social media is my prison

[andou]

i'll preface with telling you all a little bit about myself and the situation i find myself in. i am a full time artist and streamer. 100% of my income comes from taking art commissions (mostly of peoples OCs, vtubers, and fursonas) and streaming (people support me via subscribing on twitch). i will be frank and say the twitch subscriptions USUALLY just barely cover my rent, and then commissions make up for the rest. so, most of my income is from my art in all honesty.

i have relied on social media for my job, to advertise that commissions are open, to get potential clientele.

but... i don't like using it anymore. it makes me miserable. my best solution is to post my promos, leave notifications on (so if i client is attempting to contacting me i at least know), then leave. but sometimes, i long for just leaving it all together. no more twitter. no more tumblr. no more promos. no more constant self-advertising.

i'm not big enough for that though, so, as the topic title says, social media is my prison.

can anyone out there empathize? is anyone else out there self-employed and reliant on social media for income? has anyone been able to escape this fate?

if taking art commissions is just a hobby for you, it's a bit different. i'd really like to hear from others who have utilized social media (or just the internet in general!) to make their entire income.

neocities has filled me with joy and hope. it has been an escape from social media misery! i'm new to melonland, and i'm hoping i can find others who have maybe experienced something similar to me too! 

[starbreaker]

can anyone out there empathize? is anyone else out there self-employed and reliant on social media for income? has anyone been able to escape this fate?

You have my sympathies, but I can't give you any answers.

I'm a writer, not an artist, but when I was trying to publish commercially social media became a living hell for me as well. Having to self-promo on Twitter and Facebook was a miserable experience, and let's not even talk about Goodreads save to suggest that there's nothing wrong with that site that can't be fixed with a bit of orbital bombardment.

I suspect that I'm still dependent on my day job for income in part because I wasn't any good at marketing myself on social media and came to loathe social media precisely because of the self-promo demands imposed on me by my publisher and the market as a whole.

edit: having visited your site, I'd like to make a suggestion: Your website should have a link for commissions accessible directly from your site's front page. These are the steps I had to take to see that you are in fact accepting commissions, let alone what sort of commissions you're taking on:

• go to https://andou.gay/
• click the graphic to access https://andou.gay/impzone
• click the "art" link to access https://andou.gay/art
• click a link marked "here" to access https://vgen.co/andou

That's four steps, and you don't even discuss commissions in any particular detail on your own website, but leave that to a site you don't own or control.

Furthermore, the details on what you're willing to do for a $30-minimum commission aren't visible until somebody clicks the "start commission" button on your vgen.co page. That info should be on your website, IMO.

[Bede]

All of my income also comes from the 'net, and while I am eternally grateful for the internet's ability to make art my job, I am also aware of The Horrors. Social media is hell for artists, but it's one that we are forced to subject ourselves to. When we imagined our artistic career as wee children, we often imagine being able to do our personal projects. Doing what we want to do. Bringing our visions to life. In modern reality, it's a lot more about doing stuff for others. In attempts to try to appeal to social media and their ~ algorithms ~, we often end up with no energy left for our own projects. I think this is so often why artists who make it their job end up losing touch with their inspiration.

I'm still young, so I am extremely fortunate, in that I have the ability to still change my career path relatively safely, which I have been considering. That said, I know not everybody has that luxury. I see folks who don't have it saying that they often feel jealous of hobbyist artists. They see their hobbyist peers getting to use all of their artistic juices on their own stuff, and yearn for that for themselves. But to hobbyist artists, professional artists are living the dream.

It's a situation that makes me feel so, so deeply sad for the current state of the artistic community and social media. If I think about it too hard, I start to cry (but I'm also just a crybaby lol). It also makes me wonder what sort of artist I would be if I hadn't grown up in the age of social media. What I'd be drawing. If I'd be drawing at all. If it was just for me, myself and I... What sort of art would I be creating right this moment...?

I feel like an honest and realistic video on this sort of topic is YouTuber Duchess Celestia's, "Why so Many Artists Are Burnt Out (Hustle Culture & the Art Community)". It discusses in better words than I can how the current state of social media makes it so that, if you're not constantly burning yourself out and pushing yourself to unhealthy points, you end up falling behind to those that do. It's a snake eating its own tail; social media and late-stage capitalism cannibalizes itself.

Edit: I can't believe I forgot to talk about this, because I think about this a lot, but regarding constant self-advertising... Artists, writers, creators of all sorts, we're infamously rejects. The queers, the lower-class, the disabled people, the eccentrics; that's where all the realest art is.

Companies that publish books used to take on marketing for the author. But nowadays, authors are expected to market themselves on their socials. Similar things can be said about visual art. It just makes me wonder... When we limit artistry to the people who are able to socialize and market themselves / their art on social media, what the fuck sort of art is left??

[starbreaker]

When we limit artistry to the people who are able to socialize and market themselves / their art on social media, what the fuck sort of art is left??

Not the sort of art that comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable, that's for damn sure.

[Bede]

Not the sort of art that comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable, that's for damn sure.

Exactly. As Detective Dick Gumshoe of Ace Attorney once said,

[andou]

I suspect that I'm still dependent on my day job for income in part because I wasn't any good at marketing myself on social media and came to loathe social media precisely because of the self-promo demands imposed on me by my publisher and the market as a whole.

i actually majored in creative writing in university, and although my career path ultimately took a turn, i extend my sympathies to you here.

this made me think to myself: what is really getting me down is that i'm good at marketing. sure, i don't have millions of followers and i'm not bending over backwards for clout, but i actually have done a really good job curating a small group of primarily queer people that want to support me. and when i post, i tend to find success. i know what makes most social medias tick. i've managed to get a following.

but deep inside, something about it makes me numb. like, social media has all become a game to me. it's not about being social anymore, or making deep connections. my personality is a product, and not only am i selling my art, but i'm selling myself.

i'm a product, and that is not how a human being should be feeling...

That's four steps, and you don't even discuss commissions in any particular detail on your own website, but leave that to a site you don't own or control.

Furthermore, the details on what you're willing to do for a $30-minimum commission aren't visible until somebody clicks the "start commission" button on your vgen.co page. That info should be on your website, IMO.

thank you so much for the suggestion!! i agree, my commission prices should just be on my website, the "art" section of my site is very haphazardly slapped together LOL

vgen has been a great tool, but i always HAVE taken commissions directly as well, rather than through a service. i think i'll just list my prices on my site, and then have people contact me via email or form if they happen upon them there...

[andou]

When we imagined our artistic career as wee children, we often imagine being able to do our personal projects. Doing what we want to do. Bringing our visions to life. In modern reality, it's a lot more about doing stuff for others.

yuuuuuuup. there's absolutely a trade-off. and honestly, i'm fine with taking it. i miss drawing my OCs, but if that's the price to pay to not have to work in an office job that'll make me a shell of a human, i'll gladly take it. i think most people don't realize this, though. there is a price.

for most, a career in art means paying this price. if you can emotionally handle it, congrats! you're a full-time artist! if you can't, though? if it eats away at you daily? if it tortures you? maybe art is better off as a hobby, you know? maybe it's not worth it, then...

But to hobbyist artists, professional artists are living the dream.

i've tried to speak to the realities of being a professional freelance artist for a while, because the reality of it is not perfect. don't get me wrong, i don't want to quit. i will do this until my last breath, if possible. despite my struggles, i am still the happiest i've ever been. it is my dream. but what is a dream without bizarre moments and twists and turns? even dreams are not perfect.

i work with my own schedule, which has actually been great for my ADHD. i know some ADHDers struggle to adhere to schedules of their own making, but it frees me. i work with the ebb and flow of my energy levels. when i have a burst of energy, i take advantage of it and create. when i'm at a low point, i allow myself rest, knowing the energy will be back. hell, the energy probably comes back because i take breaks when i need them.

this work style conflicts massively with what society deems acceptable. there is no structured job built for me.
 

Edit: I can't believe I forgot to talk about this, because I think about this a lot, but regarding constant self-advertising... Artists, writers, creators of all sorts, we're infamously rejects. The queers, the lower-class, the disabled people, the eccentrics; that's where all the realest art is.

me, the trans, ADHD genderfreak reading this post: 

[Cobra!]

As a game developer, I absolutely empathise, especially with Musk's changes to Twitter Sorry, X.

Twitter was the only social media I somewhat tolerated using, and has been helping me a lot with getting my game out there, but it feels like a grind, needing to pump something out 2 times a week just to keep people engaged and interested in my games.

It has sort of paid off, as my game has sold 220 copies as of typing this (Which is actually very good for my and the game's circumstance), and I've met a few people I've never met before who have heard of the game. The money I actually get from that is another can of worms I won't be getting into here. I digress.

With all of the recent changes to Twitter, and now "X", it's made it way more difficult to gather more of a following and more interest in general. Now my Tweets X's barely get double figure likes or retweets. (or re-Xes?) Not to mention removing Tweet Deck and making most 3rd party clients work with it, significantly making my workflow harder than it should be. (Or it would if I didn't find one that magically still worked.)

Some people are moving to Mastodon, which is a move I generally support, at least then the thing is federated. My only issue is I find anything like Tweet Deck or schedule Toots, etc.

Most who are migrating seem to be moving to threads, which is owned by Mark Zuccherberg, and like probably many others here, I want to avoid touching anything he's in charge of with a 50ft pole.

I just want to focus on making the game and using the time I have to make what I make as good as possible. Luckily, I've got a couple of publishers interested in helping me with my next game, so hopefully they can handle all of the marketing and such for me, but handle my game's website, and keep using Mastodon (and "X" if people still use that) for Toots/""Xs"" in Scots and Gaelic.

So time will tell what happens there.

[andou]

Twitter was the only social media I somewhat tolerated using, and has been helping me a lot with getting my game out there, but it feels like a grind, needing to pump something out 2 times a week just to keep people engaged and interested in my games.

i feel similarly. in the past, posting to twitter actually brought me plenty of joy. as far as social media went, i was able to spread my art and get clients. on twitter, when i say "commissions are open - would anyone like one?" people would LINE UP. they still do, luckily, since i've built a following. i have noticed changes in the algo though; things don't blow up like they used to.

as elon changes more and more site features, i fear for the worse. to be frank, his bullshit has caused me to have a bit of a crisis, lol. he really is fucking with peoples livelihoods with his frivolous changes. i just want him to go away. i was happy before, thriving even. now everything feels so unstable and scary.

i've tried marketing on other social medias, and there's been nothing but crickets. say what you want about twitter, but every single time i advertise my commissions being open on there, i get at least ONE new or returning client wanting some art. never really got that anywhere else.

[Lyonid]

I don't come from a creative background and am a hobbyist artist. I feel like many times I was close to enter that prison that you describe, but I never pulled through to build this kind of audience. I also come from a social media addiction for Instagram which had me glued to my phone, waiting for those artificial interaction to appear. This all is long gone now. I remember tweeting about doing commissions and "interacting" with creators, and I felt as if I went through a whole working shift in just an hour. It was dreadful and it made me feel very insecure about my validity as an artist. To this day, whenever money becomes an issue, I play with the idea of commiting to it, but I stop myself. I just don't feel confident enough yet and, especially with the current landscape, don't even know how to start. That's my point of view.

I am very sorry to hear that your social media existence has brought you such feelings. The fact that artists are becoming algorithm players and marketing experts in the eyes of the public is daunting and exhausting because it inherently de-values their craft. To me this market is so very confusing as the power dynamics are all over the place by now, so I can actually just provide some words of comfort, I believe.

The social sphere is heavily changing now, obviously. People currently have problems finding new creators they love, so I feel like the people who follow you are the ones to treasure. Of all the places, Twitch currently seems to be the best spot to build strong communities, and look at you having a blast on there! Enjoy the ride as Twitter burns down. See spaces from the small web as stepping stones towards more intimate communities. We have been discussing this on another topic but finding a niche that you may feel invested in, may bring you closer to the social aspect of digital media. Away with the public microblogs!  Keep building that awesome website, and immerse yourself with what currently brings you joy.

[CableCat]

I'm gonna preface this with an apology for being vague. But it is better to not mingle the past too much with the present.

I used to be on a site for a particular niche hobby community. I was very passionate about my interest and I had a lot of more real-world meetup experience than many of the people who joined the site who were just starting out.

I made many informational blog posts for the online community based on my experience and on sources from experts. I amassed over 20K followers over a period of a year and a half. I wrote blogs because I enjoyed them, and other writers started referring people to my posts. I had no other social media I directed people to, and I never aspired to monetize my following. I wrote because I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed showing parts of the history of the hobby that I knew were more obscure but still very relevant. I had my niche within the niche so to speak.

But then problems started. The website had a very mixed mod team that all came from very different perspectives, and many of the mods had no relationships to the in-person communities. And there was one particular blogger on the site who was just a couple years younger than me who later became part of the mod team. They also had no real-life experience with the community. Yet they constantly positioned themself as an "Expert" or "Master". Their desire to be a "Master" and guide others was real and genuine, I still firmly believe that to this day. But I would often catch them talking about things they didn't understand fully, and giving out misinformation without bothering to check themselves first. And they were actively trying to monetize their following and sell commodities, and were constantly interacting with people and positioning themself as a teacher of sorts. This was very frustrating for me as someone who had been involved a much longer time and in the in-person community no less. I NEVER positioned myself as an expert, I cited reputable sources from actual experts (I will always say my posts were just educated synthesis of already existing information, just making things "click" more), and I never monetized.

Things finally culminated sometime after this person joined the mod team. This person got corrected by some other random user in the comments of one of their posts. And of all people, they private messaged ME to try to get my backing that they were right and this random user was wrong. And at that point, I was frustrated because I felt they had been misleading other in the hobby way too much. They were in a position of power and positioning themselves as an expert, and then they were not fact-checking themself at all which I thought was incredibly irresponsible.

So in the private messages, I responded. And I told them the hard truth of, and I'm paraphrasing here, "No, your wrong, and this is the full explanation of why with multiple first and secondary sources. You've positioned yourself as an expert so you should know that, and the information is public knowledge and easily able to be googled so you have no excuses. Anyone who spends a year or so in the in-person community learns this, so you should definitely know this before you call yourself an expert."

They ghosted and went dark on all social media for, like, a whole month. Then They posted a video on one of their other linked social media profiles that was like a 40-minutes-long reflection on how they realized they didn't know as much as they thought they did, and they realized a lot of things they said in the past were wrong, but they still wanted to teach in the hobby one day. And they explained a lot more personal information about why they are the way they are, and why they struggle with socialization and isolation...

And let me just say, I felt like shit. I felt like shit, because I knew I was the reason they had felt like shit and put down the hobby for so long. And I realized there was more behind the scene they were dealing with, and the hobby was their joy too which was why they were so active. I still didn't appreciate them positioning themself as an expert in the past, but they moved on from that as they grew. And I realize looking back, I should've been less blunt and harsh and not assumed they were being willfully irresponsible. They were still learning and making mistakes, too. I could've and should've been gentler to help them grow into the teacher they had the ability to be so they could do what we shared a love for. I should've tempered my reaction.

But also on separate occasions, members of the mod team had disagreeing opinions toward some of my blog posts and actively tried to remove them, despite them being fully within the posting guidelines. It was all disagreement about stuff like techniques that are objective when following certain traditional processes, but are ultimately subjective in the grand scheme. They became hostile toward me. I got so sick of having to contest all the post take downs that I made a parody blog post (which was also fully within guidelines) that had completely opposite instructions and can be encapsulated by "go wild, nothing in the universe matters, screw history and all the documented foundation of the hobby, do what you want" and they took it exactly as you'd predict: really badly.

I know I sound childish. It was many years ago. The site does not exist anymore. I absolutely did respond childishly. The reason I basically blew up on those two occasions were because I had put A LOT of effort into my blogs. I owned dozens of books on the hobby and had read them all. I went to regular hobby meetups and learned from older people who had been in the hobby for upwards of 20 years.

With the first case of the self-professed "expert", it was not the first time they messaged me for the whole year and a half I was active. They had asked me for information before many times. Then they would immediately take what I said, position themselves as an expert in a response to someone else in public comments, and use what I said to answer the public questions. And they were using themselves being an "expert" to sell what they were producing on the side. And they would never cite me or admit where (or who) they got their information from, which is really crappy. So after months of that, I lashed out to bruise their ego. But I was never their "teacher". I always intended to be a peer in the community posting about shared interests and bringing different sources into the limelight. It felt like when your classmate asks you questions and to see your work, and then copies your project homework word-for-word and then claims they did it first or that you copied them instead. After I had my B-word moment toward them and they had their hiatus time of reflection, they stopped doing that despite me not yet getting to confront them directly about that. I think they just reviewed their own posting and came to the realization on their own.

And with the mods, they always approached things from very opinionated stances. And when I would bring up things that were historically written about, or finer important details like the chemistry of materials and the reasons I posted what I did, they couldn't even have a discussion on that level. It was always, "Well, we feel this way" and was very entry-level. They didn't even know of some of the actual experts I was sourcing in my posts. They often didn't bother to check.

With the majority of the mod team targeting me and giving me a strike on my account for "back-talk", that site absolutely felt like a prison. It was hard because a lot of people were interested in my posts. My following was grown entirely organically with me spending many hours on my posts and engaging in community blog prompts. And I had some genuinely great discussions with other online community members who were very knowledgeable, but in the grand scheme it was a small number of people who really only private messaged in a small group and didn't post publicly. The knowledgeable and experienced people kept quiet.

I knew with the hostile mod team, I was facing more strikes and eventually a ban. And I realized I was over-invested in this online community to the point it was upsetting me in real life. And I had upset someone else in real life with my eventual reaction. It was unhealthy. I also did not want the other mods to have the self-righteous pleasure of banning my user account and perma-deleting all my posts. I saw the writing on the wall, so I deleted my account of my own will, which would leave my posts but have them accompanied by a "Deleted User" type of replacement and would do away with my personal profile. I decided I would continue with the hobby only in real-life, and I did for some time after. I eventually moved on and changed hobbies organically.

I never fully pursued being an expert in that hobby even though I was in a position to because I did not feel personally fit to do new experimental things or fully make my own style. And the interactions with that one specific person and the mod team made me reflect, and I realized I didn't have the full maturity yet to deal truly effectively with immature people. And unfortunately, the hobby attracted a lot of immature people online. And to monetize or do it on a professional level, I would have needed social media like what you are doing with your Twitch channel and marketing yourself. And I just didn't have the energy for dealing with all the adversity and contesting attitudes online and the lack of educated discussion. And as much as I had my own research capabilities, I knew I was not a true expert. I was well-passed the beginner stage of the hobby, but I knew enough to know I didn't know enough. So I stepped away from the online community and just stayed in my lane. I enjoyed the rest of the time with the public meetups.

I only truly regret the way I spoke so curtly to the self-professed "expert". I really believe if I had interacted more gently and kinder toward them, we could have grown to be good friends and both matured more together. If I could go back in time and change my words, I would. I would endeavor to be more empathetic toward them and not just assume things about their behavior.

I also regret stooping to a low level with my parody post toward the mods when I was so fed up. It was honestly uncalled for. I'm not a perfect person. But with this instance, I still think the post was a funny parody, and it had a lot of references that people who had been in the community that year understood and laughed at. I regret the "maliciously compliant" intent with which the post was made in response to months of battling with the mods.

And I think stepping away in the end on my own terms and reflecting on my time there was the right choice. I can only imagine the struggles and "beef" that would've followed me if I had tried to grow my following more and monetize starting from that environment. The community obviously had quite a few egos and jealousy looking back, and online discourse grew to be unhealthy and was marred by assumptions about how people are, even on my own part.

When I deleted my account, I felt a wash of calm. Like all the stress I had imposed upon myself was lifted. I vowed to move forward, and I am glad I did. And now I know I should've been more empathetic in the past no matter how exhausted I was. I should've stepped away and meditated more before I responded, and not just assumed someone was being irresponsible. People go through a lot of invisible struggles that cause them to engage in certain patterns of behavior.

I also am glad I walked away because I chose to not let the stress of that niche community online ruin the actual fun of the hobby I was having in-person. I chose to let it go and move on.

I've learned that when you feel like you're in a prison, it is time to start planning a prison-break. And it is okay to start out enjoying something but then realize you need to make a change in your life. I'm not saying you should run when the going starts getting tough, or that you're supposed to just abandon something entirely. But giving yourself some space can be healing. So can making small changes. And definitely dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. I am still glad I didn't just outright quit the hobby entirely. And I really did try to have honest discussions with the mods from the beginning before it eventually devolved over months. And I realized when I was at a stagnant point and needed space and time to grow from the mess.

Your solution as a professional is going to be very different. My online prison was very different from yours. But I do understand on some level what you mean by being able to "emotionally handle it". It is hard having an online persona! And it must be even more tricky when your income is tied into it.

[andou]

The social sphere is heavily changing now, obviously. People currently have problems finding new creators they love, so I feel like the people who follow you are the ones to treasure. Of all the places, Twitch currently seems to be the best spot to build strong communities, and look at you having a blast on there! Enjoy the ride as Twitter burns down. See spaces from the small web as stepping stones towards more intimate communities.

you're absolutely right! i LOVE streaming, i love hanging out with my community on twitch. everyone that supports me usually hangs around my discord too, so if twitter EXPLODED tomorrow, i would still be able to contact my community, thank GOD. say what you want about parasocial relationships, but when you stream multiple times a week for years and see the same friendly faces nearly every time, you DO grow attached!

i treasure the ones that support me so much, and i think it's good to remember to care for people that have shown their dedication, rather than mindlessly trying to recruit more and more people at any cost. i much rather have 100 people that care for my content deeply than 100,000 people that only sort of care.

spaces in the small web have given me so much hope, and i am staying positive as i start my journey of exploring this community. i'm also dedicating a lot of future streams to "exploring" neocities and encouraging people in my community to make websites of their own! i love showcasing the creativity i've seen on random netizens sites, and if i have a platform, i want to use it in a way that can help others, even if it's just a little.
the small web has brought me joy, and i hope i can spread that joy to new people as well! 

[andou]

first off, i want to say thank you for sharing your story! i wanted to acknowledge that i read it before i reply to just certain bits here. i think your anecdote makes a good point of how getting into online niches like this can have a level of complexity, especially when hobbyists mix in with people that try to monetize the niche, whatever it may be.

And I just didn't have the energy for dealing with all the adversity and contesting attitudes online and the lack of educated discussion. And as much as I had my own research capabilities, I knew I was not a true expert. I was well-passed the beginner stage of the hobby, but I knew enough to know I didn't know enough. So I stepped away from the online community and just stayed in my lane. I enjoyed the rest of the time with the public meetups.

these are wise words. honestly, i consider myself an expert in my field of vtubing, and even then i keep my mouth SHUT. i don't want to be a teacher. i don't want to argue with people about what's good method, what's right, what's wrong. i just wanna chill!! sometimes staying in your lane and keeping your mouth shut is just the best thing you can do in life. i love keeping my opinions to myself HAHAHAHA

I also regret stooping to a low level with my parody post toward the mods when I was so fed up. It was honestly uncalled for. I'm not a perfect person. But with this instance, I still think the post was a funny parody, and it had a lot of references that people who had been in the community that year understood and laughed at. I regret the "maliciously compliant" intent with which the post was made in response to months of battling with the mods.

i think this is something you can regret, because yeah, that is uncalled for! however, i feel like this is a natural impulse for many people. there have been SO MANY TIMES i've made a completely shitty tweet, to which my wife will stomp into my room and go "delete that tweet". i'm sort of married to a PR manager LOL. but without that outside force helping my impulse control, i think i also would have made a post like yours. what matters now is you have grown and moved on!

I've learned that when you feel like you're in a prison, it is time to start planning a prison-break. And it is okay to start out enjoying something but then realize you need to make a change in your life. I'm not saying you should run when the going starts getting tough, or that you're supposed to just abandon something entirely. But giving yourself some space can be healing. So can making small changes.

i totally agree! i think being more involved in the small web has been helping me a lot, so i'm going to keep hanging around. instead of putting my energy into twitter, where i feel dread, i want to put my energy into neocities, or these forums, or just other communities on the small web where i feel joy!

[lycoseadae]

i can relate. i dont make enough from my art to live off of yet but it's been a goal of mine to be able to, but the only time my art sells is when ive promoted it on social media. i dont really rank high enough in etsy's marketplace to get consistent sales that way

so i feel stuck between quitting social media which i know would be better for me and my mental health, and staying just to promote my art to try to reach my dream

ive thought about just making the move to only using neocities/forums and using postybirb to keep up with posting my art on social media, but i also worry about it seeming impersonal to promote my art that way

[CableCat]

however, i feel like this is a natural impulse for many people. there have been SO MANY TIMES i've made a completely shitty tweet, to which my wife will stomp into my room and go "delete that tweet". i'm sort of married to a PR manager LOL. but without that outside force helping my impulse control, i think i also would have made a post like yours.

Thank goodness your wife is a good PR manager! LOL! Oh man, Twitter... So side note about Twitter, the community I was in was known to have a few well-known experts on there. It was known to be the central point where most of the high-level public beef started. So I have always avoided it like the plague! The layout of how it operates just seems like it is designed to make it easy for tone to be lost and misconceptions to happen.

It is just too easy to impulsively post something on Twitter. I wonder if I and the mods had Twitter if things would have blown up into utter flames, instead of thought out responses. Like, I could've been way more impulsive. It just sucks because when you say something in person, it is said and then it is over, and only the people who hear that impulsive thought voiced hear it. On Twitter, anyone can read it at any time in any assumed context.