Loss of Status: The Day Social Media Stopped Talking...to Me {A Bit of a Soapbox}

Social Media is a fickle bitch.

When I first started out, it took me a while to really get the hang of it. Then, after spending hours and hours chatting up perfect strangers on Twitter and reconnecting with people on Facebook, I finally got it.

People responded to me; answered questions, agreed, disagreed and chit chatted about nothing in particular and very particular topics. I felt a part of it all; on the inside.

I made friends with people in the Twin Cities, in NY, in CA, NV, TX, TN and more. Some of those people I have since met face to face and had live conversations with. Some of these people are good friends, even now after two years. Others have faded away with time and absence of true connections.

There was a period of time a few months ago that I was busy with editing work, and a new business and bogged down with stresses of life under pressure that my online communications slowed to a trickle. I just didn't have it in me to have a continually running conversation on multiple accounts during that time.

After several consecutive weeks of low social media usage, I went back online for conversation, comments, interaction; all the things it had meant to me for so long. And a funny thing happened. I talked, but few listened and even fewer responded to me.

Had I lost it? Had a cut ties? Could I get it back?    

Well, perhaps I could if I sat for hours on end making new connections and re-connecting with those I had once counted as a buddy.

But I don't have the time or the energy for such sport. So, what does that leave me? The devoted readers and true friends who still respond; still agree and disagree, regardless of my absence and despite my spotty social media record as of late. And I'm alright with this.

I have found that my feelings about social media change depending on my mood, what's going on in my life, whether my interactions with people are positive or negative and so on. But the thing that remains constant is that I am just not one to share all information to all people in all circumstances; that's just not me. Some feel that they can share everything all the time; and that's fine for them.

And yet, people like me, who pick and choose information to share with the masses and who pop on and off the social media train, making lingering stops and then starting back again a few days later or weeks or months will pay the price. You can't expect your online audience to remain ever vigilant watching and waiting for you to appear and make a statement so that they can respond to you. It simply doesn't work that way.

The online community has a continual running conservation that never stops, not for work or play or birthdays or low times or high times. It just keeps speeding along on the information super highway.

But, I have noticed a difference in the last 6 months or so though. It seems that fewer and fewer people are truly communicating with each other. It seems that there is more and more information posting, like a bulletin board, rather than a conversation. Perhaps it's just me, the people I follow or the times that I'm online; or maybe it's a shift in priorities and habits. Over and out...

Anna

Comments

[anna {girlwithblog}]

That might be my favorite opening to a blog post EVER.

I'll always respond to you =)

But I agree - I think it's slowwwly evolving from conversational to promotional. I hope that stops, because I like the first option better.

[Katy]

I'm seeing more and more bulletin-style posting on Twitter for sure. I'm making it a point to un-follow those who never seem to converse, but just constantly post links or random, drive-by statements. I'm not a business, I'm just a person chatting away on Twitter and I like when the people I follow have some balance.