I've reflected a lot lately on the evolution of social networks, specifically text-based ones. X, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky...without even mentioning all that lesser-known undergrowth strictly linked to blockchain technologies. During this period of reflection, I've repeatedly complained about how my measure was full, nauseated by too much falsehood, desire for oppression, ignorance, violence of all kinds, and the negative list could go on infinitely.

In almost all cases, my thoughts have led me to a single, certain, decisive conclusion. To free myself forever from the slavery of social networks, from the vicious circle in which one must participate to not be cut off from "real-time", trying to float to understand something of this crazy world through reading other human beings.

The fact is that very few other human beings want to be "read", many just want to be praised, always be right, read only one part of the story (usually the one they've decided to side with), to avoid confrontation altogether or, in case they want to face it, do so with the worst means at their disposal.

This week I deactivated my Bluesky account. I don't miss it. I think I'll soon do the same with Threads. And although I would very much like to get rid of X and Instagram, I still can't afford the luxury of doing so. Work reasons force me to use them because many of my business partners are there, they build community there, they give news about themselves there, and I can't do otherwise than be there to keep myself updated.

But a first step to avoid spending more time than necessary on them was first of all to hide their apps in a subfolder of my iPhone and the next step will be to completely eliminate them from my home page.

Why all these decisions? Why be so pedantic towards these places meant to connect the world? Because, save for rare exceptions, these places have amply demonstrated to bring out the worst in people. Not to enrich us, but to impoverish our ability to communicate with those who think differently from us, to build a dialogue with those who are different from us, to allow something more to be born from these places.

And that's why I've curated and nurtured this little space of mine on the web. Because here I know I can always be myself, I can do and say what comes to my mind and I'll be the only one to answer for it, for better or worse. That's why over the decades I've fixated on fonts, colors, lightness, and speed of my blog. Because as much as possible I wanted to transfer my being here and make it a peaceful space for those who are reading and sharing their pov with me (you can always write me an email here and I'll always respond).

Manu has summed up very well in a few lines these recent reflections of mine. Something I shared with him even via SMS in the past few days:

Years of social media have managed to convince us that a scrollable timeline, a comment box with a characters limit and a like button are the tools we need to use to connect with each other. That is a big fucking lie

And as I wrote in a post a while ago:

I still see few people being true, sincere, opening up without filters, even though they are aware of what they will face.

Starting a blog to be yourself. This should be the mantra. This should be obvious to everyone, without fearing judgments, without being slaves to the mechanics of some multinational company that in return only wants to sell our data for profit.

Starting a blog may seem difficult, but it's not at all, it's an act of love that you owe to yourself.

Free yourselves.