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I never advocated not using Facebook as if I'm above it. I'm questioning regular usage of social media... obviously not everyone (incl. you) falls into these ca

I never advocated not using Facebook as if I'm above it. I'm questioning regular usage of social media... obviously not everyone (incl. you) falls into these categories, but can you imagine the great minds and innovators of our generation regularly Tweeting, engaging Instagram followers, and constantly updating their FB (if not for brand/ PR)?

morgante 11y ago
> an educated, independent thinker, someone who really tries to engage and understand the world and has discovered interesting opportunities which they pursue That certainly sounds like an attempt to insult those who do use Facebook. > but can you image the great minds and innovators of our generation [...] updating their FB? Absolutely, the same way that great minds of past generations had friends, went to social events, and wrote letters. Facebook is just the latest and easiest way to maintain the social bonds which are important to nearly all of us (including so-called "great minds"). I don't post status updates often (probably once a month), but I log into Facebook multiple times a day. It's great to see what my friends are up to and what they care about. If not for seeing my friend at SpaceX post about today's launch, I probably would have missed out on watching it. Get off your high horse. If you don't want to use Facebook, that's fine. That doesn't make those of us who do neanderthals.
- orthoganol 11y ago
  Well, you censored the bulk of my argument with the quote there :) It's regular, frequent usage... I don't think I've come close to calling anyone a neanderthal, sorry if this has riled some emotions. If you are younger, you will certainly have a lot more pressure to use it (you can be ostracized), so you probably should use it. Also, people tend to have a cognitive bias against judging themselves as conformist... myself included. We probably all are more than we would like to admit.
- a_bonobo 11y ago
  >Absolutely, the same way that great minds of past generations had friends, went to social events, and wrote letters. I recently read the Wulf's The Invention of Nature, a biography of Alexander von Humboldt - from the middle of his life up until his death Humboldt wrote 2000 to 3000 letters per year, crazy if you think how much work a "regular" letter is.
- probably_wrong 11y ago
  I accidentally downvoted you, sorry. Your point about the great minds of the past is spot on. There's a reason why people buy letters from famous painters. I'm sure Van Gogh would at least have had a twitter account.
  - orthoganol 11y ago
    Don't you think emails are the digital successor to personal letter writing, not broadcasting to a bunch of followers on Twitter? Anyways, based on artists I know - who aren't digital artists/ graphic designers, a scene where most tech companies are viewed as just an extension of greedy capitalism, I have serious doubts Van Gogh would be an active user on Twitter.
pedrosorio 11y ago
https://twitter.com/elonmusk https://twitter.com/elonmusk https://twitter.com/AndrewYNg https://twitter.com/AndrewYNg https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- y4mi 11y ago
  all three of your examples are within his first point though. > a) You have a career that requires some PR management
  - morgante 11y ago
    Neither Ng nor Carmack need Twitter accounts. Plenty of scientific and technical luminaries don't have them.
hoorayimhelping 11y ago
>as if I'm above it. Your post laid out three users of social media. One was a professional managing a brand. The other two were narcissists. If you're not above it, what were you trying to get at with that post?

morgante 11y ago

> an educated, independent thinker, someone who really tries to engage and understand the world and has discovered interesting opportunities which they pursue That certainly sounds like an attempt to insult those who do use Facebook. > but can you image the great minds and innovators of our generation [...] updating their FB? Absolutely, the same way that great minds of past generations had friends, went to social events, and wrote letters. Facebook is just the latest and easiest way to maintain the social bonds which are important to nearly all of us (including so-called "great minds"). I don't post status updates often (probably once a month), but I log into Facebook multiple times a day. It's great to see what my friends are up to and what they care about. If not for seeing my friend at SpaceX post about today's launch, I probably would have missed out on watching it. Get off your high horse. If you don't want to use Facebook, that's fine. That doesn't make those of us who do neanderthals.

orthoganol 11y ago
Well, you censored the bulk of my argument with the quote there :) It's regular, frequent usage... I don't think I've come close to calling anyone a neanderthal, sorry if this has riled some emotions. If you are younger, you will certainly have a lot more pressure to use it (you can be ostracized), so you probably should use it. Also, people tend to have a cognitive bias against judging themselves as conformist... myself included. We probably all are more than we would like to admit.
a_bonobo 11y ago
>Absolutely, the same way that great minds of past generations had friends, went to social events, and wrote letters. I recently read the Wulf's The Invention of Nature, a biography of Alexander von Humboldt - from the middle of his life up until his death Humboldt wrote 2000 to 3000 letters per year, crazy if you think how much work a "regular" letter is.
probably_wrong 11y ago
I accidentally downvoted you, sorry. Your point about the great minds of the past is spot on. There's a reason why people buy letters from famous painters. I'm sure Van Gogh would at least have had a twitter account.
- orthoganol 11y ago
  Don't you think emails are the digital successor to personal letter writing, not broadcasting to a bunch of followers on Twitter? Anyways, based on artists I know - who aren't digital artists/ graphic designers, a scene where most tech companies are viewed as just an extension of greedy capitalism, I have serious doubts Van Gogh would be an active user on Twitter.

pedrosorio 11y ago

https://twitter.com/elonmusk https://twitter.com/elonmusk https://twitter.com/AndrewYNg https://twitter.com/AndrewYNg https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
y4mi 11y ago
all three of your examples are within his first point though. > a) You have a career that requires some PR management
- morgante 11y ago
  Neither Ng nor Carmack need Twitter accounts. Plenty of scientific and technical luminaries don't have them.

hoorayimhelping 11y ago

>as if I'm above it. Your post laid out three users of social media. One was a professional managing a brand. The other two were narcissists. If you're not above it, what were you trying to get at with that post?