“Actually, any fool who was offended by any half-sentence in any posting could have triggered this ban.”
an article by Walter Gröbchen in the Wiener Zeitung today , or I came across the article because we are connected on Facebook and he published this article on his profile. Gröbchen was blocked on Facebook for a week. He doesn't know the exact reason himself, which I can understand, since Facebook doesn't like clearly presenting a problem.
Turn off for a week. I've often thought about simply NOT using the internet at all, especially when I'm on vacation. So not only no use of social media, but also just not googling anything (you don't always have to know everything better), no checking emails, but also no route planner, no apps, no anything that requires a network connection.
Gröbchen's experiences after the forced break
By the way, I haven't dared to do it yet. I switch off for work on vacation, so I don't get involved in editorial chats or user inquiries, but I didn't dare to be completely unavailable. That's why it was particularly interesting for me to see what experiences Gröbchen had during the week. These were definitely divided into two parts: Yes, it's great that you finally have time again for other activities that were otherwise inferior to social media time. There is no denying it: many of us use the Internet every day, especially to hang out on social networks.
However, this also means that we have created a constant availability or presence through which we can be contacted. So what if we no longer (can) respond to incoming communication? Like in the event of a lockdown? In the end, I'm not just concerned with Facebook, but also with the entire view of people's online behavior.
Online abstinence = luxury
If you think about it more closely, you can hardly afford a real online break (or better yet: offline time). You could perhaps still cope with the lack of social media communication, and you don't have to order everything via an online portal. It becomes more difficult with email services or if you organize yourself into messenger groups. Here you are likely to fall into an interpersonal information hole, as fast and superficial communication now often takes place via messenger. So you run the risk of isolating yourself if you take some time offline.
It also becomes problematic professionally when colleagues organize themselves into messenger groups. At this point I find myself increasingly thinking that a certain level of prosperity cannot be defined solely by money, but also by the ability to confidently escape the online world (without subsequently suffering disadvantages). Not just an escape or being locked out, but a very clear sign of non-participation, in which the online communication partner feels forced to resort to other means of communication. Direct conversations, for example.
Unfortunately
Unfortunately, I may not be able to allow myself this luxury. Whether I like it or not, I am far too dependent on the online world for my job alone.
Because in the entertainment business - and in the broadest sense I also include the journalism business - you can't get by without drumming up. And the social media channels are the largest and most cost-effective drums available, especially since all the professional water heaters are there. – Source: Faceless (Wiener Zeitung, Walter Gröbchen)
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