Social Media. Would you do it again?

[Dru Edwards]

I've never considered guitar forums as social media but that it is. I'm glad it's here.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I've never considered guitar forums as social media but that it is. I'm glad it's here.

I'm glad about AGF also

And while there are certainly and thankfully differences between "interest specific" platforms such as AGF, and general interaction platforms such as Facebook.

But as far as the standard definition of social media , AGF definitely qualifies:

"noun
websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking."

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I've never considered guitar forums as social media but that it is. I'm glad it's here.

This is somewhat simplified, but forum engines or platforms that developed after list servers are where this place and other platforms come from. Of course Facebook that's a repeat example here developed and bought other features. The server side of all this has become far more sophisticated.

Even independent forums can do a lot more these days but I don't get the impression the AGF owners want to manipulate us much more than being interested in guitars and their sponsors. A long time ago a group and forum moved from vBulletin used here to SMF but there are similarities.

To address forum use not what it once was, we actually sync data between our site/forum and Facebook so the so the all important content is accurate and there for someone who won't do Facebook or the old fashioned forum.

The funny part about your sayin "I'm glad it's here." is our use base mostly doesn't realize how much of their Facebook viewing comes from our forum engine and our forum for those who only use it has privacy. This site still has a lot of use but what we did is very effective for the people who mostly just check 3 social media platforms.

I'm with your liking this place as is.

[H165]

Yeah, I'd probably do it again....but I'd also expect the same end result:

I deleted my Facebook account last year because I was wasting too much time with it. Users I'd never heard of were posting useless or negative stuff there. I'm sure I could have changed some settings and eliminated half the problem, but I just couldn't get that interested. I do miss communicating with some of the old Facebook friends though.

If the "Lockdown-Groundhog Day" routine we're currently in gets worse, it's possible I'll re-join with a limited presence in the future.

[Steve-arino]

I used Facebook to keep an eye on my kids when they were in their early teens. Back then (15 years ago) many of the jr. high and high school kids posted intimate details (and pictures) of their lives on the site. This was before social media was "a thing" for adults.

At about the same time, we got our daughter a cell phone; she was 13 and a lot of kids at school had phones. I'll never forget the first bill from Verizon; $450 / 8,000 text messages :-)))). I worked it out with Verizon and my daughter never did that again.

At this point we had The Discussion with the kiddies about implications of posting on FB or any other site like it (there were others, I forgot the names). That any pictures or postings will follow them around for life.

Neither of my kids post on social media any longer except to use it as a tool. I look at it frequently but rarely post.

There are some very useful aspects of FB such as requesting donations for various charities (I do this for a CCFA.org every year, this year I managed to raise $500), looking up old friends from 40 years ago and touching base (I've done this a few times during covid and it makes me smile to say hello), going on virtual museum tours, finding music streaming sites, etc. Gruhn Guitars has a weekly zoom video of George discussing all sorts of topics.

So I use FB at my discretion. I spend a heck of a lot more time on AGF.

[jseth]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

The world is built on influencing people. It works on everybody. Well known deities have documented their battles with it. Good luck

Well, thanks! I've been "at it" a long, long time now... Being 12 and in my afternoon 8th grade classroom when the principal came over the intercom with an announcement...

That the President, John F. Kennedy, had been shot in Dallas...

Although I already a modicum of a clue that there was a lot going on "out there", that instance in time is probably what swerved me down another lane...

I recall, vividly, that within 20 minutes of hearing the news, the thought rose that, "Somehow, my own government did this..." Not like a conspiracy theory or paranoia, just THAT thought from the mind of 12 year old...

So, yeah... I try to pay attention to what I'm accepting and believing. Takes diligence and luck, but hey! The alternative isn't desirable for me...

[archerscreek]

Generally, I don’t care what other people or their children do, eat, think or like. And I have zero need or desire to share everything I do, eat, think, or enjoy with my quote, unquote, friends, as some of the addicts I know do.

I tried the main sites in the past but everything rang hollow to me. There is too much junk out there one has to weed through to make it worthwhile.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by jseth

Well, thanks! I've been "at it" a long, long time now... Being 12 and in my afternoon 8th grade classroom when the principal came over the intercom with an announcement...

That the President, John F. Kennedy, had been shot in Dallas...

Although I already a modicum of a clue that there was a lot going on "out there", that instance in time is probably what swerved me down another lane...

I recall, vividly, that within 20 minutes of hearing the news, the thought rose that, "Somehow, my own government did this..." Not like a conspiracy theory or paranoia, just THAT thought from the mind of 12 year old...

So, yeah... I try to pay attention to what I'm accepting and believing. Takes diligence and luck, but hey! The alternative isn't desirable for me...

I'm younger but remember that as a first lesson in "social cohesion is everything". My dad was a tough and smart guy WWII vet, judge and still in the reserves. A family acquaintance and my mother's cousin were WWII pilots who did incredible things. Our rabbi was famous for his survival and handling WWII. Their reactions really left an impression. I don't mean anything conspiratorial or political but the importance of calm and the adults in the room cliche.

I follow social media at another level that's just being an enterprise security manager, and on a team of volunteers that do the technology for two community organizations. In my day job we have very sophisticated security tools that subscribe to databases to help sort out the terrible aspects of social media. The major platforms are making some changes they did not want to do but are probably the right thing to do. In that volunteer team we also are forum moderators and commercial Facebook site moderators. Crazy inaccurate stuff spreads like wildfire and even at a local and not really political level we see how it can be so poisonous.

The best of social media lets me be in contact with friends and family across the nation and globe. The worst is sort of an illustration of how we do things that come from our conscious and subconscious. It illustrates tendencies to be tribal even though we (homo sapiens) have such a record of doing better in bigger communities that cooperate.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by archerscreek

Generally, I don’t care what other people or their children do, eat, think or like. And I have zero need or desire to share everything I do, eat, think, or enjoy with my quote, unquote, friends, as some of the addicts I know do.

I tried the main sites in the past but everything rang hollow to me. There is too much junk out there one has to weed through to make it worthwhile.

Yeah, in the beginning, my wife and I were wondering of what importance for the world to know of one of my nephews first potty in the little chair was.
That was our first clue of what was to come.
We took it to be self-absorbed, look at me behavior. Maybe we over-reacted then, but now, it doesn’t seem so.
Those who stay abreast of all these things obviously wish to.

[Mr. Jelly]

Years ago I'd meet up with a friend and now and again we'd hang out and have a drink or two. He was an IT guy and of coarse he was on Facebook. He followed all our friends and beyond. I wasn't on Facebook at that time. He'd take a picture of us at times and he'd usually do it after we had been visiting for awhile. I then realized that these pictures, which were the only pictures of me on Facebook, taken as a group, were when I had been drinking. I put a stop to the pictures as they were not representative of who I am.

[Dirk Hofman]

Did some exploring yesterday looking for the first of the fall color up in the Tahoe area. Got there too late and didn't find much, but snapped this before the light disappeared. It's OK but looking forward to going back next weekend or maybe very early one morning this week. Hope Valley, CA.

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Did some exploring yesterday looking for the first of the fall color up in the Tahoe area. Got there too late and didn't find much, but snapped this before the light disappeared. It's OK but looking forward to going back next weekend or maybe very early one morning this week. Hope Valley, CA.

Did you post it on "social media"? (I would have if I took the photo!)

Don

[AmericanEagle]

No, Facebook is awful.

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by AmericanEagle

No, Facebook is awful.

Why is FB so awful? I like seeing pix of pretty places on FB, just as much as on AGF...

Don

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by Don Lampson

Did you post it on "social media"? (I would have if I took the photo!)

Don

I meant to post this in the photos thread. Not sure what happened there. Just one beer, honest.

Yes, I posted it here on social media, I posted here. But no, not on Instagram, I feel like I'll get some better looks at this valley later in the week. Maybe some of those will turn out better. This is more scouting an area.