Virtual communities, social media and link sharing

[halojedha]

So, Tumblr have kicked out adult content - maybe we'll see a resurgence of users on Dreamwidth?

Despite my recent posting hiatus (chronic illness blah blah) I'm interested in re-engaging with Dreamwidth. Not for adult content, for the most part, but as an alternative to Facebook. I've cut my Facebook usage back to the bare minimum: I've never installed the app on my phone, my stock reply on Messenger is to ask people to contact me on Signal or Whatsapp instead, I've disabled my feed in Chrome and Firefox on my laptop and PC, and (in theory) I only Facebook for events now - the one feature which is hard to replace.

In practice, I haven't figured out how to turn off my feed on my phone, so I do still find myself scrolling there - although I have got into the habit of using mbasic.facebook.com rather than m.facebook.com, so it only shows me a handful of posts at a time, and I have to actively quick a link to fetch more - which is more disruptive than the infinity scroll and, after a few clicks, reminds me to stop and do something else.

Anyway, my intention is to pretty much not post original content on FB at all and post it here instead. But I do still find myself sharing interesting links on FB which crop up in my feed, when I come across them while scrolling on my phone.

I recently found this recipe by siderea on how to build a virtual community on LJ/DW. To build engagement, she advises posting as many blegs (questions, asking for recommendations) as diary posts, and more pointers (links to interesting things online) than either. This kinda makes sense - diary posts can be hard to comment on, and pointers are likely to be shorter and feel lower-pressure, as well as being safe topics for small talk, and easier for people who don't know each other well to pitch in on.

Personally I like the way that LJ/DW encourage relative strangers to read and comment on each other's personal stuff, but I can see the wisdom of posting more quick link type posts. So far I've mostly used Dreamwidth for diary-type posts, and used Facebook for link sharing. Moving the links here would serve two purposes: it would cut down my engagement on Facebook by another degree, and it would maybe increase engagement here.

It's going to be tricky to make the switch - I only scroll my FB feed on my phone, and I haven't got the hang of DW posting from my phone yet. But I think it would keep me coming back to DW regularly enough that hopefully I'd avoid another hiatus like the ten week one that just happened.

--

The main issue I'm having with Dreamwidth is finding friends on here. When I created this account I wanted to start fresh, without a backlink to my previous DW/LJ identities. I posted a link friends-only on Facebook, but I don't know how many people saw it. At present, I'm pretty sure most of the people who follow my previous accounts, and who would still be interested in following me, don't know I'm here. Perhaps the answer is a friends-locked post on my old account, letting people know about this one - it would help old friends find me without linking new contacts back to my old accounts.

Anyway, if there are people you know I know who are on DW, but I'm not following them, please link us up!

Comments

[danohu]

Hi! Yeah, I'm not in *that* dissimilar a position. The chicken/egg problem of community-building is endlessly frustrating

[halojedha]

Hi hi! I checked out my old LJ feed, and found that very few people are still posting there, so I suspect building a community on here is going to be about connecting with new people, as well as tracking down old friends. I've just added a bunch of randoms - we'll see! It's nice to have a few more things showing up on my reading page, at least :)

[finch]

I'm on team "here instead of Tumblr because I run long" but I see Siderea's point. If nothing else, more posts makes DW more active, which in turn makes people going oh hey, it's active, I should post more. (Also I don't feel like I get a lot of engagement anywhere else either, so no big loss? XD)

It is nice to meet you!

[halojedha]

Nice to meet you too! Yes, it's a decent virtuous circle - and for some reason (maybe just familiarity with the platform) I find it easier to get stuck into finding/building a network on DW than I am on other social media I'm just starting to dip my toe into, like mastodon and diaspora. Something to do with finding the medium and long-form post format, without the pressure of feeling like a "blog", being more innately rewarding, so there's a pleasure to posting (and reading) even when interaction is minimal.

A village of Halots

[hairyears]

We'll see how a community develops here: I never really found one on Tumblr.

Meanwhile, thank you for inviting me here; and I am reminded that the difference between a community and a clique is in the pleasure in discovering goodwill in people utterly unlike ourselves.

I'm not at all sure that the social circles of the 'Old Days' in LiveJournal actually achieved that.

Re: A village of Halots

[halojedha]

I'm trying to figure out how to read your statement - am I being counted as a person utterly unlike yourself?

Personally I'm fine with creating a likeminded bubble, particularly in this context: my professional persona is public-facing and regularly engages with people who have differing, even hostile opinions, so for my personal journal finding sympathetic readers is a welcome relief. I think of "cliques" as being exclusionary, whereas in my experience LJ and DW are anything but - people are hungry for readers and, as you say, the pleasure in connecting with strangers and discovering goodwill. This journal (unlike some of my other projects) is not aiming to change the world, but to give me social connection and opportunities for processing and reflecting. If everyone who finds it has something in common with me, I'm perfectly happy with that.

[charlie]

Hello, good to see you here :)

I am also having the same feelings with regards to FB. I'll maybe look in on it once a few days on a browser to check for notifications, but otherwise it largely seems to have been meme-repost-book, and I just don't have the energy spare to trawl through those posts to get to the few actual posts where people are sharing things - which I feel bad about for missing the few important things which people do post about, but I just can't carry the cost it takes to get to that point. if that makes any sense!

[halojedha]

Hello! Yes, that makes sense. For me it's not so much that I dislike my feed, as that I don't want to give Facebook my data, or endorse their shady business practices - and the more I lurk, the harder it is to avoid posting. The ethos of DW is something I can much more wholeheartedly support.

[mr_magicfingers]

Maybe we can rebuild here. Like you, I'm finding myself wanting to come off facebook, I keep considering deactivating my account but it's where everyone is and I'm fucking lonely enough down here in the wilds. If I deactivate FB I won't know what anyone is up to. Mind you, I wouldn't feel quite so left out when I see everyone having get togethers and going out for fun events that I'm just not part of any more. Still trying to decide which would be better/worse for my mental health.

[halojedha]

Sending you so much love. Isolation and loneliness are horrible, aren't they - I've had a taste of that the last 2 months with fatigue so bad I can't leave the house. I'm compromising with reading FB but not posting on there for the most part - and I'm finding myself enjoying the interactions on here a lot more than on Facebook. I for one would be delighted if you started to post more!

[wildeabandon]

hjdoom is Oliver - he's not terribly active, but he checks in occasionally.

Do you know sfred? If not then you definitely should - they're active in trans-activism and the quaker community, and post and comment frequently.

I think you probably know jack - he's liv's husband, and posts interesting stuff about games and brain-hacking and writing amongst other things.

fluffymark doesn't post often, but I think he still reads. I'm not sure if you know his spouse, bellaluugosi but they are entirely fabulous.

[sfred]

I don't know whether we know each other yet, but I'm very happy to do mutual adding: you (H) seem like someone I would get on with.

[nwhyte]

Hi! Did we know each other on LJ?

[halojedha]

Yes, we did! We have Cambridge friends in common. I'll drop you a private message :)