2020-07-23
Twitter pointing me right at the dark side of social media
I separated my amateur radio twitter from my work and other contacts twitter to get less depressing world politics in my timeline and today Twitter showed me very clearly that I'm supposed to get agitated and depressed and not retreat into a safer bubble. I got notifications on the @PE4KH account (including on my phone) to look at this tweet by Phil Karn KA9Q: Fascism has arrived in America. which quotes another political tweet. I really appreciate the work Phil Karn has done in the past for networking and amateur radio, and as a person I feel sorry for him and others to have to live their daily lives in a situation like this. But at the same time I don't want to be reminded constantly, because I can't do much about it and I will just feel more depressed. So it really annoys me that Twitter goes out of its way to point me to something that will agitate and depress me. It seems like Twitter wants more doomscrolling and more depression to increase "engagement" at the short term. Update: Phil Karn responded to my tweet/article. He understands the reasoning and at the same time explains his reasons to want to vent about his policital situation. I really appreciate his responses.