Where it currently stands

"Smart" phone

--------------

I've been using dumb phone for a year and three months. I

have no immediate plans to go back.

Fakebook

---------

I've been off for thirteen years.  I actually missed the

part where they let everyone's parents on, and I'm glad I

did.

Twitter

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I kept winding it down and winding it over time.  I haven't

even lurked there since well before the election (though I

got on election night to message a friend and that was

nice).

Reddit

-------

I quit 2/20.  Another case of winding it down over time.  I

had a small sub I was moderating, and got down to basically

only checking that, but then I got other moderators in my

place and left a profile that has breadcrumbs to find me

if anyone ever cares to.

YouTube

---------

I even think I got this one, too.  I've been off a whole

week, and unlike Twitter and Reddit, this had a direct

catalyzing event. I was watching an interesting musician

and my spirit was swelling and . . . I hit an ad and the

experience was so jarring that I closed the tab and thought

to myself I had enough, for a lifetime. -- yes, yes, I

should have an adblocker, but at this point it would have

just prolonged the last feed I couldn't stop, so all's well

that ends well.

In all of these cases, if I am reading a post and they link

to these sites, I allow myself to absorb what is there before

returning.

Only a few days after quitting YouTube I discovered the

smol internet.  Perfect timing.

=>gemini://gemlog.blue/users/NetCandide/1614963387.gmi (Coincidence Disclaimer)

[Update -- 9/26/2021 -- I certainly did *not* quit YouTube

at that point. I think I am ready to now, and this fits

the pattern of how I left the others: first start

optimizing the feed, getting rid of what is obviously bad,

and then noticing how boring, empty, and repetitive it

becomes. . . Quit with a whimper, not a bang.]

. . .

After writing this I realized that I should address

television. Well, I don't spend much time with television

at all. When I lived on my own, I never owned a tv or paid

for a streaming service, and even married I watch at most

one show with my wife at dinner, and even at that I tend to

walk out on the show when I am done eating.

===

I'd love to hear from people. My email is the handle minus

"net" (work by Voltaire that starts with "c"), at sdf.org.