What I thought about Medium,
comparing it with Facebook groups.
Why does Medium feel similar to Facebook Groups that I used to be a part of and what’s the difference between these two platform, to me…?
Similarity:
Several accounts commenting on the same topic or articles that caught my interest with their thoughts and it’s made some impressions on me. I bumped into their accounts many times and most of their thoughts are impressive, to me. I subconsciously and easily noted down these accounts. Although I might not follow their account but usually, I will notice and note these accounts subconsciously since I like their thoughts. It makes me feel like we are revolving around the same group and sometimes I’ll chime in without having to worry about being ignored. I don’t know them in real life so even if my comments are ignored, I lose nothing.
In real life, however, it will be super embarrassing for me if I tried to chime in, talk or share my thoughts out of nowhere and end up being ignored. I might be perceived as strange and have to face an astonished look from the people that think I have been eavesdropping. The ‘judgment’ is what I’m afraid of. I’ll also have to worry about what to exchange in the next moment if it were in real life so it didn’t end up awkwardly which wasn’t an issue in this virtual interaction.
Another similarity in this platform is some articles, or people agreed while some complained about certain things. Such as clapping, follow for follow, clickbait title, highlighting, the war between Russia and Ukraine, cryptocurrency, AI, racism, relationships, the collaboration between editors and writers, David Perlmutter, Tim Denning, about anything.
It’s normal though.
Pro and contradiction always happened in every setting, every place, every country, in everything.
In summary, my similar experience on Medium compared to Facebook is both are social media communities that connect their users. To me, I love the community that unites like-minded people where I could learn something for. Here, I become familiar with several accounts since I bumped into their writing or comments again and again, or even had some interactions with them. It’s the same experience when I’m still active in Facebook groups.
As for now, in this period of time of my life, this is a community where I spend my time learning and trying to connect outside my real life. I’m still hooked on this community so far.
The difference?
Between 2010–2014, I used to be active in Facebook Groups which are mainly Buddhist groups. Buddhism was what caught my interest at that moment and I learned a lot about Buddhism during that period. I even made some friends. Real friends. We gathered and meet in real life with the member's lives in the same area. We arrange some activities together and sometimes we bumped into the person in real life on some occasions because we are attending the same activity in the same places. We share moments together.
Though I lost most of these friends after I withdraw from the community in 2015, I still keep in touch with one of them almost every day, and we meet up once in a while. We becomes close friends after hanging out several times when I moved and work in the same area as hers.
With Medium, will I ever be connected with the members of this community in real world and become real friends knowing this community are mostly containing with people from different countries, with different cultures…?
I guess…. not likely.
Connections
It’s easier trying to connect with people in the virtual world compared to trying to connect with people in real life. And I love learning something that caught my interest through the internet ever since I know how to use the internet. My experiences in interacting with a stranger through the internet or social media are a lot more compared to my experiences in interacting with a stranger in real life. And usually, I will remember the people that I encounter in this virtual world if I have seen them often enough through the flat screen and it imprinted in my mind.
I’m not good at approaching strangers in real life because I’m cautious with strangers. While many solo travellers make friends along the way when they travel, I’m not. I always walk around and enjoy my travel by myself unless someone approaches me. I only approach strangers when there’s a need depending on the circumstances.
One memory that I will always remember about approaching a stranger is that I once approached an old man in the street one day, I told him that there was a bee on his shoulder in the hope that he will take the bee somewhere safe but end up witnessing him cast down the bee with his hand then stomped it with his foot and smiled at me! I was screaming in my head feeling guilty for my action that lead the bee for being killed and turned myself away without words immediately in disbelief. I shouldn’t have approached that old man and told him about the bee. Maybe the bee will live a little longer if I just ignored the sight and ignored that old man. Sigh…
Conclusion:
I compared Medium to Facebook because these two social media platform is the only platform that I used most in sharing my thoughts. I used to actively get engaged with people from Facebook groups, but not anymore. I deactivated my Facebook account years ago and life feels better.
Here, on this platform, besides being a place for me to learn, I acknowledge that I am looking for some connections in this period of life, virtually. I guess we all tried to make some connections through this virtual world because of one or another reason that hinders us from making a connection in real life.
What do you think…?
Topics I followed on this platform for now:
1. Death And Dying
2. Gratefulness
3. Gratitude
4. Life
5. Life Lessons
6. Love
7. Meditation
8. Mind Cafe
9. Philosophy
10. Poem
11. Poems On Medium
12. Poetry
13. Poetry On Medium
14. Psychology
15. Relationships
16. Self Improvement
17. Smile
18. Spirituality
19. Writing
