Reposted from Facebook.
I’m in a seven day penalty in Twitmo because I made an obvious joke about sp1ke proteins like tiny daggers flung from my body accompanied by a picture of the Pin Head character from the horror movie Hellraiser. In other words, a parody of the irrational fears of anti-vaccination people. Twitter decided my post and my account were dangerous and so I’m unable to post. I have declined to appeal my suspension. The monitors are guided by dull-witted algorithms anyway. Social media companies are private concerns. They can pretty much do what they want. But it it’s becoming clear that they are not worthy of our time or attention.
A lot of us just give away creativity for the sake of clever posts online. That is part of the genius of social media platforms. It’s so easy. That goes double for Facebook, actually. It’s helpful to recall that its origins were a sleazy project to rate women on the Harvard campus. I have been here only because people I care deeply for are here and as I slide into boomer decrepitude it’s comforting to stay in touch.
But there’s a price we pay. I’m sure y’all already know that if the service is free then you are the product. I’m weary of being a product, shaped into a consumer, monitored for the benefit of the social media companies. What we do on social media has nothing to do with free speech. We have become marketable meat puppets and I’m as prone to it as anyone. Maybe more, since I wallowed in mass media for so long and arrogantly thought I was immune to being manipulated. I don’t know what the solution is. But if I left I would miss y’all a lot. That makes me kind of a hostage and the product.
Huh. I’ll think about it. Meanwhile you know where to find me.
clydeleesmith at gmail dot com
unclaimedmysteries dot com
clydeleesmith dot com
Yerpla, C