[richardburton]

"When you upload a photo to Facebook from your last trip to NYC, you get excited ... you know that people will see your photo and acknowledge your existence you feel alive."

This is absolutely crazy! That feeling of excitement is often nervous insecurity bubbling up. I used to be desperate for digital validation on Facebook and it made me miserable. Since leaving Facebook and focussing on email, Skype, Twitter and HN I feel a lot more relaxed. I enjoy those forms of social networking. Every now and then I still catch myself thinking: 'I wonder how this will look on Facebook'. But not often. Facebook invaded my mind and made me feel naked in front of a thousand strangers. On Twitter I know I am public. I shape my tweets accordingly. I do not seek validation. I seek connection and a desire to share interesting things with those who take the time to follow me. On Skype I connect deeply and privately with real people in sync. On Facebook the privacy slider was always moving and I was communicating with the people I love in an asynchronous, abstract way. On HN I enjoy the concept of karma but I am far more interested in connecting with people I have never met. I love reading the comments and reactions. I love creating content.

I could not agree more with this statement though:

"We see people come and go from our world. Some of them leave their mark and some of them just enjoy the ride."

I have started hanging out more on HN because it is filled with people who want to leave their mark. They want to change things. Facebook encourages us to consume, not create. That is fine if you want to enjoy the ride. I felt passive and insecure on Facebook. I feel energised and excited connecting with people on Twitter, chatting with people on Skype and writing this comment on HN. This is my social network. This makes me feel alive.