Platform changes, history remains
People are still people after all
I’ve been lurking around Mastodon for quite a while now. More than six months had passed, and I decided to take a break. There’re interesting things to discover, and I consider it as a source of inspiration. I’m not going to give that up yet. So, am I allowed to express my views on the subject? I figured you could have my permission to permit me to be an opinionated individual. And thanks for “letting me” carry on with my life.
Until recently, I think I was quite tired of reading toots about how bad Twitter and Elon Musk were. The same subject kept appearing on my Timeline. People discuss and boosts similar toots over and over again. I’ve seen enough. I can filter it out, but, you know, I’ve only followed maybe 60 or so people. What’s the point of following people only to mute them when they say something I don’t like? I’ve got no right to stop people from expressing themselves.
It’s simply because I’m not a fan of such a topic because it brings so little value to me and my life. And that’s very personal. At least in the city I’m living in, nearly no one uses Twitter. No one that I know in person has even heard of or understands the concept of decentralization. No one cares. I don’t claim to have better knowledge of anything. It just so happens that I mostly search the internet for things related to the West.
Additionally, I also want to express it here on what I really think of the Twitter Migration. Platforms appeared and vanished. If a user of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram spreads hate, negative vibes or misinformation, they are considered to be toxic. Then it would be really appreciated if you avoided using them. I wholeheartedly endorse avoiding the Big Tech corporations when possible. I really do. But if Twitter is that horrible, is the issue with the users or the platform itself?
My next concern is if those who switch to Mastodon will overnight change into someone else. It won’t. People are still people. I fear the history might repeat itself. As I see it, abandoning centralized platforms is somewhat equivalent to using fewer plastic products. You do your part; I do mine. The Fediverse becomes more powerful as more people join it. But hold on a second, does that make everyone a better person? Can switching from using Twitter to Mastodon raise moral standards and cleanse people’s souls? If it's that simple.
What frustrates me is that some individuals think they’re the “chosen few”; their minds were awakened to fight against the evils. I will have to disagree with people who always imply they have higher ethical standards than others, or even that they represent justice simply because they are the Fediverse’s first-class citizens. Nope, you’re not. It irritates me because you could have been on Twitter for a decade and still judge people based on so little. Says one thing, does another. Worry not; I’m also talking to myself. We always contradict ourselves, amirite?
Let’s assume Twitter has finally shut down. Everyone is on the Fediverse now; what’s the difference? Will the world become a better place? People changed? I’m afraid this is a topic I’m not quite able to comprehend. In my opinion, it’s more of an issue with the people who are using them. You don’t like Musk? Me either. It’s akin to blaming Donald Trump for hurricanes that occur due to political beliefs rather than rational argument. Will the same old shit repeat itself again? I guess time will tell.
I’m not trying to undermine the effort, hard work, sweat, and tears of those who contribute to building communities. They are the pioneers. You see, some people rely on social platforms to gain connections, business opportunities, or even make a living. I can tell it’s not an easy decision to quit Twitter or other platforms when one has maybe ten thousand followers. Please, go easy on them.
I’m being very honest here. I dislike people being so quick to comment on things based on other people’s opinions but not their own. Sometimes, it becomes a trend to bash people with no valid points. Especially on the internet, we’re easily influenced by some posts/toots on social platforms. We judge something only by the number of likes/favourites, retweets/boosts. Those numbers don’t prove anything, not until we learn the whole story. Never jump to conclusions too soon. But even if I disagree with a lot of folks on a specific topic, that alone won’t make me hate them. I wish it could go both ways.
To summarize, my point is that I’m skeptical of things that have gone viral. I distrust “trends”. I hate it when people look for something to blame. Maybe they try to mitigate the stress, or disappointment in their real lives. That’s it. I’d be very grateful if someone actually reached the end of this post. On the other hand, I’ll be very very disappointed if anyone thinks I’ve the slightest intention to offend them. Pardon my English. Thank you.
This is #Day81 of #100DaysToOffload.