17/01/2020

The archive contains older posts which may no longer reflect my current views.

# Liked: Rebecca Toh - The Old Internet...

"...for now we can take back the internet by going back to creating our own websites and blogs and even newsletters and relying less, far less, on the cursed social networks."

I'm definitely all for taking back the web! I may have sworn off social networks for my own reasons but I think cursed is a bit much; there is undoubtedly good that can come from their use. My wife, for example, is the reverend for an online church holding services, other events, and performing sermons via Facebook Live video. Now, that couldn't happen very easily without such a network.

But there are a lot of problems, not least the image painted by Rebecca of a "faceless person scrolling down a screen endlessly for all eternity, but yet for whom satisfaction never comes."

Use of social media should be intentional, not be the default fallback when bored, the mindless time sink through which we compare ourselves to others and, due to the perils of manufactured perfection, so often come up short.

It is good, therefore, to see when folks like Rebecca state that her site will continue as:

"... A repository for my thoughts and my internet identity... my private playground, my own little corner of the neighbourhood... where I can document my obsessions and do pretty much anything I want."

Also, that "there are no rules" governing what she will post.

Brilliant! A perfect #indieweb attitude.

As I have said, my blog and email addresses are the canonical representation of me on the internet and that's just how it should be, not allowing the public facing version of ourselves to be at the mercy of a third party.

I was put on to Rebecca by Patrick and subscribing was a no brainer.

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# I've gotten so used to seeing the blog in dark mode that it always comes as a shock when it's not. I also had to re-theme the wp-login page. I just HAD to.