Socializing versus social networks

A chat app. A phone. An email. A meeting.

That is my social network.

I’m taking a pause from nearly all forms of social network. But I haven’t stopped socializing. In fact it feels like I’m using digital communication technology more than ever over recent months, but more as direct forms of connection than speaking to the void.

The ecosystem I use doesn’t really matter; is it Apple, or is it Google, or is it something open source? I’m also absolutely not interested in judging people who use this or that platform, who are on this or that social media, or who can or cannot choose this or that tool. I don’t care. But I care about people.

None of my connections happen on the social media app, and I have never been as socialized as I am now. I’ve done one thing to make it happen.

I opened my heart.

Human connection is part of living. We need it. In the extreme we’d die without it. And we can thrive with it.

I love to connect with people digitally as well as in person. A life well lived is one that contains moments with friends where we just see one another and let someone know they’re being heard.

That was the failed promise of social media. We can pull it back through more direct points of contact.

Via Untitled Website.