On Social Media & Content Creation [Part 2]

You can read Part 1 HERE.

I have some more thoughts on social media.

Oversharing

How do you decide what to post, and what not to post? Honestly, I struggle with this because I sometimes think, Is there even a point to this, or am I just posting because everyone else is?

I am an anime blogger and cosplayer. Obviously, I will post content related to anime and my hobbies. That’s why I rarely talk about my family, friends, or work on my social media. It’s not that I’m not passionate about those topics; assuming that would be immature thinking. That’s just not what I’m here for.

I’ve got an interesting story. One of my friends rarely posts pictures with her boyfriend. Posting, or the lack of, really doesn’t mean much in terms of the quality of relationship. A few of her friends and peers assumed that she was single because of this. I find it quite funny, but also kind of sad.

Activism on Social Media

I’m the type of person that does my research on issues and discuss with family and close friends privately. I sign petitions and donate once in a while. I’ve seen people on social media say that if you don’t post about a social issue or show receipts that you’ve donated or signed petitions, you’re basically a bad person.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t agree. I feel that there are bigger things to worry about than calling out people who may already be supporting. What, exactly, does showing proof do, besides maybe boost one’s social standing artificially? Everyone has their own way of supporting.

I also don’t think that you have to insert yourself in a conversation all the time. You don’t have to have a take on everything, especially if you’re uninformed or aren’t passionate about a topic. It also kind of distracts from the main issue. A lot of it seems performative, anyway.

Thoughts?

Let me know what you think in the comments! As always, thanks for reading.

On Social Media & Content Creation

I’ve been thinking about social media for a while; here are my thoughts.

Social media is what you make of it.

Social media is a tool for you to use. Some people use it to boost their social standing, while others use it as a space to post their artworks or cosplays. Some people are collectors, and others enjoy eating food and/or making food. Some people use it to stay in touch with their friends; others use it to keep records. There’s no right or wrong way to use social media.

On Validation: Social Media versus Blogging

I’ve heard a lot of people say that you don’t need validation from posting, or from followers and engagement. Okay, then why do I see so many people asking for more followers and views on their blog posts? Many bloggers have written about their blogging goals for 2021 and most of them include achieving a certain number of followers and views. Is there a difference between needing validation from social media versus blogging?

I don’t think so. Many Instagrammers pour a lot of time and effort into their posts, just like bloggers. Both Instagrammers and bloggers create content. Is it “seeking validation/attention” or is it “having goals”?

On Taking Breaks versus Productivity

I’ve seen many content creators (cosplayers, bloggers, writers, artists, podcasters, YouTubers, and VTubers) apologize for not putting out content on time or for taking a break. It seems like taking breaks is a bad thing. Does anyone else find this weird?

I know that for certain platforms, the algorithm works in the favour of those who constantly post. I also sympathize with those who want to stay “relevant” and avoid losing followers.

How I Use Social Media

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In my The Kore Wa Watashi Blog Award post, I self-proclaimed as a kuudere and used Houtarou Oreki’s photo to describe myself. While watching Hyouka, I resonated with what Houtarou said (shown above). It made me think, Why do I post on Instagram? I’m not enjoying it as much as I used to, and I don’t need validation from likes.

People use social media differently. Like I said, I view social media as a tool. You can find me most active on my Twitter, and I seldom use Instagram now. I still get some enjoyment out of Instagram – at the moment, anyway. If there comes a day when there is nothing to gain from social media, I will cease to use it.

Final Thoughts

Some people live their lives on social media, and I won’t be the judge of that. I hate it when people tell others to go outside/do whatever they do, as if they are superior. I will say this: social media shouldn’t be an exhausting thing. If you find that you are drained from it, consider taking a break. Perhaps you are putting unnecessary stress on yourself by placing too much importance on it.

2020 Year-End Review

2020 has been an unexpected, life-changing year for most of us, if not all of us.

1. Time seems to have slowed down for me. Pre-Covid, I was busy. I had school, practicum, three part-time jobs, and was an exec for my university’s anime club. On top of that, I watched anime, updated my blog, and cosplayed.

I recently wrote about my day-to-day life (Click here for the post). I am now at home all the time and my work is flexible. I have completed practicum, graduated, and am no longer an exec for anime club. I feel like I’m on an island, removed from the busy city.

2. I am enjoying the little things in life. Pre-Covid, I always felt like I didn’t have enough gratitude. I didn’t know how to change. Looking back, I was so busy that I didn’t have the time to process things in the moment.

Now, I’m always finding small things to appreciate. Trying out a new recipe, for example, or receiving a package. Pre-Covid, I bought things I liked and tossed them aside.

A positive post

Good things that have happened to me since quarantine Part 2

3. My social media habits have changed. Pre-Covid and several months during Covid, I posted on social media for other people to see. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing because I still had fun.

I’ve changed, I think. I still think that posting on social media is fun, but my intentions are different. Lately, I’ve been looking at my old photos with friends. Photos of daily life serve as reminders of what happiness means to me. To me, photos are precious.

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There’s still a lot that I can improve on, but that’s life. I’ve felt all sorts of emotions this year but I think I’ve been holding up well given the circumstances. I think that out of everything, my attitude and mindset have changed the most.

To my blogger friends and readers, I encourage all of you to reflect on what this year means for you. If you write a year-end review post, please let me know. I would love to read it. 🙂

Food for thought [Legend of a Strongest Man Nakane]

Nobuyuki Fukumoto, creator of Kaiji and other series, has a spin-off manga about a man who craves for Instagram likes. It’s called Legend of a Strongest Man Nakane, a spin-off of Saikyou Densetsu Kurosawa. At first, I found it hard to believe that there is a series about this topic. Instagram?? What??

Nakane’s colleague explains that he buys cakes and other cute-looking sweets just for Instagram. After the post is up, he trashes the dessert because he doesn’t like sweet foods.

This page made me think. I think this is a really good point. With so many people in the world, I understand the desire to stand out from the rest.

The counter argument. Seeking approval. Craving the spotlight. “Celebrity” wannabes. Running around like idiots. WILL YOUR WORTHLESS SELF GET SOME PEACE OF MIND?

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I don’t think that posting on Instagram is that serious. Nakane and his colleague go to great lengths for likes and there are surely many users who do the same. I would believe that most users are not like this.

I frequently post on Instagram. I don’t think my intention is to “stand out” because I don’t think this is realistic for me. Maybe this is pessimistic thinking on my part, but there are so many users.

I don’t think I am looking for approval on Instagram and I don’t think I am a celebrity wannabe. Am I running around like an idiot? Maybe to some people. Will I get some peace of mind from getting likes? I wonder…

I hate this. It’s fun to take pictures and post. It’s nice to have a backlog of the good times and shared memories. Sometimes you feel more connected to others by using Instagram. At the same time, I hate it. Society feels superficial. & you know what? I will not stop using Instagram…

How Spending Less Time on Social Media Has Benefitted Me

I’ve deactivated my Twitter account and go on certain social media platforms significantly less now. I have set a time limit on other platforms, such as Instagram. Why?

Firstly, it’s not realistic for me to chat with people online 24-7 every single day. I have sh!t to do! I am busy. Secondly, it does not fit my personality as I am someone who feels energized when I do my hobbies. Talking to people for prolonged periods of time and going outside very frequently feels draining. It’s extremely important to me that I do not lose sight of myself and that I remain true to myself.

Some social media platforms are pretty toxic. I don’t want to be like No Face from Spirited Away and be influenced/changed by the toxic space. I’ve blogged about the topic of toxicity in environment in this post.

Now that I’ve been using social media less, I can put out more blog posts! I can stay on top of my work tasks and do other things like house work LOL. I can spend more time with family and be more present in the moment.

Leaving Twitter

In August 2018, I wrote a post about my feelings towards Twitter and how much I hated it. It took a while, but I’m done with Twitter!

Reasons #3, 5 and 8 (unpleasant interactions, people complaining, and negative news) became the norm on my feed. Did I really want to open an app just to feel worse about people and the world? 

A note: 3-4 people would reach out to me regularly and ask if I was alright. I was actually puzzled about what made them concerned, but it’s because my tweets were negative. To me that is normal because I am a pessimist…. I mostly update my blog when I am in a good mood and/or if I have the energy to sit down and write. Twitter, on the other hand, is quick and easy. I can tweet something wherever I am, any time of the day because it only takes a few seconds to send out a tweet. Leaving Twitter would remove a platform for me to be negative and cynical, which is probably the best for me and others so they don’t have to worry.

Removing myself from that toxic environment will probably lift my mood in the long-term, and I’ll have some free time cleared up.

A Thing About Twitter

Twitter was my main social media platform, but now I’m stepping away from it. I won’t deactivate my account, but I’m already using it a lot less. Here’s why it no longer interests me. Whenever something does not interest me anymore, I always have my reasons.

1. I am using social media less in general. Currently I don’t feel the need to share my life with others. I still take the same amount of photos as before, but I guess I’m a more private person now. I’ll still post my favourite posts here on my blog and Instagram, of course.

2. Due to reasons related to school and work, I’ve made my account private. I find that it’s less fun being private, and I feel less motivated to tweet. The reason is probably because of the retweeting culture, and others can’t retweet your tweets if you’re a private account.

3. Unpleasant interactions. All I do is tweet randomly about my day, or a random thought I had. I never ask for a dispute over a silly tweet that I could have not tweeted in the first place.

4. Indirect tweeting. I’ve seen a lot of these, but a lot of them are responses to others’ tweets and directing it to the public.

5. People complaining. I am aware that I complain too, but the environment influences the way I tweet. If everyone retweeted more happy and positive thoughts, I would too. You can’t retweet something if you don’t see much of it.

6. Time waster. Now that I don’t go on Twitter as often, I’ve had more time to do other things. Things that are more important than tweeting.

7. People make up news or twist news stories all the time on Twitter. We should always question information before we retweet anything, but a lot of people fail to do this. Twitter is not as bad as Facebook though.

8. Negative news. This is specifically news stories, not others’ personal tweets. I like to be informed about the world’s events, but there are more negative stories than positive ones.

9. When I log into Twitter after a break, I realize I haven’t missed much. Life goes on with or without your online presence.

Twitter used to give me energy because it gave me a place to interact with my online blogger friends. Now I am satisfied with commenting on blog posts. I used to like being updated on what was happening in the community, but now I realize it doesn’t really matter. Of course I am aware of the pros of Twitter, but right now the cons outweigh the pros. It is a toxic space for me and feels draining. Obviously I can’t speak for everyone, but this is my experience with Twitter.