#Internet interaction

[samynaseen]

I love art content, it being drawings, paintings, sewing, music, etc. I love art content.

But I'm struggling with finding my own artstyle for a while and I'm starting to feel stressed about it. I mean, i have the capacity to do something at least close to what i wish, but...What exactly i wish again? What is my objective? Why can't i feel satisfied?

I see so many pretty artstyles, some of them don't even need to be complex to be pretty but you can feel the essence of the artist on them. I really wanted to understand why can't i feel satisfied. It's like i have all the tools and knowing how to use them but struggling to actually making a piece.

I don't feel intimidate by other artists, i actually feel pretty inspired by them and i love seeing how different they can be and how people play with the colors and shape. But I can't help but feel a little sad that I can't look at my art and feel like: "hm, this is my artstyle, yes!" No, i feel more like a print machine trying to reproduce figures.

And there is an addiction to the fact that people on internet really scare me. I used to love chatting and meeting new people from different cultures and learn about them, and i still like this, except for the constant feeling of uneasy meanwhile i even consider doing this.

People are mean for no reason, are irresponsible, egoistic and victims for hurting another people, making what was supposed to be a great social media for interaction between artists and fans a hell to the artist, as people turn them into content machines and not humans beings that can feel and have needs like them.

So, before you harass someone to respond to you, before you do awkward things that make them feel uncomfortable, before you saying something bad or a criticism that the only purpose is being rude for some reason, before you interact with another person, at least think twice and remember that it can happen with you too.

I won't say that I'm saint, if anything, i would be happy if someone told me that I'm being pushy or making the other person uncomfortable, because i really don't want to do anything like that.

The thing is, i fear that i can cause this effect on people so i control myself, and yet i can make mistakes.

Everyone makes mistakes. What you learn from them and how you act after that defines what kind of person are you. Aren't it?

Anyways, i would really like having some tips or at least someone who struggled with this.

[invincible-selfxmade-punk]

Over the course of the weekend, I unfollowed about 300 blags that had not updated in more than a year. Most of them, I did not remember following. Some of them made me really sad to let go of, a lot of them were fan blogs that I guess people just gave up on or their taste changed? A few were corporate blogs, which was kind of funny. Because I think if they would have stuck with it, they would've been popular. Places like vanity fair enrolling stone.

2 or 3 of them. I could not bring myself to unfollow. Even though they had not updated in over 3 years period keep hoping that someone will come back to them. Because those people I was once really close to at 1 time or another.

Supposedly I have about 3100 followers and I follow about 1500 blogs but I really wonder so many of the people follow me are still active.

I usually only see about maybe 75 blogs that insistently post and interact with me.

[ferdifz]

Hmm...

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More:

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From Mike Drucker, the guy who brought us “Duck Discourse” on Twitter:

[reunitedinterlude]

phil trash number one

bonus:

[inkskinned]

you know, you know. no gods, no masters, no kings on pedestals. everyone is fallible. death of the author. you know! you are balanced about your intake of media - you allow the wiggle room, the grace, the gratitude, the skepticism. nobody above criticism.

but still. a weird gut-punch feeling, something akin to betrayal. you read the article. surprise! an author you love is actually: a serial fucking predator.

well, shit. what now. no, you knew he was a person (all people are), but now you're wondering - what have i overlooked by accident? what messages have i internalized that are strange and cruel? and also, like, what the fuck?

his actions lay a thick glaze on top of everything. like each place is now ruined, opaque in a new way. but okay, fine, you've done this before. you knew better, right? you've been betrayed by many a cherished childhood author.

still, this stickiness. fuck. can you pick up that book again. will you read it to your children. you've recommended it to others - will you ever do that again? and of course, of course, no parasocial relationships. you were theoretically above this kind of sentiment. but the artist informs the art, right.

so it's not something as clear-cut as feeling he owed you, specifically (a stranger) better behavior - just that you kind of, in a distant and odd way... sort of trusted him to do better. it's not like a real trust or something speakable, just the faint hope that the product (good books) was a thin representation of the soul. now it feels like the product (good? books?) was a mask. in some small or insignificant way, your previous support of this person lent them power. your money and your time and your laughter.

and the thing is - you have this terrible, echoing sensation. how many times will this happen? over and over. you find out that the singer you love is actually a predator. you learn over drinks that your favorite high school english teacher is in jail for what he did to her. you listen to the news idly and suddenly discover that a woman you used to idolize has been abusing her kids for an actual eon.

what can you touch without the static melting off. you can't even really complain about it too much (you were supposed to know better, and besides, you don't want the same re-split "it's not your fault, love what you love" basic advice), but now it's here. somehow, it feels like - you let him into your life.

it's not that things need to be pure or an artist has to be like, endlessly perfect, mindful. demure. it's more just this terrible truth that has been replayed through your veins so often it feels criminally vain. power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. did you want any one person to be worth that power?

it's just that he wrote books where he seemed to understand that. he seemed to know about hierarchies and unfair systems and bigotry and privilege. you thought they were books about what it means to struggle. you thought they were about having power and still using it for good rather than for control. he spooned you a narrative of being a good guy, a kind soul. you fucking bought what that fucking monster sold.

maybe that's why they were fantasies, after all.

[ziegenkind094]

their potential in tsc? unmatched

[fight-nights-at-freddys]

i am. so tired of people acting like the internet is made for kids, or is in any way kid-friendly, bc it’s just not. are there sites that are more catered to kids? yes, but that does not make the entire internet *for* kids.

social media sites in particular are not for children. just because an app says “13+” does not mean that A) 13 yr olds should be on the app, or B) that you suddenly don’t have to monitor your kids online experience, or block/filter certain things.

i’m also tired of pretending that the “you can look up anything on google and find explicit content” is a valid argument bc that has nothing to do with the creators of the content, but everything to do with the algorithm (and i’m tired of ppl acting like safe search doesn’t work. half of the time it censors perfectly normal content).

just. watch your damn kids on the internet. it ain’t my responsibility to do it for you, and i’m so over nsfw artists being blamed for, god forbid, putting what they want on their own pages.

[girlfishes]

Have y’all noticed how the misogyny of young men is treated as the effects of some internet trend called the “manosphere”.

As if the misogyny of these men is somehow unique. As if their fathers and grandfathers didn’t hold exactly the same opinions when they were teens and probably still do.

There is a perception that young men are backsliding from their previously held progressive values, but I think that young men were never progressive or feminist in the first place, even over the last ten years. They pretended to have those values so they could consider themselves good people, but as soon as large internet personalities showed them that misogyny is still considered acceptable all they had to do was remove the mask.

I’m not saying that men aren’t being radicalized online, but I think that researchers overstate this to the point that they forget that our society is still deeply misogynistic even without the internet.

[snarkspawn]

I really enjoy playing through tnp again like hi it's been a while

[overstimulated-autism-creature]

Placebo Meme

[colombinaa]

During the last months of being on radblr i’ve noticed a couple of accounts managed by teen girls; and i do appreciate women and girls of all ages entering feminism. However, there are safety measures to know and the first one is not writing that you’re a kid on the internet.

I’m in my early 20s and i can’t believe i’m saying this, but back in my day kids were taught to lie about our personal information. I know you probably think: “I’m writing i’m a minor, so adults that come across my blog will know and act accordingly as any adult should”. And i agree that’s how it should be. However, that’s a huge “I’M HERE!” to pedophiles.

Predators can fool people in real life, they are more than capable of doing it online too. They often make accounts in which they act like kids. They learn how to use the mini culture that teens create online to their advantage. They know that your blog is not controlled by a parent or any other guardian.

Some other shit i’ve seen them do is stuff like:

-Hi i’m XYZ, i work for this [organisation you follow/shown interest in] and i’d like to [ask for help]/[offer to participate in whatever]

Do NOT trust these things. Actual official workers do not reach out to you, especially if you got your teen age written on your bio. If you as a teen feminist are interested in going to public meetings or gatherings, only look for official resources (not individuals) and always go with a parent or a guardian.

The internet may not be real life, but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous.

For your safety, you gotta be on the internet with the assumption that everyone here is an adult you don’t know. “But what if grown ass people start engaging with me as if i’m an adult?” If anyone comes to your blog to bother or harass you in any way you have every right to block them immediately, no explanations needed. You can limit who can engage with your posts at any time. You don’t even need “logical” reasons to, don’t overthink it; if your gut is telling you to block someone then do it. Better safe than sorry. You don’t have to interact with anyone you don’t want here.

Unless it’s a friend’s or relative’s account, whom you know in real life, everyone on the internet is a stranger. Please beware of creeps.

[myfandomrealitea]

i worry that dni culture is leading to people not acctually understanding what the things they are talking about actually mean

As they are currently used, DNI's are just virtue flag waving. I always roll my eyes when I see them, especially when they're accompanied by death threats or slurs against the 'icky gross unwanted people.'

The thing about a DNI is that it requires two things:

The person you're attempting to dissuade actually being overt and/or public about their beliefs, values, caste, ect.

The same person actually respecting that DNI. Which the majority will not. Nazis do not care if they make you uncomfortable. TERFs so not care if you don't want them to read your self-insert fanfic. Religious bigots believe God wants them to harass you.

And, sure. DNI's are somewhat effective in terms of a symbiotic co-existence in online spaces between castes such as anti and proshipper, for example. Because in most cases if a proshipper sees themselves on your DNI they're just going to block you. But generally, that happens anyway. Most people do not actively want to interact with someone who believes they're an evil person, pedophile, ect.

DNI's at the moment are just another way for people to gain social brownie points, feel better about themselves, and flag wave to other likeminded people that they're not 'one of the bad ones' or 'one of the freaks.'

"Oooh but if I don't have a DNI about Nazis you're going to assume my blog is welcoming to them!"

I don't know about you, but personally, I have never assumed that. The default is that Nazis should not be welcome anywhere. I have never looked at a blog without a Nazi DNI and assumed said person was a Nazi or supportive of Nazis. The global default should be that being a Nazi is not acceptable anywhere, at any time.

"Whhah but I don't want icky proshippers reblogging my aesthetic autism moodboard!"

I could honestly not give less of a fuck. There are much bigger problems in real life and online than some 'icky evil (not) pedo' reblogging a few photos you stole and compiled and are trying to claim rights over.

[nostalgiclittlespace]

Agere internet safety 🛜

Since a lot of us have been sharing internet safety rules for the younger members of the community, I would also like to add:

Don’t click on random links! Especially if they’re from strangers!

Links can very easily lead to viruses and hacks, inappropriate or malicious content, etc. Even links that look like they are from YouTube or social media can be malware.

If you get random asks or comments with links, especially from anons, bots, blank, or suspicious blogs, delete it immediately; do not click it. Personally, I only click a link if it’s from a blog I am very familiar with, and I am certain of where the link will take me. Always exercise caution, and better safe than sorry. Similarly, check your browser to make sure any site you use is secure. If they aren’t, leave immediately. Again, this is avoid viruses and scams.

[twelve-thousand-pizzas]

Every day I hope that fandom will one day get back to normal. Like, eventually people will realize how stupid this whole discourse was and the pendulum will swing again. If you try to silence people for long enough, they‘ll grow sick of it and you’ll be overthrown. (Good riddance)

[batknot]

Internet Etiquette

Devastating! You just saw a take that you don't agree with! This is a check for reading comprehension and the practice of good faith. 

Analyze 

What emotion was this intended to inspire?

What was the goal the speaker was trying to achieve?

How could this be interpreted differently?

Is there context that would change the meaning?

Is the speaker qualified?

Reflect

What is your first reaction and why did you have that specific reaction?

Is it an issue that is harming you and/or did the group being harmed directly state that this harms them?

Do you accept the consequences that could result from interacting?

Is the speaker someone you can reason with?

What assumptions are you making about the speaker?

Speak

What is the goal of your words?

What audience are you catering towards?

Are you talking to the person with respect?

How could your words be interpreted differently?

What reaction will people have towards your words and how is it being achieved?

[abirddogmoment]

It drives me crazy how people will label independent thinking dogs as slow or stubborn. It's a different flavour of intelligence, not less.