Antisocial Media: Vicarious Fun or Exploitative/Damaging

What's the difference between vicarious and exploitative forms of entertainment?

Is it the same as the difference between interaction and entertainment? You know what I mean ... interaction being a direct form of exchange where both parties are present on a similar timeline. Like a phone or video call, texting, even playing "phone tag" on each other's walls, etc. these are interactive or even SOCiAL forms of media.

It seems like actual interaction holds you accountable for your integrity. It seems this way to me. Essentially... this is what I mean when I say "It seems more real."

Although, for direct example, I am thinking out loud here (semi-regularly) "like this right here" and not speaking to anyone specifically. Or to anyone who is interested, in general. Is that "antisocial" ...? Or even, is that a bad thing? In other words, can I hold myself accountable for my own integrity without um, social intervention.

Or can you? Is this a source of discomfort? What is a "wall" for, really? Here on FB it started with the metaphor of a yearbook. Ya know what?! I kinda wish it would be more like that. I don't want to talk to ALL of you at once. Stage-shy, even on this um platform.  Stranger still, sometimes everyone here feels like no one. (Please don't be offended at me admitting that.)  And um, I don't think the issue is the format, the written word.

I want to talk to each of you individually. The trouble is, I'm too wall-shy to write individualized notes (like yearbook entries) to all of my Friends of various connection-age and distinction. Like, I especially find it hard to reach out to anyone who I haven't connected with recently like ... out-of-the-blue.

On the other hand, my content is always evolving. Not always always better, but mostly better. Different for sure. Despite specters of being an antisocial weirdo, cuz I mostly just talk to the wall like I'm talking to myself. A friend clued me in to the uses of a journal app, as if to say "hey you don't have to share everything with everyone" like there is an art form to refining what it is you want to say. (I could pupate alone in this journal. ::bvvvpthpthpth::)

I CAN be kind of long-winded. My blog IS "Run-On Sentience." By the way, it's a real blog and I double post all of my FB scrawls there. Going strong for 5 years or so. But. It's. kind of a One Way street, even for me.

So anyhow. My answer is: I think it feels like a vicarious experience when you imagine yourself in the other person's shoes, so to speak. That's kinship. It happens even without interactivity. It's like the capital S "Self" when you feel that understanding of a bunch of different people. Altogether, or uniquely with each one. Like "I know who I am, but I also enjoy that there are so many others who I wouldn't mind being for a day."  Being John Malkovich style ... whoaaa that could be real.

Then there are people who you are curious about, but don't really understand. I feel like even without interaction, following these kind of distantly is a problem. You may notice yourself getting too far afield, and have to stop. (Me?! Nahhh you can ignore me if you want.)  De-friend/un-subscribe. That's okay! You don't have to be friends with everyone! And if you are trying to do that, trying to share too forcefully, too much expansion, that becomes exploitation. Downsize. Refine. Stay with your at-home-feeling self.

It's hard to do sometimes, right? Cuz there is the potential to tune-in to absolutely everything under the sun. But this can stress you out, can lead to burnout, and just isn't any fun. Gosh I could read a whole book on this. "On the expansions of knowing your own limitations." (Anyone know who wrote it? Am I pushing myself too hard to imagine this is a whole genre already discovered, determined, set in stone?)

So yeah. I am trying to limit myself to what feels the most like me, mostly. Me or versions of me I wish I could share in, but still ones that are "like me." I'm gonna be really weird and define this as "homo-social." My hunch is that almost everyone is like this.  One category only.  Homos Sapienses are those who prefer the friendship of people who or for whom they identify with or relate to.  Or both!  Or there is significant evidence coming in that (and I can add awareness to that here for me) AUTOSOCiAL ... is a beneficial activity.  There is an infinitude to be derived by one's own current station.  Psychologically, philosophically, through somewhat anonymous media channels obviously, and additionally using revolutionary Omni-Reference apps like Chat GPT, Wikipedia, Crash Course on YouTube, podcasts, audiobooks, beyond-news radio, etc.  (I consider all of this or what is for me "mainstream media" to be non-interactive, mostly.  Requiring no participation.)

I'm starting to re-value the life which is just at the forefront of my expectations...  preferring the familiar situation to the drastically foreign.  As in, if you have to chase them down, who needs 'em, right? No, wrong, how does anything ever happen that way!  (>,<)  Maybe with some magic "friends/projects/jobs/goals" algorithm hesitantly supported by a cabal of self-improvement motivational seekers. And bot programmers.

Okay that's enough. I'm gonna stop right there. I love myself. I hope you love yourself too. Despite or even because of people you don't really know IRL, but imagine you just as easily could, would. 

🤍🤍🤍