For now, and who knows how long, I’ve decided to go Cold Turkey on social media.
No more sharing; and this will be my last share on Twitter and LinkedIn for…who knows how long.
What’s brought this about?
That’s a good question but it’s probably because I don’t need to be online. When I first arrived on the social media scene I did so out of curiosity. That soon morphed into my escape hatch from legal practice (August 2010) but it didn’t take me long to realise that the suite of tools was easy to master and with time, everyone would get with the programme.
And I was right.
Everyone (if you’re online of course) has got with the programme but, in large part, has dropped the social aspect and replaced it with ‘sales [media]’. I know that sounds crass and insensitive and I apologise for any offence caused but if you stand back from the fray, even if you’ve not got a product or service writ large on your profile and feed, there’s still an idea or proclivity towards some-thing that you’re trying to push. And that’s fine to a point but for me at least, save for my chagrin with the state of the Anthropocentric world and those that have brought it to this point (which includes, of course, my generation), I’m not selling anything. Honest. In fact, I’ve more than enough on my plate to keep me occupied for the rest of my days absent social media.
I know you’ve heard it all before — from me and others. We get all high and mighty, pull the plug, stay away a while but it never lasts. And I wouldn’t demur but this time it feels different. I wouldn’t want to try and explain this beyond what I’ve just said, but for a while now I’ve felt the heat of my frustration rising to the surface only to let loose a series of overbearing Tweets and blog posts which I’m sure makes me look like a grumpy old man or worse still. And whilst I can be impatient and irascible at times, I’m also able to find a degree of solemnity that makes me see a bigger picture (I hope) than the bright lights of social media and what is or can be a very narrow purview of the (cultural) world.
As to how I’ll now spend my time, I’m not entirely sure. I do know that I’ve got to find something useful to do that also generates an income. My current gig wasn’t one I expected to still be playing three and a bit years down the road. Truth is, I never expected to return to legal practice and therein lies at least one dilemma I’ve still to address: if not law, then what? My expansive reading will, I’m sure, continue apace. Right now I’m deep into the work of Daniel Quinn, he of Ishmael fame, and I’ve started to write again — just a journal in Google Docs for now but it’s a start. Previously, I had this grand idea to write a memoir of sorts. I failed miserably and have ditched the whole idea. My problem remains, as I’m sure many putative writers have had to address: it’s all been said before. And then there’s family time. The dynamic has certainly changed over the last 18 months with my youngest daughter having left Secondary Education. It’s not that I feel liberated but things are very different in terms of the level of commitment and what’s expected of my wife and I.
So, all in all, not much to say but I’d like to end by saying a massive and heartfelt thank you to all those people who I’ve connected with over the years. It means a lot.
Blessings and much love,