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Tommy Carcetti

(43,644 posts)
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 11:36 AM Nov 11

The practical problem for me about leaving Twitter.

Don't get me wrong. I do want to leave Twitter. I really, really, really want to leave Twitter.

I didn't really even like Twitter that much before Musk bought it and turned it into the Big Dumb X. I always was frustrated by its character limits and pandering to bad syntax. But on the other hand, it was such an excellent resource to keep ahead of breaking events and people's basic takes on just about every subject imaginable. So I gave in, and once I gave in, my usage of it has been pretty much daily.

Then Musk bought Twitter and what was already bad became infinitely worse.

But here's the thing--my usage for Twitter is only partly political. I also like to chime in on movies, sports, and any other subject under the sun for Twitter.

So now you have a lot of politically minded folk wanting--for very good reason--to migrate from Twitter to another platform not owned by a reprehensible person. Right now it seems Blue Sky is the alternate forum of choice. Before that it was Threads and before that, Mastadon.

But these people basically range exclusively from moderate to left politically, and their content is almost always political.

So it's not like a lot of non-political feeds I follow on Twitter are migrating to Blue Sky.

And I'll be completely honest--part of the appeal of Twitter is to occasionally to stick it to the man. Curse out or mock--say--Don Jr. on something stupid he posted. Or maybe Stephen Miller. Or--you get the idea.

No, they aren't likely reading it, but it's incredibly cathartic. It feels really good--like a truth to power moment just to tell Donald Trump "Fuck you" on his own Twitter feed.

And none of these guys are moving to Blue Sky, either.

So I'd migrate to Blue Sky (or whatever the Twitter alternative of the month is) and I'll follow all my political feeds there...but it would feel empty. Like an echo chamber. I'd just be re-affirming the views I already hold. And face it--I already have that here at DU, and it's a hell of a lot more fun to do that here than on Twitter or some similar social media platform.

Essentially, what I need is for Twitter to collapse on its own...and then whatever alternative rises from its ashes that everyone--political, non-political, left, right, etc.--join that when it happens.

18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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kedrys

(7,682 posts)
1. I use Twitter as a news aggregator.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 11:43 AM
Nov 11

I block the loonies, rarely post, and interact even less. I tend to use social media in antisocial ways. I did sign up on Threads, but I’m not leaving Twitter yet.

Beats me why I have followers, but hey.

maxrandb

(16,080 posts)
2. Well, you could go out and talk to people
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 11:51 AM
Nov 11

The thing about social media, is it's not very social

milestogo

(18,665 posts)
3. I'm on both.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 11:54 AM
Nov 11

Twitter has its purpose. For me its non political. As long as I can block the obnoxious its not a problem. I don't think any of us will achieve "purity" in this culture. The crap is integrated into everything.

blogslug

(38,708 posts)
4. Bluesky has 14.5 million users with many interests and communities
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 11:59 AM
Nov 11

Gaming, art, movies/tv, birds, public policy, scientists from every discipline, comedians. Senator Ron Wyden posts there regularly as do numerous elected officials and celebrities.

Join. Upload a profile image. Follow a bunch of accounts and post some stuff. They have Starter Packs that are collections of Bluesky accounts that you can follow in one click or pick and choose. Here's a nice one from TV Critic Alan Sepinwall:

https://bsky.app/starter-pack/sepinwall.bsky.social/3laoosnxlh723

Here's a searchable directory of starter packs for you to peruse:

https://blueskydirectory.com/starter-packs/all

Here's a YouTube playlist of Bluesky how-tos from author/illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi:

&list=PL9R5ehmf5_kEYRuALmEa5YUkjaAe7Ap1E

Silent Type

(7,713 posts)
5. Don't use it much, but I have managed to get a feed that doesn't include much white wing BS. If I do, as long
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 12:05 PM
Nov 11

as I can still post my 2-cents -- like screw that chit -- it's acceptable.

valleyrogue

(1,318 posts)
8. Twitter has its purpose.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 12:11 PM
Nov 11

There are a lot of non-political topics of interest to people like me. As mentioned, it is also a news aggregator.

Reddit is similar. For that matter, so is DU.

Self Esteem

(1,863 posts)
9. You gotta do what you gotta do but I quit twitter.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 12:30 PM
Nov 11

I've been on it for years. Have a lot of followers. Use it mostly as a sports/politics/entertainment stream of thought type thing.

But I can't support being associated with something tied to Trump as president.

I will not go back. It's hard and Threads/Bluesky aren't equal overall but it's not worth supporting Elon and Trump.

MotownPgh

(403 posts)
11. It wild how people can justify using
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 12:55 PM
Nov 11

A literally nazi-owned website. Just like Germans went along with them. Turn off your computer people. You won't die

MineralMan

(148,224 posts)
12. Uh, I'm not about telling others what to do.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 12:59 PM
Nov 11

I deal with my own stuff. I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are, nor why you seem to think it's OK to order others to do as you think best.

We don't need more people telling us what to do or not to do. Truly we don't.

MineralMan

(148,224 posts)
18. I disconnected from Twitter the day Musk took over.
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 01:25 PM
Nov 11

I even scrambled my password, in case my cancellation of the account didn't work.

So, do what you want to do. Do what you think is best. It's on you, not me.

Response to Tommy Carcetti (Original post)

Prairie Gates

(3,718 posts)
16. I wouldn't call "But I enjoy it" a practical concern...it would traditionally be classified as aesthetic
Mon Nov 11, 2024, 01:17 PM
Nov 11
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