I haven't been on social media but I do have accounts still so people don't find what I am really doing. While that might change in time and I will be more forthcoming with signing people up, I am not ready to bring in more than a select few as those I have brought in the past have mostly failed. The standout of the group is my brother, 
But, I don't miss the other platforms at all as even a long time before I was on Steem, I lost interest in the vacuous commentary on largely useless topics and shared professional content cherry-picked to support whatever random viewpoint they were feeling at the moment.
Most of social media is not social at all, it is a post thrown out in the hope that someone will comment, give a thumbs up, a star, a retweet or whatever indicator they use for success. Yes, conversations do take place there as well but, between who? How many people on twitter actually get engagement on their own account would be an interesting metric to see as from my limited experience, most users of twitter don't get more than their close friends and family on their prime, even though they might comment and join discussions on other accounts.
When I was actively using my Twitter, I would share sets of photos and get retweets from some pretty decent accounts and a fair few likes yet, what did it really amount to - Feedback? Most of the comments were mundane "nice pic!" kinds of randomness. It was the same with my Instagram. There were so few actual conversations and no one really got to know anything about anyone.
The reason that my brother has likely done better than many of the other people I have brought in is that he actually put some effort into what he writes, a great deal of thought as well as the same for comments, while most others treated it like any other platform where "engagement" meant saying, "nice post!"
Steem tends to attract some decent authors here that are not suitable for the formats of the other platforms. Of course, there are the possibilities to have mainstream social media interactions too but, there aren't many that are going to develop a foundation from just that kind of behavior. The ones that generally do well from a community support perspective are those who have a personality and, deliver something that is relatively unique. Also, they back it up with engaging with the audience that supports them.
What this does is builds relationships over time where slowly people get to know each other, share their stories and experiences and begin to build something that lasts, friendships. It is these relationships that keep people coming back but, it is a two way street and friendship development takes investment, time energy and caring.
I was talking to my brother tonight and was saying how it is the people I engage with on and off chain that make this place special for me, not the content. Content can be got from anywhere these days, but content where you get to talk to talk to the creator, engage with them, laugh with them, tease them and be teased is much rarer. How many people ever sit down with their favorite authors or artists and get to have multiple conversations over the space of years?
This is something that people forget perhaps on Steem, yet over time you get to see how people change, how their words develop, their skills improve or degrade and, how they react to various kinds of conditions, both the good and the bad. In many ways, you get to see lives happen as they happen.
What I find interesting for the future is how traceable these moments are going to be and how the data is going to match up with various events, whether it be a sudden lift in price, a long bear market, the loss of funds through an exitscam, the change in mechanics or the FUD of threats and the FOMO of opportunities. It is going to be able to be seen a at a trend level across groups, right down to the granular individual. Quite fascinating.
What I have been thinking about recently is all the people that are looking to mainstream and how many of them have not been able to build strong relationships while there are only a few people here. What happens when there are many? Sure, the holders like myself will have value but if someone can't build a network in a pool of a few thousand, is that person going to be able to do it in a pool of a few million?
I like this place the way it is in many ways but also recognize that it can't stay this way, nor would I want it to as I want it to be more inclusive. Inclusive doesn't mean everyone needs to get a long, just that everyone is able to participate and currently, this is not an environment made for a large number of people. It could be though and I think it will be in time once there are more frameworks that cater for more hats to be hung at the door of homes.
Some people see Steem as a void where they don't get feedback but, I wonder if they have done the rounds and seen what those that do get feedback are doing. Not just today, but historically. While I might have a roof on my house today, the foundation had to be developed earlier. How long does it take to build a foundation on Steem, how much work? I don't know, I just did stuff and ended up here but, it wasn't alone and it wasn't without building relationships with people, many of whom I would consider friends. I am hoping one day I get to meet more of them.
I actually don't consider Steem a social media, although that is one aspect of it. I think Steem is ore of a lifestyle platform, not the kind designed to shill happy moments, but one that will eventually plug into many aspects of our every day lives to provide all kinds of benefits, from social connection to entertainment and of course financial considerations. It is so much more interesting than the mainstream platforms that I consider flat and dull in comparison.
Of course, this comes down to preference, but I have more fun here than I ever had on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram combined. And I have been on them for many, many more years.
Another post for the void.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]