Dropped Facebook

[Pat A Flafla]

I hosed my social media accounts the May before the previous election. Apparently I "missed out" on a whole bunch of e-rancor (which appears to have continued to this day). Within the past year or two, I started blocking what I call the "bad news networks" and blogs, just to get my fingers out of the habit of boredom-typing them. News is just angled to tell you what they want you to be pissed off about. I disagreed and decided that I didn't need to be pissed off at all. Since almost no news is ever good news, I've cut it all out. I have friends who will mention stuff that's too big to ignore, so I'm really not missing out on anything.

I reclaimed a bunch of my time, but now I'm here punishing you poor bastards with my brain-vomit when I'm bored. DFO is literally the very closest thing I have to a social media account.

The only real drawback is that I've thought of being a band leader and booking my own gigs, but that's extremely difficult without FB (so I'm told by other band leaders). What do I want more, peace of mind or control over my gig life? Geez, what a choice.

 

[bassanddrum84]

Been three years social media free minus this forum and couldn’t be happier

 

[JimmySticks]

It's all in how you handle it. I've been on Facebook for around 3 years; I joined strictly because I got an analog modular synthesizer and wanted to be in touch with a couple of groups of other synthesizer aficionados. I don't post anything on my own home page except for my cover photos — no personal info, no opinions/rants, nothing. I'm 'friends' with family members and a couple of other synthesizer players; that's it. I don't get any newsfeeds or any other stuff on the platform. They send me 'friend requests' and I delete them. I spend ten minutes or less a day on Facebook. It's only evil if you aren't in control.

Don't forget: Social media is just people talking, nothing more and nothing less. It's up to you to decide who you listen to and who you ignore.

Your still feeding the beast though.

While what your doing is innocent enough, like thousands everyday, the platform you're using has become a tool for other, possibly more shady doings. Is there a bigger picture we must all face here? (not judging, just asking)

 

[supershifter2]

It is too late for that

 

[K.O.]

I'd also like to once again say - that despite their other issues and evils - social media has attempted to replace forums such as this one as the go-to place for information on various topics. And they suck horribly at it. But they've made a significant dent in even old school established forums, and they do seem to be "the place" for things which have come along in the past few years.

Facebook drum groups are wacky rollicking orgies of misinformation for the most part. Someone will ask a question and get dumber and dumber answers or non-sequiters or worse. If you try to provide a useful bit of accurate information you will more likely than not get dumped on by the dumb people who are giving the wrong answers.

That happens here too, to a degree, but not nearly as much. I've continued to participate because sometimes something cool will pop up for sale, but between the drum insanity and the crazy politics Facebook has become mostly a waste of time.

 

[stevesmithfan]

Good for you I left Facebook seven years ago don’t miss it at all I have no social media accounts. This means more practice time in my studio!

 

[hsosdrum]

Your still feeding the beast though.

While what your doing is innocent enough, like thousands everyday, the platform you're using has become a tool for other, possibly more shady doings. Is there a bigger picture we must all face here? (not judging, just asking)

I suppose in the sense that I increase their subscription numbers by exactly one, then yes I guess I am feeding the beast. But I get a lot out of the contact I make with other synth geeks, and I'm able keep up with distant family members, so as far as I'm concerned it's a more-than-fair tradeoff. I see no ads and no targeted content reaches me. As I said it takes less than ten minutes out of my day (unless I find an interesting synth thread, then I could be reading for a half hour).

 

[Hypercaffium]

Hello fellow drumforum members.
I just want to say that I cut the cord with fb today. They deactivate your account for 30 days before they delete your account permanently however. This gives ample time to change one's mind I guess.
I'm hoping I will steady the course for deletion. I was spending far too much time there.
It has been a very good 'forum' to buy and sell vintage drums I'll have to admit.
I'm hoping to spend my quality drum talk time here and maybe one or two other Drum Forums.

Cheers,
Gary

I hope you'll quit. I've done that two times but for different reasons and I'm definitely better without Facebook (or any other social media).

 

[glaze148]

I’ve had great luck selling gear on FB. As much as I love DFO, I’ve not had much luck selling. Had an item in a store on consignment for 1 year, and no bites. In 10 minutes on FB, it sold. This has happened to me multiple times. The audience is vast. I have quilty feelings about participating with the evil entity, but the benefit outweighs the downside.

 

[Deafmoon]

It's not just FB, Twitter, etc., it's the whole Google Platform. Their workers have the power to spew made-up stuff & fly it globally in an instant. How many death hoaxes, how much here say, how many twisted statements, how much privacy invasion? The Internet has become a Check Out Tabloid like The National Enquirer. And I despise those tabloids!

 

[mfryed2112]

But Facebook was so much fun during the election.

 

[Deafmoon]

I’ve had great luck selling gear on FB. As much as I love DFO, I’ve not had much luck selling. Had an item in a store on consignment for 1 year, and no bites. In 10 minutes on FB, it sold. This has happened to me multiple times. The audience is vast. I have quilty feelings about participating with the evil entity, but the benefit outweighs the downside.

DFO is a very small group of folks. Not every drummer/percussionist is on this forum. I too have had far better selling success elsewhere. But to me, I'll pay the eBay fee to not deal with FB. I left 4 years ago and won't go back.

 

[Deafmoon]

But Facebook was so much fun during the election.

You should have seen it in 2012 election.

 

[Old PIT Guy]

Social media is a massive money-making matryoshka of addiction so successful at platforming its mix of retail and narcissism for data collection, that its users, once disenchanted by either its intrinsic insincerity or its astonishing banality, pop open another doll for another doll for …. and then often putting them all back and starting over. It's really quite fascinating!

 

[glynch]

At this point I stay on it strictly for promoting my band and networking with other musicians. Otherwise I would've ditched it long ago.

 

[GiveMeYourSmallestSticks!]

Gave up Facebook years ago and have been a much happier person since. The selling forums are definitely more active than other places, but my wife still has her account and has posted stuff on my behalf, so....win/win.

Just being on Facebook and being exposed to the ridiculous things people posted used to anger me to no end, which is why I left in the first place. Now knowing just how manipulative and censorious Facebook has become just makes me glad to have already made my exit. Been ignoring most mainstream news for some time already, and never took the dive into other social media. There are still enough frustrations to go around in the real world, who needs to choose to be exposed to more virtually?

Good luck and good choice, you won't regret it!

 

[mfryed2112]

You should have seen it in 2012 election.

Saw it, people let their happiness hinge on this not true. What a joke, I do like getting under people’s skin though.

 

[CSR]

I administer four Facebook pages, all for music. There’s an area orchestra (I’m on the Board of Directors), a municipal concert band (I’m on the musician’s union Board of Directors), my big band, and I have a personal page. The three band ones are to communicate with players and audience, and promote concerts. My personal page is drumming only...no family stuff, definitely no politics. I’ve blocked a number of “friends” with wildly differing political views. I purposely don’t click on political posts. So far, it’s seems to work for me.

 

[Mcjnic]

Social Media seems to thrive on the deeply flawed negative forces that some people live for. If that is the stew brewing within, then Social Media is the perfect platform for spewing the overflow. Unfortunately, some of those people find forums such as this and carry those negative forces into the threads without the understanding of basic civility.
The MODs here don’t answer to Zuck and company, so these negative people can be tamed at times. If not, they get the boot.
Say what you will about the MODs, I for one love their presence. It helps keep this particular place tolerable.
Social Media lacks the balanced oversight. Without it, civility will never be a product.
And the resulting product is on display for all to see.
And it ain’t purty.

 

[jccabinets]

Isn’t DFO social media?

Yes DFO is social media. And with the like button its very much like Facebook. But I like this tons more than Facebook because at least I can go back and find my threads.