Medium Has Changed My Life
Why You Guys Are Incredible, And Why I Actually Feel Dumber Using Facebook
Medium is not by any means a ‘Social Network,’ but it does connect all of us in a very ‘social’ environment. What Facebook does to make us dumber, Medium does to make us more cultured, enlightened and inspired, and all without the bloated apps, e-cards and bullshit that comes along with the other guy.
Now you might be asking yourself, why is this guy comparing Medium (essentially a blog site) to Facebook? Well I’ll tell you why, because I just deleted Facebook from my iPhone (because I actually felt dumber using it) and replaced it with Medium, so, in essence, at least to me, Medium IS a ‘social network.’ Of sorts. Enough with the metaphors, here’s why.
I have felt for years that the honeymoon phase of smartphone’s + social networking apps was coming to an end. MySpace, Facebook, SnapChat, Twitter, Tumbler, Instagram; there was always some sort of medium (no pun intended Medium) to post your pictures no one cared about, and go off on rants no one gave a shit about. We post things because we can, not because we should. We post things because we can, not because we should. E-Cards, those fucking memes, your food, candy crush invites, whatever political propaganda your favorite weirdo posted that you just had to share with everyone, George Takei. I’m not even friends with George Takei, so why is he always in my Facebook news feed?
When I first joined Medium I didn’t get it. I mean I got it, it was a blogging app, but I had posted 5 stories and had gotten zero views, and couldn’t understand why. I loved reading everything you guys write. You are the smartest most enlightening most cultured group of people I have ever interacted with, regardless if I agreed or disagreed, or liked or disliked what you were writing. You put hearts and souls into what you’re writing. Everything on Medium is valid, but I also wanted to contribute as well. I felt I had an opinion and stories to share that might inspire and enlighten others in a way that they have me.
Then, the shit storm happened.
My last couple posts below lit up Medium and consequently my iPhone like a Christmas Tree:
#livemoredomore. Yes, I have a slogan. I know that’s kinda weird, but let me tell you what it means to me, and what it should mean to you.
Writers. Artists. Musicians. Photographers. Filmmakers. Why Branding Is Just As Important As Your Art.
You Don’t Like Selfies? Well I Do And Here’s Why. https://medium.com/philosophy-logic/d6481ace8bd5
My views. My recommendations. My retweets were out of control. And at that moment, it all made sense. The reason nobody was reading my first batch of writing was because they were crap. Just like the crap on Facebook. You write shit on Medium, and nobody is going to add it to a collection, and nobody is going to read it. The thing that Facebook has going for it is that you can post and share all the garbage you want and nobody bats a lash. Why? Because that’s all your news feed is filled with, it’s all it’s ever been filled with. It doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. No one is going to question it or call you out on it. It’s the status quo so to speak. On Medium, only the best opinions, and stories are going to be shared amongst everyone, and because of that, Medium makes you smarter, more cultured and more enlightened.
The biggest difference I see between Medium and something like Facebook is this: when you and your girlfriend/boyfriend or husband/wife are sitting on the couch not talking to each other scrolling through endless pages of Facebook and Instagram posts while The Voice is on, you’re getting nothing. It’s just mindless whatever. Reading stories on Medium is actual valid information that not only makes you think, but gives you something real to share and talk about with other people, like your girlfriend/boyfriend or husband/wife who is sitting next to you.
Now I’m not saying Medium can’t turn into what every other social network inevitably turns in to (MySpace), but how it sits right now, I don’t see how it CAN happen. I don’t see how all of you let it happen. It’s very rare when a MySpace, or Facebook or Twitter comes around, but I really feel like Medium is the ultimate social network, the social networking maybe even Steve Jobs envisioned when creating the iPhone. The one that gets rid of all the stuff non of us need or care about, the one that gives us the social connectivity of the mind and soul.
If you liked this you can follow my collection at www.medium.com/@martinmoorejr. I enjoy writing about Travel, Technology and Photography, but not if nobody gives a shit. www.martinmoorephotography.com www.twitter.com/martinmoorejr #livemoredomore
