After reading this I threw out my phone and am now publishing physical Substack articles on a bulletin board that I wheel around town. I’m done with screaming into the digital abyss. I’m going to FORCE people to put their eyeballs on my shit!
I feel zero desire to join Threads. Not because I'm so strong... I just... barely find time as it is. I never got into Twitter and left years ago. Notes gives me mild anxiety... only because I feel like I *should* be participating in Notes. I've actually written this twice on my to-do list: "promote other newsletters on Notes!" but I've only once remembered to do it 😅. As you mention... IT DOESN'T MATTER EITHER WAY!
Also, this made me laugh: "(Take over humanity? In this economy?)" 😂
My god this is so well written. “Like, this can’t be how we’re all spending our lives, right?” I still weep for my beloved Twitter: the archaeologists, historians, and niche peeps I learned so much from. The only thing I like about Threads is the pain it’s causing Elon who broke my beloved addiction. At least it was as expensive for him as it was stupid.
I kid you not, I read the NYT article about Threads this weekend and immediately felt every fiber of my being want to join Threads. Note: I've only tweeted like four times in the eon that Twitter has existed. So yeah, wtf is up with these mental games, let me off this ride!!! So I will vacation in Frankl's Freedom spot where I currently reside – wondering if I should or shouldn't "Thread." Maybe I'll be there permanently.
Also this --> "From the vantage point of the future, all of this - you, me, and even Jay-Z, we're all prologue, grainy tiktoks of a bygone time." Coziest and most liberating shit ever (take that, Mark Manson!)
A new social media app from two that are already extortionate and music-hostile is not gonna send me running for the entrance. I'd sooner stick with this one, even tho' it runs like a hamster pooping a peach pit most of the time.
I don't see why it would be. Adding more frustration to things that should be simple isn't "magic"; even tho' it seems to be the main business model online these days.
I logged in on the first day, squillions of people posting, didn't see a single corporate Thread, only ordinary people, except for our prime minister and premier, who made it a priority in their busy day to be on Threads on day one. That's leadership!
Still not seeing any, other than plants in a box, of whom I've purchased actual plants numerous times. Arnold Schwarzenegger is showing up a little too often, which would be okay if it was pics of his animals, but it's early pics from his body building days.
I have enormous fingers and a tiny phone and threads doesn’t have a desktop app but I too feel a pull into the depths...
I also remember back when I was just on Google reader and I got my first taste of gamified interaction when friends commented on my shares. That was the moment that I started believing that any of this mattered. But as you say, Threads is helping me see the world more clearly. Great post.
You know what's sad? I probably just need one additional extremely funny friend who is totally addicted to texting and we text back & forth all day long. I am 3/4 of the way there as I have a few crazies to chitchat with I am just 25% short.
The effort needed to overcome the limits of our evolutionary psychology far exceeds the ability of most people to holistically fisticate their postmetaphysics and embrace nebulosity and epistemic indeterminacy.
Many are surprised to learn that attaining nirvana, or otherwise engaging in the renunciation of attachment to conditioned existence, isn't as easy as getting a big gulp sized Icee from a 7-11 convenience store.
It takes so much effort to be able to drag yourself out from addiction. I had a similar problem with video games. At one point I was playing 5 hours minimum every day. I wanted to move on, tried to stop but failed many times, I was just too addicted. One day I had the idea to ask the developers to erase my account. They did it and I've never played again since that day. Unfortunately with apps like Threads (or Twitter, YouTube etc) is that you cannot ask for deleting your account, you have to do it yourself. And this demands TONS of effort.
After reading this I threw out my phone and am now publishing physical Substack articles on a bulletin board that I wheel around town. I’m done with screaming into the digital abyss. I’m going to FORCE people to put their eyeballs on my shit!
Honestly I’d subscribe to this
I’d read your bulletins.
Hahah
I feel zero desire to join Threads. Not because I'm so strong... I just... barely find time as it is. I never got into Twitter and left years ago. Notes gives me mild anxiety... only because I feel like I *should* be participating in Notes. I've actually written this twice on my to-do list: "promote other newsletters on Notes!" but I've only once remembered to do it 😅. As you mention... IT DOESN'T MATTER EITHER WAY!
Also, this made me laugh: "(Take over humanity? In this economy?)" 😂
Hahahaha truly it’s amazing how quickly we forget that none of this matters lol
My god this is so well written. “Like, this can’t be how we’re all spending our lives, right?” I still weep for my beloved Twitter: the archaeologists, historians, and niche peeps I learned so much from. The only thing I like about Threads is the pain it’s causing Elon who broke my beloved addiction. At least it was as expensive for him as it was stupid.
Hahahah. So where did your communities all go? Also archeology and history I was def following the wrong people lol
I kid you not, I read the NYT article about Threads this weekend and immediately felt every fiber of my being want to join Threads. Note: I've only tweeted like four times in the eon that Twitter has existed. So yeah, wtf is up with these mental games, let me off this ride!!! So I will vacation in Frankl's Freedom spot where I currently reside – wondering if I should or shouldn't "Thread." Maybe I'll be there permanently.
Also this --> "From the vantage point of the future, all of this - you, me, and even Jay-Z, we're all prologue, grainy tiktoks of a bygone time." Coziest and most liberating shit ever (take that, Mark Manson!)
Fuck mark manson I have such an unwarranted hate for people like him lol
Stay strong E.L.
Thanks for scouting out threads so I don’t have to join😂
🫡
Alex, I have two things to say to you: 1. I respect you and your work. 2. Get away from me with this “threads” BS.
Can do
You da man.
A new social media app from two that are already extortionate and music-hostile is not gonna send me running for the entrance. I'd sooner stick with this one, even tho' it runs like a hamster pooping a peach pit most of the time.
Your hamster image has me rolling.🤣
Perhaps it running like a poop is part of its magic.
I don't see why it would be. Adding more frustration to things that should be simple isn't "magic"; even tho' it seems to be the main business model online these days.
check out "Sea's Substack" great tunes all original
he can write too
I logged in on the first day, squillions of people posting, didn't see a single corporate Thread, only ordinary people, except for our prime minister and premier, who made it a priority in their busy day to be on Threads on day one. That's leadership!
Hahah the corps have taken over
Still not seeing any, other than plants in a box, of whom I've purchased actual plants numerous times. Arnold Schwarzenegger is showing up a little too often, which would be okay if it was pics of his animals, but it's early pics from his body building days.
You mean you don't want to try to hoard Threads followers by being the first comment on every celebrity and brand's thread? You monster.
Lol
I have enormous fingers and a tiny phone and threads doesn’t have a desktop app but I too feel a pull into the depths...
I also remember back when I was just on Google reader and I got my first taste of gamified interaction when friends commented on my shares. That was the moment that I started believing that any of this mattered. But as you say, Threads is helping me see the world more clearly. Great post.
Thanks man!!
The lack of desktop app also probably ruined it for me. Also I can’t speak for you but a need for a desktop app means I am old
Haha I am definitely old, here is how old I am I had a flip phone until summer 2020 and I most DEFINITELY need a desktop app now.
You know what's sad? I probably just need one additional extremely funny friend who is totally addicted to texting and we text back & forth all day long. I am 3/4 of the way there as I have a few crazies to chitchat with I am just 25% short.
Be the 25 percent you seek
...they should rebrand it as deadheads and only allow grateful dead memes (and ben gazzara quotes)...
Now this I can get behind
Yeah you did! You’re a thread master and I’m here for it
🫡
Great article, had me laughing the whole way through. I’m not on Threads, and my never be, but today at this very moment I’m perfectly okay with that.
Then my work here is done
you mean "your done here is work"? lol
You seem to have missed discussing how much more holistic social media can be when combined with wheat grass juice enemas.
How did I forget
The effort needed to overcome the limits of our evolutionary psychology far exceeds the ability of most people to holistically fisticate their postmetaphysics and embrace nebulosity and epistemic indeterminacy.
Many are surprised to learn that attaining nirvana, or otherwise engaging in the renunciation of attachment to conditioned existence, isn't as easy as getting a big gulp sized Icee from a 7-11 convenience store.
It takes so much effort to be able to drag yourself out from addiction. I had a similar problem with video games. At one point I was playing 5 hours minimum every day. I wanted to move on, tried to stop but failed many times, I was just too addicted. One day I had the idea to ask the developers to erase my account. They did it and I've never played again since that day. Unfortunately with apps like Threads (or Twitter, YouTube etc) is that you cannot ask for deleting your account, you have to do it yourself. And this demands TONS of effort.
🧡