anxiety. It is my duty and responsibility to be present elsewhere. That’s the simple, solid reason for why I’m taking my ball, and going home. That reason is more than legitimate, and can stand alone as a valid explanation.
It’s the right thing to do, but it’s also the easy thing to do. Don’t think that I’m some virtue-signaler, prudishly exalting myself for my brave sacrifice. This isn’t me announcing that I’m doing Exodus 90. This is not a boycott. Nope, this is pure rage. I’m leaving because I despise the platforms. I literally hate Facebook and Twitter. While as a Catholic, I hate no one, I am permitted to say that I wish Facebook and Twitter (simply as concepts and intangible corporate entities) to burn in Hell. That is where they belong.
The people who moderate content on those platforms are, frankly, disgusting and pathetic. They are Machiavellian, they are racist, they are Marxist, they are pro-abortion, they are anti-science, and they are at this point, anti-reason. They oppose marriage, they oppose families, and they oppose the sheer flourishing of human life. They hate truth, and they hate beauty. Without judging their souls (which no man can do), I will say that in principle, they cling to darkness and evil.
The same applies to the majority of the platform’s users. In the past, I’ve mentioned the wish to try to reach out and spread some light via the internet. 2020 has led me to conclude that is folly. While conservatives will refer to these people as sheep, the truth is, these people are goats, and are strictly unreachable by any effort of mine. God have mercy on them. They are Sodom and Gomorrah; I am running away, and not looking back.
I encourage you to do the same. What’s to be gained on Twitter or Facebook? You can’t gain information, you can’t gain a community, and you’re wrong if you think you can gain souls. It’s a curated feed. You’re not getting the best information. You’re not getting the best jokes. You’re not keeping up with your favorite people, because face it, most of your favorite people don’t check in on these sites (with all due respect to one or two cherished friends – no offense to you guys)!
Social media was beautiful at the outset. It was the true spectrum of humanity, and was wild fun. But it’s been co-opted, corrupted, edited, moderated, and ruined.
To end on a hopeful note, nature abhors a vacuum. I’ve spent an enormous amount of time and energy around these sites, and that time and energy will go somewhere. To my loved ones, yes of course, and that’s the main goal. And maybe there will be some time left over for another creative outlet.
Such as this blog. So keep checking back. I need that dopamine rush from seeing visitors via the analytics dashboard. I check. All the time.
COOL STORY BLOG 