You guys!
We did it. It’s Thanksgiving week. We made it. This year has felt extra long, right? What, with all the…stuff that has happened. Oh, and all the other things, too. You know. Everything has been and continues to be a lot. But we’re finally here. The home stretch to the new year begins now, with the day of the large American bird feast that we all know and love.
Judging by the feeds of everyone from your aunt to your favorite shoe company, social media tends to get pretty lit around the holiday season. Combine that with that fact that, as you may have predicted, we all use these tools now more than ever, maybe, just maybe we all may feel a little fatigued from scrollin’ and grammin’. I hope that isn’t too objectionable to suggest.
We’re feeling it too. I asked some of my fellow Blasters how they felt about disconnecting from their social feeds during this long Thanksgiving weekend we’re about to have, and they gave some pretty valid arguments for laying low online. We use this stuff for a living! So their perspectives are valuable! Read on.
Valerie: You’re Not Missing Out On Much
“We all know that lots of people will be powering through some uncomfortable, heated and politically charged conversations across the table with their extended families this Thanksgiving,” Valerie says. “When those conversations happen and relatives say things that the people you follow on social media do not like, those people will inevitably take to Twitter or Facebook to rant. The angry recaps of what Uncle Whatshisname said before your favorite Twitter personality even got a glass of wine will surely continue throughout the next week, so you won’t miss much if you take a break for your own peace of mind.”
Jessie: Plus, Fake News Is So Hot Right Now
“It’s probably best to avoid social media because there could be a controversial article that could start a family feud, and the fight would have been for naught, because the article was a hoax or some kind of fake,” Jessie says. With all this talk of dubious news sources proliferating into our more susceptible friends and relatives’ Facebooks feeds, perhaps it’s best to step away entirely for a weekend.
Kyle: Our Thanksgiving Meals Are All Kind Of The Same Anyway
“I’d like to stay off of it to avoid looking at everyone’s T-giving meal pics,” Kyle says. “I guarantee you that all of ours pretty much look a lot alike. No need to share. Like a lot of us, I have a pretty low tolerance for unoriginal content.” Wow. You heard it here first, folks.
U don't have to wait until Thanksgiving Day to enjoy a turkey dinner. Now avail @DennysDiner. #dennysdiners #ad https://t.co/72gzMsBy4j pic.twitter.com/ylakCnHqAE
— Mary@LetsPlayOC (@LetsPlayOC) October 26, 2016
Plus, you get to avoid seeing this stuff.
Justin: Besides, We’re All Just Dust in the Wind
“Power down your devices,” Justin says. “Enjoy a few glasses of wine, beer, spirits, or whatever helps you relax during the holiday. Stuff your face full of food and remember that we live on a pale blue dot revolving around a yellow star in the Milky Way subgroup of the Virgo supercluster, and eventually that star will grow into a red giant that will consume us all in it’s loving, fiery embrace. And the universe will barely notice.” True.
You can’t do this properly if you’re livestreaming it.
Anaïs: So Remember, Dummies, It’s Thanksgiving
“Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on the things we are lucky enough to have in this lifetime,” says Anaïs. “Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what’s happening in my digital world that I forget that the best things happen offline. Taking a break from social during the holidays helps me appreciate the many blessings in my life that I often take for granted.”
If there’s any big message to take away from all of this, it’s that one. It’s a heated time for all of us right now. Let’s make the most of this Thanksgiving holiday, regardless of how much time you’ll spend on social.
