jonathan.beckett@gmail.com

Resisting Temptation

Over the past several months I have closed accounts at LiveJournal, WordPress, and Tumblrwith the end goal being simplicityone place to write onlineone place to share my thoughts. It turns out staying away is more difficult than leaving.

I have to keep reminding myself of the reasons I left each placeof the reasons I chose to walk away. It's hard thoughit's so, so hard when you see a post from a friend you have known for years, and would love to hit a heart icon, or send a private messagebut you cannot, because the walled gardens of social media prevent it.

I guess that's how they get youthe LiveJournals, WordPresses, and Tumblrs of this worldthey offer people as a gateway drug, and before you know it you've walked through their doors, and begun sharing content within their wallsforming attachmentsbecoming invested. They are sneaky. They are persuasive. They are powerful.

Despite all the misgivings, I'm wondering about opening placeholder accounts in each placeaccounts through which I might only interrect with othersnot post. I'm wondering if that's even possible though. I know meI know that before long I would be up to my ears in friend requests, followers, and private messages. It happens every time. That's how they whisper into your brainthat's how they seduce youthat's how they dissuade you from investing your time elsewhere.

Perhaps the best plan is to continue sitting on my hands out here in the relative obscurity of the wider internet, watching the world go by. I know from experience that these introspective thoughts will pass. Tomorrow life will lumber towards me like a gigantic Rhinoceros, and kick the keyboard far out of reach.

I wonder how many tomorrows I can resist though ?