Social Media runs in Cycles
OLDER PEOPLE READ THIS
This cycle of Social Media
Here is what is going on in social media and it happens every damn time, with every platform.
So everything runs in a cycle. young people join, old people join, young people leave. Then come back.
Let me explain with some real-life, “historical” examples:
So this is the story of my relationship thus far with twitter. Of course, it’s just how I saw it.
But I was first introduced to twitter before it was popular among my friends. And I used it for a while but not addictively. Because, at the time, twitter was only as fun as your network — but I had no network.
Then came this surge, everyone I knew joined twitter. And memes stormed the internet with Gangam style and more madness. Every young person tweeted and twit and whatever you want to call it. But regardless, teens (I was in high school at the time) loved it.
People loving it is another word for people using the platform all of the time. All of my friends and I were addicted.
That is when I pulled the plug on twitter and deleted my account.
I did not want to be addicted anymore.
So I went like 2.5 years without twitter. At the same time, the platform had been dying among youth. I think for a couple of reasons — but briefly, it became overwhelming to read my timeline. Another thing I noticed was that going without twitter was not that bad — all of the important information still got to me.
But fast forward those 2.5 years and I am back on twitter
This time, though, I use it solely as a means to indulge myself further in technology and the community. I am not connected with my “friends from home” or school on there — nope, I made it my mission to only connect with new people.
And that is what I did, beginning a couple of months ago. And what I’ve noticed is that 1) the community is great 2) great for “professional” development 3) it’s addicting.
Still good o’l twitter. But the people that I talk to on it have changed from my friends to randoms. And I still get utility out of it — and I actually learn a lot from it.
The point I am trying to make is that Twitter houses many communities, I am just not a fan of mixing them up.
Enter snapchat. Assume the same intro scenario. Actually mostly exactly same. I loved it, then really loved it, deleted it, but now I again use it for fun.
But there is a twist. I am trying to use it for fun, but I also really like tech. So it has led to this weird merge on my story feed.
Which brings me to my question — Why the fuck am I receiving VC advice right next to my friends at parties? Why am I watching an analysis of the market next to my friends at dance clubs in Mykonos?
The same thing happened to twitter. The same thing happened to facebook (which all of our parents snuck on). And, now, it is happening to snapchat.
Why is it that all good social media platforms transform from areas of social interaction to media for learning — or more complex entertainment.
And this is not to say one is better than the other. I love getting Justin Kan and Mark Suster and Hunter Walk delivered straight to my phone, daily.
Does that make sense? Why is the optimal way to consume these extremely valuable lessons through a medium designed for kids showing off?
I feel like these two should not be the same…
eh, idk. I need to think about it more
tweet me about it @jrdngonen my DMs are wide open. Oh the irony.
