(no subject)
I remember when LJ was wonderful. I had amazing creative LJ friends who posted art, music, wonderful facts, thoughts, musings, photographs. There were great fights (and not miserable squabbles) and people would find each other though common interests and mutual friends. All that has not been true for a very long time. I realize that is obvious, but I still feel like I need to say it.
Also, the average age of LJ users has risen considerably; now it is an antidote to loneliness and depression for thousands of displaced older Russians, but we all aged as well.
At some point very early it became about the number of people who friended you and the number of comments you received on a given post, no more about the content. Some clever people figured out that if you end a post with a question you get 40 different opinions, so everyone began doing that.
I've considered asking questions about particular things, but find that anything I might need to learn I can just google and that's that. Or I call my friends who probably know the answer or can give good advice.
I also hate how all mystery has gone out of this place. Everyone settled on their real life friends, everyone knows who everyone is in real life; no one really cares about meeting new people. It is no longer a place for that.
Or in any case all of the above is my experience.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I do want to write down various life musings, and any attempt to start a blog outside of LJ has failed miserably.
SO I guess my point is that I am not sure why I am still here after ten years. Some of it is nostalgia. Some of it is the few amazing people I found and don't want to lose. Some of it is habit. I find that my need and desire for exhibitionism that initially excited me about this kind of forum has all but expired. For most of it I simply don't have time.
Not to mention FB.
And yet I am inexplicably drawn to reading about other people's lives and ongoings. I like to analyze writing styles, patterns, tricks and ploys. I like stumbling upon the occasional pearl of wisdom, a bit of good advice or an interesting story. I like to be a part of this community, as boring as it has become.
I don't know what to do, I am conflicted.
Also, the average age of LJ users has risen considerably; now it is an antidote to loneliness and depression for thousands of displaced older Russians, but we all aged as well.
At some point very early it became about the number of people who friended you and the number of comments you received on a given post, no more about the content. Some clever people figured out that if you end a post with a question you get 40 different opinions, so everyone began doing that.
I've considered asking questions about particular things, but find that anything I might need to learn I can just google and that's that. Or I call my friends who probably know the answer or can give good advice.
I also hate how all mystery has gone out of this place. Everyone settled on their real life friends, everyone knows who everyone is in real life; no one really cares about meeting new people. It is no longer a place for that.
Or in any case all of the above is my experience.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I do want to write down various life musings, and any attempt to start a blog outside of LJ has failed miserably.
SO I guess my point is that I am not sure why I am still here after ten years. Some of it is nostalgia. Some of it is the few amazing people I found and don't want to lose. Some of it is habit. I find that my need and desire for exhibitionism that initially excited me about this kind of forum has all but expired. For most of it I simply don't have time.
Not to mention FB.
And yet I am inexplicably drawn to reading about other people's lives and ongoings. I like to analyze writing styles, patterns, tricks and ploys. I like stumbling upon the occasional pearl of wisdom, a bit of good advice or an interesting story. I like to be a part of this community, as boring as it has become.
I don't know what to do, I am conflicted.