For me social media isn't a pressing need. It's there and i use it, but most of the time it's just a magnet for controversy. I usually show up at G+ almost daily to find a handful of acquaintances and an army of blue-head trolls and angst-ridden conspiracy theorists (Left and Right wing inspired) ready to confront literally any rational statement. I don't think this is uncommon in any social media, so i don't blame G+ specifically...it just seems to be human nature. I don't expect that whatever (if anything) replaces it will any better or worse.
I didn't come to G+ to establish a following or create a cult of personality....In fact i don't even know what made me use it to begin with. I don't care if i have one "follower" or 3k. I didn't know anyone there when i came. It was just sort of an amusement that took the place of Twitter when i left there. I can't say i'm sorry to be off Twitter either. Twitter, once a great place for debate and sharing, has become a wasteland of unfiltered hogwash and combative acrimony....a place where the absolute worst elements of society get to have their 140 words of fame.
...Needless to say, i won't be returning there.
I've been frequenting Facebook for some time. The difference there being that i know personally just about all of the people i interact with. I have to admit it can become pretty tense when you have to deal with friends and family who are prone to prejudice, misinformation and Trumpism....but such is the world we live in. The 2016 election and the vindication of extreme Right-wing ideology that came with it has brought all of the bigots, racists, fascists, conspiracy theorists and so-called "Libertarians" out of the closet. It was somewhat of a rude awakening for me....but also a pleasant surprise in some instances. The people i knew in the past to be bigots still hadn't gained any more understanding of their fellow man over the years, but some people i thought were likely to lean Right actually turned out to be Progressives!
I will neither celebrate nor mourn the going of G+.....I don't believe it ever really lived up to its potential anyway. The few people there who i've interacted with positively can look me up on Facebook or Youtube if they like...or not. I know Facebook is supposed to be one of the great Liberal Satans (along with Amazon, McDs, Starbucks and literally any corporate or financial entity larger than a lemonade stand), but internet access comes at a price, and any social media is going to have its flaws.
Posting and defending your opinions publicly as yourself (not using an assumed name or handle) has its drawbacks. Confronting people you know personally will cause tension and often resentment. It won't likely make you popular with everyone. But if your convictions are genuine, you'll retain them no matter where you go. No one said it would be easy....
