Let's stop spending so much time at the food court at the mall

I love saying it: “Social media is the food court at the mall, and it’s time to stop spending all our time there.” I mentioned that when I restacked a Note here on Substack, and

Shaggy Snodgrass

left this bit of insight:

A valid point, and hey - if being on social media is working for you, by all means keep doing what you’re doing.

But I know some creative folks who don’t have the same relationship with social media - it can be toxic, damaging, harsh.

My point is that I think you can “find your people” in other places besides the food court, besides social media.

I’m not saying that’s easier than social media, which lets you hit the “impression jackpot” every now and again and get 500 views on your latest post.

I’m saying that most of us stopped hanging out at the literal food court decades ago, so maybe we can find (or build) new spaces to connect with people who love the work that we do.

Again - if social media is working for you, enjoy! This message isn’t for you.

But if you’re a creative person who hates the thought of using social media, I think you can make your magic happen without it.