Social Media, Identity & Nostalgia

I think there will come a time when we all look at social media differently.

Maybe I'm getting older. Maybe I'm just spending too much time online. Either way, I've been paying more attention to the way I use social media lately, especially now that I have a lot more free time than usual.

Like most people, I know there's a problem with overconsumption. Endless scrolling, short attention spans, algorithms feeding us content we didn't ask for. We've heard it all before.

But what keeps bringing me back?

That question made me think about the kind of content I consume today compared to five years ago.

Back then, I was deep into memes, shitposting, and whatever absurd thing the internet was laughing at that week. I even ran a meme account for a while (I still do, just not as much). Most of my online experience revolved around being entertained, and that's it.

Now, I find myself stopping for completely different things.

A photo of a tree with the right song in the background. A nostalgic sports edit. Local news from my hometown. Random stuff that somehow feels more meaningful than another meme across my timeline.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the occasional joke, but something changed. And I don't think it's just me. I think it's just the way we share content on social media now — we've all gotten more self-aware.

Using Multiple Accounts

A lot of people (me included) have gotten more aware of who's seeing and interacting with the stuff they post. You don't need a big following to feel like there's some judgment coming your way.

Like, I'm probably not posting about the time I got drunk at a bar with my friends last week — what would my aunt think? She'd probably assume I do that every day (I wish), but I'm not blocking her either, lol.

So to avoid feeling uncomfortable sharing certain stuff with 'everyone,' a lot of people create spam accounts — privates. That's where I've seen the funniest, most organic, and honestly coolest stories from my mutuals. I feel privileged in some ways to be added to them. Like, why are you hiding this version of you from everyone else?

In my case, I use a pretty common replacement for the spam account: my main account, with a close friends list. Mostly people who won't judge me if I post something really personal or controversial, plus anyone I've recently started liking or want to get to know better.

And I know there are people who have both a close friends list and a spam account. Watch out with them. What version of themselves are they hiding even from their close friends? Really makes you think.

Anyway, my point is that people use social media to share their lifestyle or persona, just not with everyone, and that's okay. I'm people too. But I also admire the ones who are fearless enough to post anything without feeling judged. I think the goal is to feel more free, more 'you,' because of the impact social media can have, and will keep having, on how we're seen.

Imagine, like, ten years from now. Some of us could have kids by then (or die), and if they saw whatever you're posting today, would they be proud? Like what if they went through your spam account and saw you ranting about your job? They'd get to know you more, right? But what if all they had were your two posts on your main account? They'd be like, nah, my mom/dad was so boring. Moral of the story: if you're planning on having kids someday, maybe make sure you're posting the stuff you'd actually want them to see. And maybe when they're older, you tell them you had a spam or meme account, and they can still respect you.

I also imagine what it would've been like if social media existed when my parents were young, so I could see what they would've posted. I feel like they have a lot of cool stories or pictures they've forgotten, or just don't want to talk about.

That's why I think we're missing the bigger picture about social media. Eventually it's going to turn into this big memories platform, something to share with our close ones and outsiders too. It'll make everything clearer in the future. But it's also dangerous, depending on how the content is received. It could make you look bad too. And that's probably why I feel like I see more people trying to get rid of it.

What Kind of Content I Consume

I compared the type of content I've been consuming for the past five years and noticed how it evolved into something more existential and deep. Before, I was mostly in the shitposting, unserious area of the internet. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean I don't like memes anymore. I still catch a few here and there on my TL.

Now it's mostly nostalgia. And I feel like there's a bigger trend toward that kind of content right now. We've reached a point where I can dig up old tweets or archived IG posts and just feel nostalgic. And I see more people sharing that kind of stuff too.

It feels like we're circling back to the same thoughts. I'm not saying this is 'bad' per se, but everything feels a little more bland and unauthentic when it comes to content. I may sound like an old head, but maybe this new 'algorithm' changed us more than we realize. This is how I know I've reached unc status...

I'm also not trying to sound like I'm on some spiritual or woke shit like that, but I'd ask yourself: what are you actually trying to get from social media nowadays? For me, it's mostly random stuff. By random I mean stupid and serious at the same time. I try to keep it balanced.

I saw a reel the other day with highlights of Diego (a really good forgotten baller) with a deep existential caption. I never thought I'd see the day I felt connected to something like that. The nostalgia, the real deep meaning behind it, and the music was perfect. I smiled and liked the reel. And that's when I felt like I understood the whole point of social media nowadays: to comprehend and share your ✨identity✨.

Now, what do I actually want to do with social media? I would try to use it more as a platform to share this website and my personal thoughts. It just feels more natural and more me.

And yeah, I want to start using this website to cut down on my social media consumption. Maybe at some point get rid of it? Who knows.

I just miss the old Twitter days, man... good night.