Everyone on Social Media is Sad

You are Sad While Scrolling

You are looking for something. Either you are bored or lonely, you for sure aren’t happy while scanning your social media feeds.

What are you looking for?

Excitement? Love? Acknowledgement? A marketer looking for new leads?

I’ve thought about this for a while, and the most concise answer I have is that we are all looking for a connection.

Not just any connection, but one that gives your status. More likes = more reach. More reach = more sales, dates, social options, an new job or all four (everything is a sale).

I think about these things a lot lately because I haven’t been seeing much connection on my social networks.

I shut my real Facebook down years ago, sick of the constant need to feed the feed, all for 10 seconds of fame. I wanted to discuss important topics, and Facebook was not the platform for that. How could I compete with cleavage shots, babies and dogs?

Now, I’m pretty active on LinkedIn and Twitter, but my followers and connections aren’t, at least when it comes to my posts.

My average LinkedIn post gets one like, and that’s after about a week. My Tweets will get an occasional heart or re-tweet. I have over 1300 connections and followers on each platform, respectively.

Why Does Nobody Like Me?

What’s going on here? Am I that putrid that no one likes me? Can’t be.

I’ve written previously about the decline of social media, or more so, the watering down of reach by corporate interests. I understand that more people are on social networks than ever. It’s just that the quality of connections has fallen drastically.

I know people see my posts and content, they just don’t interact with it. People align themselves with those they think can benefit them; justify their standpoint. Based on the popularity of my posts, they clearly don’t see that in me or my messages. I’ll take full responsibility for that.

But most people are getting the same response that I am: none. The just post aimlessly because it’s what the latest social media guru told them to do.

What if, instead, all the social media ‘losers” interacted with each other, instead of linking and sharing the “safe” popular posts and content?

I’m looking for answers; I’m looking for connection, too.

 

Rich People Are Happy

I just met with the owner of my last employer. He is very well off, having built a thriving company with revenue in the tens of millions. A great guy, too.

He hasn’t managed his social media in years. He doesn’t post to LinkedIn, his secretary or marketing department does. He is happy.

One of my favorite authors, Michael Lewis, doesn’t even have a twitter account. Doesn’t need one. Super successful, and, I’m sure, super happy.

Rich, successful people don’t need more friends, they have enough of them. They might want more connections, like various self-help masters, but that is only from a marketing standpoint. They most likely aren’t reading your comments, and surely aren’t scanning their news feeds.

They have big, fulfilling lives. When they’re lonely, they go out and spend money. They hire someone they like. They go on a retreat or vacation with their family. They go have fun or build there business because they can.

So Where Does This Leave Us?

I’m not very happy right now. It’s mid morning on a Sunday, my son is at the park with his mother, and I’m wrapping up this blog post. Why?

I think it will make a difference. I like to challenge people. I like to connect. I like to find the right answer, and need others to confirm and praise, or argue their objections.

I believe that the only why I will get what I want is if I change the way things are. What gives me hope is that I have before, and believe I can in the future, make changes to peoples views or my own to make the world more fair and equitable.

To do this, I need your feedback, in the form of a comment or share. We are here to help each other. I feel better already 🙂