Revised Social Media Use Policy

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Social media is incredibly toxic, and while there are interesting people and thoughts to connect with, there is a whole lot of bad that goes along with the good. The stupidity, malice, and evil is unrelenting and enough to make one lose all faith in humanity.

And yet, these platforms are what you make of them. You can block, mute, and just otherwise choose not to follow accounts that make you feel bad. While getting a peek into the deepest crevices of your fellow citizens’ psyches has revealed an awful lot of ugliness, it’s a fallacy to assume this means that MOST people are bad. That is not the case. We just seem to hear the most from them.

Do we want to see more of the bad? Do we enjoy getting outraged? Is the dopamine rush that addictive? I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of the toxicity and stupidity. Therefore, here are some revised rules for usage:

No need to blast out every stray thought that comes through my head. One is not obligated to have a hot take on every single matter.
Don’t take the bait. There is never any upside to arguing with strangers over the Internet.
I will not respond to everyone. This might offend some. This is not my intent. But life is too short.
Quality over quantity. This one is self-explanatory.
Liberal use of block and mute. No need to have negativity on the timeline.
Unfollow all brag-and-boast/super-ultra MAN accounts. Anyone who cannot stop blathering about how awesome their lives are and how if you’re not just like them you’re a loser is (a) probably a loser themselves, and (b) not worth my time.
No politics. There are no winners with politics. Only losers. 
Mystery. Nobody needs to know the intimate details of my life and thoughts. 
Civility. If you wouldn’t say it in public to someone’s face, don’t say it online.

The Internet is useful for promoting my books and connecting with like-minded individuals. This can be done in a positive, friendly, and professional manner. Going forward, that’s what I’m going to try to do.

Speaking of promoting books, I’m editing/revising The Second Sojourn per beta readers’ feedback, but check out book 1, The Last Ancestor, while I work on it.