For the past week, a lot of my Twitter followers have noted that I’ve been M.I.A. (missing in action). And I have. To be honest, I’ve gotten a little bored with socializing online. That’s not to say I’m tired of talking to my friends online. I touched basis with Cyndy (a.k.a. the other Louis Gray) just last night. Last week, I had not one but two conversations with my sexy-man/partner in crime Chris Miller. However, all of these conversations took place offline.
Let me state beforehand that I find this post a little difficult to write. How can you elaborate on a sentence that explains it all: I’m sick of socializing online! It’s not the entire online social experience that I’m sick of though. It’s different elements that are starting to either bore me or annoy me.
This post was inspired by Is Social Over-Hyped?
Repetitive Conversations
A friend of mine once asked my why I kept posting about the same service over and over (Twitter was that service). I told her because there were various aspects of the service that I felt were unexplored that I could add some input to……and I needed something to post about. However, her question has been haunting me lately because our little bubble of web 2.0, silicon valley, and social media can get pretty repetitive.
I couldn’t write about a different service because there was nothing out that was of interest to me. On the other hand, there weren’t many meaningful discussions to contribute to either. Either I had nothing to say about the subject, or what I was thinking had already been said. There’s no point in rehashing a point just for the sake of saying something different. This is how I’ve been feeling lately.
Reading & Blogging Became A Chore
I’ve let my unread articles in Google Reader stack up to ridiculous amounts for the past few weeks. I’m sick of reading. It’s becoming a chore that I’d rather put off for various reason.
- There’s nothing new of interest.
- The conversations are all the same.
- I don’t feel like searching for new content.
I think I may be discovering that I’m one of those people that doesn’t like a lot of order. I like things to switch up every now and again. However, the section of the blogosphere that I’m interested in has a hit a plateau and in turn, so has my blogging. Once again, it’s all too repetitive to the point of tedium.
Plateau in Innovation and Creation
All the latest sites and services are all the same to me. Clones. Clones that do one feature better than the original. Clones that don’t have any of the features that the original has. Clones that are playing catch-up and clones that should have never seen the light of day because the original was a dumb idea to begin with. There’s nothing to talk about because there really isn’t any “real”” news. Innovation is at an all time low and we’re all suckers for it because something is better than nothing. Well, screw that!
A Hiatus on the Horizon?
No, I won’t be taking a hiatus. I still love this too much. However, content from SheGeeks will be on the slow side. I refuse to post just for the sake of posting. I want to add something new, if not original to the conversation. I want to discuss something different, something exciting, something….moving. That’s how FriendFeed and Twitter were when I first discovered them: exciting and moving. Where are the services, theories, and concepts that can accomplish that same feeling, while being of interest to me?
Boots in summer seems impossible, but in winter it is people’s vourite Timberland Shoes necessity. There are various of boots in the market, UGG Boots, high-heel boots and so on. Each of them has their special customers. But just Timberland is the whole ages choose.Timberland has the most excellent type of casual and working boots. In its over 25 years of existence, Timberland Company has initiated a wide number of state of the art technologies in shoes to provide only the best quality. Timberland was the one of the first companies to create the first ever guaranteed waterproof leather boots. After coming up with this, Timberland has since earned the reputation for making first-rate, rugged footwear. Timberland boots are perhaps the toughest shoes to date. Each boot has been carefully crafted and beautifully designed for daily wear by hardworking professionals who deserve only the durability, comfort and floor protection that they need on the job. Timberland’s work boots include safety steel toe as well as non-steel type shoes and boots that you can choose depending on your needs.It is innovation, creativity as well as a premier commitment to quality that has made Timberland become one of the top brands in footwear both for men and women. Timberland shoes are dependable, durable, rugged – these boots are designed to take you wherever the road takes you, whatever the weather or the terrain. Combine this with the signature style of Timberland that is distinct to its footwear, you have just the perfect pair of shoes you can ever get.Long period of development achieve Timberland’s special views of boots. From kids boots to adult boots, it is best choice for women to choose. The New timberland boots has invent their boots to Timberland Boots stylish line of materials. Without luxury line of design, Timberland boots feature is the waterproof sole that can protect your foot from water. Benefit of it is the price, whole year discount is Timberland’s new policy.Through the development of 20 years, Timberland Boots Sale has become a mouth-watering prestige, won the manufacturing senior shoe.This boot is made with a washed hemp upper, which makes it an earth-friendly style option. Hemp is a renewable resource that needs little water to grow and utilizes almost no chemicals while it is being cultivated. It is very wise for customers to own one, because use of Timberland boots can last for several Cheap Timberland boots years without waste your money. However, it is also wise for women to find real one with cheap price There are many advantages in today’s buying and selling cheap Timberland boots through the Internet as you have the opportunity to compare styles, prices and without having to leave your home fresh and the product directly to your door. Without wasting of time, you will get the happiness of family safety by buying Timberland boots.
Yes for that we can say you are wise. We must be patient in every section in ur life, don't let the anger consume us.
Yes i agree with you.
Yes for that we can say you are wise. We must be patient in every section in ur life, don't let the anger consume us.
Yes for that we can say you are wise. We must be patient in every section in ur life, don't let the anger consume us.
Yes i agree with you.
Perhaps you could diversify into the other interesting topics occasionally or techno topics with a touch of personal thoughts, views and feelings.
We all get “burnt out” at one time or another but don't go into procrastination mode. That's why we all need to break away it all and come back refreshed and eager to take on new challenges.
Any writer that can continually gather interest is a good writer. It all starts with a good title for any blog post.
I don't know about you but I hate stalkers. Sometimes it get's really irritating. Don't you agree?
Clones are everywhere. In fact, Twitter and Friendfeed shares similar concept and like wise for many social networks or bookmarking sites out there. Take a break from social networks and you will find them more interesting on your next login.
Rif Chia
Agree, every blogger will have their own insights on different matters. Not 2 bloggers are alike.
I think everybody have times when they will just get burnt out. It's good that you take a break and come back with more good stuff.
It's not the content, it's the style of writing that matters.
Hey, just had to chime in as well. I was overwhelmed and addicted to web 2.0 since I got a cafemom account back in April. Since then, I have discovered many things in the web 2.0 world, but too, like many, I am getting board, tired, nothing is new and interesting. I try and google some new site, but its just the sam bla bla bla. I recently got a Tumblr account, thinking that would help, but not really. A week into it, I am bored there as well. I don't know what it is, or what I want, but all these sites are really looking the same, whether its a social network, blog, or other. I don't know…….
I'm not getting burned out. Leave my computer? Take my head away from the mobile? That's absolutely batshit crazy stuff. What, are you nuts? Now I expect you are going to say you are reading a book….and not on the Kindle!
Well, according to Robert Scoble, we'll have that problem in five to six years. Assuming Twitter gets its scalability act together by then. ;-)
lol I totally understand.
However, think what if everyone had caught on? Then you'd be bombarded and overloaded with information, questions, and responses from every direction. How would you feel about that?
Well, count me among the people who noticed your absence. I definitely see where you're coming from — there are only so many times we can write about what's already out there.
What's fascinating is that your experience is yet another example of how far removed our online experience is from normal people's: here we are bored to death with tools they haven't even heard of yet.
This is really starting to hit home for me since my daughter left for college in Australia, and Skype and iChat have become our primary mode of contact. Suddenly I'm frustrated with the non-geeks among my peers — i.e., everyone in my real life — because they're not using chat tools, let alone social tools. And email just seems so slow!
Ahh the love/hate relationship we all have with social interaction. And speaking of relationships, the pattern here is very similar to the pattern that friendships often follow; we meet a new person who is exciting and new (let's call this person Twitter). Twitter is a wonderful motivating force in our social life at the start. She gets us retelling all our old stories again, but that's ok because she's interested in them, and her stories add something new to our old ones. And since she's so great we *must* introduce her to all our friends.
Time passes, the relationship evolves, the honeymoon period ends, and we realise the friendship has changed substantially. Perhaps we don't find Twitter so interesting any more and our friendship fades and passes. Or perhaps we settle into a comfortable style of rapport which doesn't need very much interaction at all. Or perhaps, just maybe the honeymoon doesn't end and the intensity of our initial connection grows into one of those wonderful, life-long partnerships.
There's also a possible comparison with one's relationship with anything which becomes popular, whether it be music, TV shows, books, fashion, ideologies, etc. Popularity decreases the signal-to-noise ratio, so keeping track of the true signal requires more and more effort, or more and more tolerance of the ubiquitous noise.
So what do you do when anything you enjoy starts to lose its appeal?
Sounds like allowing this one to settle into a less frequent but more meaningful style of interaction is a good option for you at this point in time, while you also go find some new friends :)
Since I started blogging in 2001, I always find a way to take a little break now and then. It's the only way you can stay fresh and interesting. Take a break, go live in RL, and then come back like a baby with fresh views on everything — even if there isn't anything new to talk about.
And Aaron makes a really important point — at least for the reading part. You've got to find new outlets to inspire you. Just because everyone says we all should be reading person X or Y, doesn't mean we have to. And honestly, FriendFeed and Twitter isn't all there is to life. Granted, your specialty is social media — so that's what you cover but social media is all around us, everywhere, not just in these places.
I think you'll be alright. Give yourself a break, you've been going at this like gangbusters for a while now. Just take your little breather and then you'll be revived.
You're right to avoid “blogging for the sake of blogging”. Blogging is about wanting to share things. If you start looking for things to share, then in my opinion you're on the wrong track.
It's not an arms race.
All the best!
Be a discussion starter, eh? I almost want to say that having a requisite amount of clout is necessary to start, rather than piggyback, but I'm not entirely certain…
If I get too desperate, maybe I'll just go through my neighborhood throwing rocks through people's windows. That's news, right?
That's exactly why I've been M.I.A. I'm enjoying my “real life” a lot more than my online life. However, it's not interfering to the point where RL is the reason why I'm not online. It's more like my RL is just more interesting right now.
I think I do interesting stuff all day as well and you're right, I probably do need to find a way to blog about those interesting things. Much easier said than done indeed lol.
I hear you. Using social media to talk about social media is beginning to feel like going to a party and spending all night talking about how parties work. Geez, tell a joke or dance or something!
“Reading & Blogging Became A Chore” — definitely feel you on this. I think Aaron's suggestion is a good answer.
Surely we have more things in life that interest us other than social media/tech. I find I've been spending a lot more time IRL than online lately.
Corvida, you are the boy who cried, “The emperor isn't wearing any clothes.”
Anytime things start getting boring for me in any facet of life, well…I do something different. I know, that sounds like a smart-ass statement, but it's true. Stepping outside of my comfort zone has always helped me to grow and has kept me from getting bored.
Whether it was exploring different genres of music to create/listen to, blogging, books I was reading…anything. Sometimes it benefits you to take a step back from your life, examine it, and then tackle it from a different angle :)
I guess I'll have to start branching out of my niche then. I'm just not sure I'm in the mood for learning something new.
Just make it. I wonder if simply talking about something different on your own would help. Be a discussion starter? But then you need to think of something to discuss.
Got it
Thankyouthankyouthankyou.
I've been experiencing the same malaise, and when managing/reporting/participating in all this is your job, it becomes really hard knowing how to handle it.
One thing that's still been at least somewhat interesting to me, when I've had time, is to devote some brain power to thinking about some of this online stuff, but think about it from a completely different perspective (often completely non-technically). Comparisons and contrasts of ideas of community with different cultures I'm familiar with, etc. It's helped me stretch away from the same ol' same ol' a bit, and I am hoping helps with the writer's… ennui? (Not block, exactly.)
While this is new for me, I think it's got to happen to anyone who lives online a lot, whether for work, pleasure, or both. Keeping an eye on those who're far more immersed than I am and seeing how they deal or disconnect I hope will help me figure out my best balance, too.
I'm sure you will be good at anything that you do or learn…when you feel like doing or learning something new. Either way I sure do like reading what you have to say and mixing things up a bit isn't a bad thing.
I feel the same way sometimes. I do think you should only write when you find something interesting, but it's a lot easier to find “interesting” when you're open to it. I'm sure you do interesting stuff all day, you just have realize it and to write it down. I know that's much easier said than done.
I think people become really repetitive when they worry about stats, worry about publicity (and try and write open letters to the internet instead of some real thought provoking content), or worry about sounding stupid. Lately I've found that when none of that matters, I end up with some of my best stuff.
Okay, so screw it, who cares if it's hard: how do we make some news?
Hey, I've felt like that before!
I think a perfect writing job is one where you are able to explore your passions and not limit your blog to one niche or aspect of a niche. I think social media sites, tools, or gadgets are cool. But by just reiterating information there is only a certain level of value that you can potentially create. I think it is funner to at least explore new ways of using tools, or mashing them together to solve a problem. At the end of the day I'm not happy if I am not attempting to create value…no matter what I am doing.
That part will come in time if you want it, I think.
Emailed! :)
You are the second person to express the sentiment … Jason Calacanis retired from blogging recently and started a newsletter for some of the same reasons.
I'm getting a bit burnt out too. But I would take it as a good time to discover a new niche to read.
Reading about blogging and social media can only get old.
I used to think that I could just make my own news. Then I realized how friggin hard that is.
Could you email me more info on it or if you already posted about it just post the link here and share the wealth. :)
Shegeeks@shegeeks.net
That's funny, today I was just thinking: “Hm, what's Corvida been up to?”
I think a number of us feel the same, Corvida. Sometimes things just need to get mashed up a bit or, more likely, something new and worthwhile needs to come along.
I respect your intent to only post when you think there's something worth posting.
I totally know where you are coming from Corvida. I have lowered my blogging output as of late for several similar reasons to yours and a few others of my own. I also at times suffer blogger's burnout syndrome but I always seem to come back whenever something truly inspires me to do so.
Time to find some new people to interact with. I agree that the noisy people tend to all talk about the same things. But some people, myself included, are talking about other things that are fun and relevant to dive into. For instance, this week, we're doing “green” week and besides normal contributions from regular writers, there will be posts from guest contributors too.
In fact, to shake things up even more, would love it if you would guest post as well. :)
Corvida—thanks for being upfront about the echo chamber that lots of the social media blogosphere has become. Looking forward to reading your posts when something new and exciting catches your attention or your take on how these tools can be used to address real-world issues.
Thanks for the link Corvida! I definitely think it's repetitive . This month is also extremely slow … looks for things to ramp up in September … take advantage of this downtime!