Social media participation: At least one aspect of the Matrix that's easy to unplug from

Well, after a little over a month I decided to end my journey of participation in one social media outlet. What is interesting is that like education, literacy, and being well versed in other social constructions, participation in social media is being touted as a social good; something one needs to be a part of in order to be considered a valid member of society. I mean, who wants to be left behind right? Like most forms of peer pressure, not being part of what the cool kids were doing, in other words, feeling like I was missing out on something got to me. So I joined.

A lot of my social media participation felt like being in a club--the kind one dances, mingles, and gets drunk in. I never felt at home in the club scene. Much like drinking, going out just wasn't my thing; I felt awkward and like I generally didn't belong. I couldn't come as myself, and I have never felt the desire to own the kind of outfits I would tend to see at a club--it was just not my style. Let alone the feeling that going to a club was a lot like going to a pointless beauty contest that I couldn't begin to compete in.

Don't get me wrong; the only times I enjoyed going out were when I was with friends but usually when djs that played awesome music (usually non top 40s) were in attendance. I have fun dancing and hanging out with friends under that particular condition. But I digress...

My initial reaction was that me being part of social media is great because it can be a resource for news and regular exposure to ideas of all sorts. But it really ended up being a source of procrastination--and I certainly do not need any of that--and a place where I began having the club experience. Being aware of social norms like how being liked and paid attention to are signs of validity as a social media presence, having followers (whatever that really means) and being followed, surveillance, masks, and micro-aggressions galore--needless to say my vision became clouded by what I could consider the rather shallow mindset these norms can embody, that of immaturity.

Not that I'm all grown up (far from it!), but that I need to own up to the fact that as far as social experiences go, there are places I am not meant to be. Like Sly Stone says in Remember Who You Are, "somebody else's medicine may be a poison to you". If I am to recover and become the person I want to be, there are some things that simply must be given up (if only I could have given up high school in the same way). But experiences like this that are of no consequence to my future calling (still not sure what that is but I am doubtful it requires I be present on any given social media medium) or wellbeing,  are easy to walk away from and say no to. I wish I could say the same about social things and mindsets that really have a stronghold and can be quite damaging.

 For now, I've unplugged  from one aspect of the Matrix in favor of being present in the "real world", in peace, with some...