zlacker

>>joeman+(OP)
This advice to quit social media is always a hit on HN. When I was 10 years younger I read the same thing on HN, was thoroughly convinced and quit social media. I even followed the advice of trying to stay in touch by email. Sure.

Turns out that a lot of people I knew posted huge life updates that I completely missed out on. I asked them why they didn’t tell me and they were confused. They said the posted it on social media. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know a lack of social media meant that I have lost touch with old acquaintances completely. I have a few close friends and that’s it.

Maybe that’s an ok tradeoff to make, but it’s worth knowing that before getting into it.

>>nindal+a7
I think it's perfectly fine to learn about huge life updates from people the next time you actually speak with them. That seems normal.

Seeing people's updates on a wall isn't truly keeping up with friends. Keeping up and staying in touch requires consistent deliberate effort from both parties, via phone calls, messaging, and seeing each other in person. If you're not doing that with someone, then yeah, learning about life updates when you actually chat and catch up just makes sense to me.

>>aaarrm+Md
Plus it's a lot more personal and meaningful when you can discuss the changes directly rather than on an impersonal "public" forum.

>>jjuliu+de
Right, and when I meet up with a friend in person to catch up (whether it's a close friend who I see weekly or a less-close friend who I see once or twice a year), we both give each other those life updates in a personally-tailored manner that perfectly fits the nature of our relationship with each other. That's how I want my interactions with people to be.