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I recently closed my Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit accounts. A week has passed since then and I have noticed that I have been really happy and optimistic. Proba

by dmode 8y ago

I recently closed my Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit accounts. A week has passed since then and I have noticed that I have been really happy and optimistic. Probably the happiest in the last 5 years. I am still tempted to take a glance at Reddit or Twitter. It is almost a drug like addiction. These platforms are designed to provoke, agitate, and make you mad. It was immensely bad for my mental health and I am sure for countless others. I was time and again drawn to all the negativity and it had a slow pervasive effect in changing my mood. I sincerely hope as a society we move away from these toxic social platforms and go back to the days when we used to have civil in person conversations

avip 8y ago
But can you close your HN account? That's the ultimate challenge.
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  Shouldn't only unhealthy social media accounts be closed? If anything, HN makes me a more thoughtful person because polite discourse is encouraged while poor discourse is reprimanded through mod actions (warnings and then bans).
- dmode 8y ago
  The HN Tesla threads do make me mad :) I can deal with it though
- jimmy1 8y ago
  I find HN more rewarding than any other social site I visit. Healthy discussions, engaging topics and interests, no clear political slant in either direction, with multiple groups and opinions represented (you know, real diversity of thought). Finally no ads being shoved down my throat unless its engaging content disguised as an advert that reaches the top, in which case I am OK with because at least the advertiser tried, and it got support enough to be upvoted and shared.
- taurath 8y ago
  I do think it’s a problem. Take anyone’s comment feed and you can cherry pick the most offensive or pointed arguments and create almost any narrative. Anyone else criticized a FAANG at some point but might want a job at one?

by dmode 8y ago

avip 8y ago

But can you close your HN account? That's the ultimate challenge.

toomuchtodo 8y ago
Shouldn't only unhealthy social media accounts be closed? If anything, HN makes me a more thoughtful person because polite discourse is encouraged while poor discourse is reprimanded through mod actions (warnings and then bans).
dmode 8y ago
The HN Tesla threads do make me mad :) I can deal with it though
jimmy1 8y ago
I find HN more rewarding than any other social site I visit. Healthy discussions, engaging topics and interests, no clear political slant in either direction, with multiple groups and opinions represented (you know, real diversity of thought). Finally no ads being shoved down my throat unless its engaging content disguised as an advert that reaches the top, in which case I am OK with because at least the advertiser tried, and it got support enough to be upvoted and shared.
taurath 8y ago
I do think it’s a problem. Take anyone’s comment feed and you can cherry pick the most offensive or pointed arguments and create almost any narrative. Anyone else criticized a FAANG at some point but might want a job at one?