I'm quiet quitting Twitter.
Three weeks ago I, for no particular reason, decided to re-examine my relationship with Twitter. I decided that I'm done(ish).
I uninstalled the app from my phone and tablet to stop myself from reflexively opening it. Then I set up Tweetdeck, an alternative user interface for Twitter, on my computer. I deleted the Home column, so I can keep up with direct messages and replies without being tempted to scroll through other people's tweets. I set up the notifications column to ignore likes and Retweets—I only want to see if an actual person is trying to talk to me. I call this quiet quitting Twitter and I've got to say: it feels really good. Calming, even.
I've known for a long time that website isn't good for me. A therapist I used to see asked me multiple times if I "needed" Twitter for work. I convinced myself I did—that the time I spent scrolling the site was, in some sense, "productive." But let's be real: on some level I was just addicted, because the platform is designed to be addictive. I know how deep my need for dopamine is and how much I looked to Twitter for it. I also knew how, during the Trump years and the pandemic, the site constantly whipped me into a state of anxiety.
At the same time, though, Twitter has been very important to me. I've made a lot of friends there, including a few I hang out with regularly. And I can trace most of the jobs and freelance gigs I've ever had to relationships I started on that site. It was the place where I "lived" online for a long time. But the truth is that it's been a terrible place to live for a long time, and the recent leadership change is pretty clearly going to double down on what made it so bad.
So I'm backing away. I don't want drama. I want community.
I'm done using my skill to create value for billionaires. From now on my relationship with Twitter is purely self-interested: I will post links to my own work for the purpose of self promotion and that's about it. I set up my computer so I can do it without ever opening Twitter—I write something, save it in a text document, then move that document to a particular folder where it gets automatically pushed to Twitter and LinkedIn. I get notifications for any replies, and I respond when appropriate, but that's it.
It's an appropriate compromise for me. I haven't quit Twitter, exactly, but I'm also not really active there. Where I'm really hanging out now is Mastodon. I sincerely believe that we, as a society, need to stop socializing on websites that are profit-driven and, in particular, dependent on advertising because the seemingly inevitable result is the mess of angerbait, doomscrolling, and misinformation we saw Facebook and Twitter become. Mastodon, though, is different.
Last week I published a guide to getting started on Mastodon for WIRED, which I think you should read. Here's how I describe Mastodon in it:
This isn't another startup. It’s not a company at all. It’s a community. There are no ads, no tracking, and no monetization whatsoever. This is a place shaped—at the cultural, design, and code level—by members of marginalized communities who wanted to escape the rage-driven onslaught of trolls and doomscrolling that define social media. A place built around connection and conversation instead of engagement.
I'm more excited about Mastodon than I've been about any technology for years. It honestly reminds me of the internet I used to know—one that was friendly, constructive, and optimistic. It's harder to get started with, which is why I wrote the guide, but it's worth it.
I don't think Mastodon will replace Twitter. I'm not sure if anything will replace Twitter, or if anything should replace Twitter. But it's replaced Twitter for me, and I know I'm not the only person that's true for. Oh, and here's how to find your Twitter friends on Mastodon, in case you want a little more help.
Other Stuff I Wrote
I published my first piece for The Atlantic, One Cord to Rule Them All, about how the EU is forcing Apple to use USB type-C on the iPhone. This, combined with the Mastodon articles blowing up, made the past week feel like a high water mark for my freelance career. I quit my full-time marketing job just over a year ago, and I couldn't be happier about that choice. Things are going really, really well, and I'm so thankful to everyone who helped me along the way—including you, dear reader. Anyway, here's some more articles I wrote:
- All the Free Resources You Can Find at Your Library Wired I love libraries so, so much.
- How to Get Slack's Paid Features for Free Wired Basically use Discord instead. I have a bunch more workarounds, though.
- Improve your focus by taking more breaks every day PopSci Take a break. Force yourself if you have to.
Also, my series of cloud storage reviews continues over at PCMag:
So yeah, I've been busy! I even did an interview with BBC Radio 5 about Mastodon and Twitter. It's been nuts and I'm ready for a break.
Stuff I've Been Doing
- I'm getting ready for a thanksgiving trip with friends! We're going to an undisclosed cabin in the eastern half of the state. It's going to be amazing.
- The Pumpkin Ale is kegged! It's really delicious and I'm bringing the entire keg to the previously mentioned cabin. Mira helped with fermentation:
- I also took a walk to visit a bunch of waterfalls during the perfect fall weather.
- We're all so lucky to be alive, friends. Talk to you in a few weeks.
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