When I joined Twitter in 2010, I was not impressed. “How do I reply to a tweet? What’s RT?” Oh, the innocence of it all. I became accustomed to the app with frequent use and 2 years into it, I was hooked. It’s 2021 and I can’t say the same. I no longer enjoy Twitter.
Once upon a time, Twitter was a place I went when I needed to escape real life. I made friends on there, some of whom I still have contact with till today. It was where we played games and had fun. It was different from the usual chatting on BBM and Facebook. Getting news in real-time gave us a connection that other social media platforms couldn’t provide. The reactions and opportunity to interact with people on other continents was a wholesome experience. It was social media at its finest. So what changed?
The Decline.
Firstly, influencers happened. These are people with large followings- the celebrities of Twitter. Influencer marketing became a thing and people aspired to become influencers at all costs even if it meant staging scandals, washing dirty linens on the timeline, and tweeting absurdities. This came with a level of toxicity that we had never seen before on any platform. Politicians also happened. Government officials opened Twitter accounts and this gave us insight into the minds and characters of people who are meant to have our best interests at heart. Although they hire influencers to do their biddings, those of us who know how the system now works can see through them. The events that led up to the 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria are enough proof of this.
Savagery is now the new cool. There is always someone waiting to give a savage reply to your tweet in the hopes that their reply goes viral. You may be thinking, “why not just block these people?” Well, it’s beyond that. Twitter is designed in such a way that your tweets can get to people who don’t even follow you just by any of your followers retweeting or quoting your tweet. Even though there are settings to curb some nuisances on your timeline, some tweets and people still find a way of getting back on your timeline.
Is it bad news? The rise of insecurity in Nigeria and the obvious decline of the economy, has made Twitter the home of bad news. Kidnappings, bombings, killings, and robberies are first known through Twitter. These days, you can’t scroll in peace because there’s bad news lurking around the corner waiting to jump at you. What’s even worse is that it feels so close to home because these are everyday people just like me and you. It brings the realization that these things can happen to you because we live in an insecure country.
The New Reality.
I took 3 weeks off Instagram in April and concentrated on Twitter to actually study this new reality. I felt drained after those 3 weeks and promised myself to take frequent breaks from the app.
It is often said that Instagram is fake and people only showcase the good parts of their life. If I may ask, what was the primary aim of social media? Do you expect me to post pictures of myself when I’m angry or sad? Social media is a place where we’re supposed to escape from the harsh realities of life and interact with people. But as they say, people ruin things.
I have chosen to find joy in other activities like getting new books, getting a bicycle to keep fit, journaling, watching comedy skits on Instagram and taking walks. I turned off notifications from apps on my phone because I don’t need to know about everything as it happens. This will keep me further away from social media and protect my mental health. We live in troubled times and it is only reasonable to cut off or minimize things that do not serve good purposes in our lives.
Hope April was good to you?
Welcome to May, friends! Wishing you the best as always.
