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by seaerkin
1732 days ago
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I commend the developers for acknowledging the problem that exists with modern social media and trying to do something about it. My personal opinion is that you don't fix this problem with another platform that promotes content sharing. Regardless of the content shared, it'll likely turn into a comparison game and result in the same unhappiness that more traditional social media platforms bring and it's now been proven through extensive studies that these platforms do in fact worsen mood. Why is that? Well, it kinda makes sense.. you're sitting at home looking at what other people are doing instead of doing those things yourself. Certainly images and videos of loved ones enjoying themselves can bring you joy, but nowhere near the amount of joy you'd get from being with them. The problem is that the current social media platforms do everything but make us social. They encourage us to sit back at home and feel as if we're being social by seeing social activity. So what's the solution? If I had to take a stab at it, I'd build something very primitive with no content sharing, no followers or likes that promotes actual social interactions. The primary focus of the application should be to get people together, IRL. Once that interaction has been facilitated or scheduled, that's as far as the application should go. The goal of social media should be to get people to be more social again, in person and not through a phone screen. Going to visit a new city? This app would allow you to let your network know and use approximated GPS data from your phone to connect you with people in your network that could meet up in person. Even if you're going to visit the same city you always visit but live in the suburbs, you can let people know where you'll be by location and they would receive alerts that someone from their network will be in the area. Want to plan a hike? Schedule it in the app and make it public, semi-public allowing people in your network to see your plan and opt in to join. Going to meet a friend for happy hour? Throw it on the app and allow your network to be updated and suddenly you're catching up with a few friends you haven't seen in some time. |
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And I'm not going to lie, meet up is absolutely amazing for both making friends and dating. It's been phenomenally more effective for me versus dating apps. It's how I meet one of my previous partners ( more like we met because I mistook her for someone else, but life is random fun).
That said, when I'm dating someone like now, I don't socialize nearly as much. It takes a very real amount of energy to do so. Online socializing, also takes that energy. So when I get home I'm in my temple, and I don't let all that social media drama into my temple. It's done wonders for my mental health, back when I was heavily in the social media and online dating apps I was very nervous and miserable almost all the time. I'm half convinced the never-ending notifications are designed to make us all a little bit crazy, and very addicted. It can be easier to drop it all and go for a walk. Occasionally you ask for directions and end up getting coffee...