Do you feel more like your individuality comes more easily on the decentra-web?

[noahie]

I've never felt like I can't be myself, online or offline. However, having my own site gives me a greater freedom to express myself without working within the confines of a certain organizational system. More than that, it encourages me to be a producer of internet stuff, and not a passive consumer. To me, the added stakes in that make my time on the internet much more well spent.

Looking back on my internet history, I usually used conventional online spaces to consume stupid content. I got on Facebook around 2016 so that I could meet people at the university I was going to. There were several Facebook groups dedicated to the university, and I remember posting in those quite frequently. Then I got into Substack several years later, but that ended up being a bust because I realized I was falling for the stupid content trap again.

Really, I just want what I put on the internet to feel more permanent, like it's not gonna be taken down or forgotten about in some unindexed archive. If I have that, I feel more emboldened to pursue my individuality here.

[RNotteLovesOwls]

first, i just want to say that i never thought about the term "decentra-web" for these web revival spaces, and i have to say, that's a pretty great term!

to answer the question, yes. very much so. the customization is a big part; by taking one look at me, my website, or my work, it's clear that i was told to "be myself" one too many times, so i naturally take self-expression very seriously. but also, the indie web spaces are less confrontational and full of "stuff". that's one of my biggest gripes with big social media; everyone is so confrontational, argumentative, always looking to pick fights over things that don't matter, and they buy stuff they don't need just to be "cool" before throwing it away. twitter, reddit and tik tok are especially bad with this. you know that one twitter meme that goes "'i like pancakes' 'so you hate waffles?'" yeah, big social media is basically that plus conspicuous consumption. it's rage-bait. on the decentra-web, i don't have to worry about that

the hardest part is convincing others on big social media to get into the decentra-web. i know it's hard to move off of something you've used for years. but i'm sure many of them are wishing for an internet space where they can truly express themselves without worrying about algorithms and being advertised to all the time. so why not start now?

[atinytrashbag]

absolutely i do! i feel a lot more free to be myself without fear of getting myself scraped for ai use. i've noticed that it's a far more welcoming environment too, on the indie web! people are far more supportive of each other and their creative endeavours, and there's no need to appeal to algorithms because the joy of the indie web is finding other people's sites on your own through exploring. i'm still quite new to it all but i'm really enjoying it here

[virtualpet2001]

Absolutely!!! but tbh i think its more of a result of self expression being so open and permitted. in general i think that the more self expression is allowed the more openly honest people tend to be...i feel like thats one reason why second life is so popular LOL

[lakes]

While I don't ever feel fully "myself", I do think the indie web or decentra-web is more welcoming. Plus you're given more tools to express yourself if that makes sense.
I do think it's important to note that even on social media, I did feel simultaneously more & less comfortable expressing myself than in real life because reasons. I've been trying to break out of that habit though. I think with the indie web, it's less that I feel uncomfortable expressing myself & more that I'm not sure how to a lot of the time.

[Cyber_Cyan]

Definitely. I mean, that's mainly why I've come to this web-revival part of the internet for. Social media always makes me so anxious, but the internet has always been a place where I've came to have human interactions so I hated feeling the same way I felt IRL but online.

Even though my site isn't very well put together because I'm learning as I do things, I feel wayyy less anxious and more myself expressing what I like and my thoughts on it than on any social media where your posts are one-click away from harassment. Forums and personal websites are slow, intimate, and their audience is fewer. It's reassuring, like a cocoon. Things take time, that's okay, and it's yours to build on your own accord.

[Cele]

We really need to start using the term decentra-web, huh! Maybe make some graphics for it!

Of course there is a certain level of individuality that comes through my rambling essays and "graphic design is my passion" layouts. I could still not be "myself" on here or want to stand out too much because that gets you burned, social media or not. In that way, the individuality shining through is like a curse and a target I paint on myself unwittingly. To anyone who wants to screenshot my stuff to criticize on other forums (you cowards).