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

[Deckade (Tolo)]

Just something I've noticed myself, but I find there's a lot more truth to what I say and do on this less corporatised area of the internet, and I feel much less "compressed" than I do on conventional media. I think it's because the individual is kind of a powerful and special thing and social media operates by reducing your self worth until you feel the need to participate in it in order to 'regain' your self worth, which is silly because it never left you!

Anyway, do you guys feel less coerced in what you do, and do you feel like your individuality is more intact? And how does that feel? Obviously I'm guessing you do but what kind of things have you noticed in regards to this

[SilkSkull]

I've actually been thinking a lot about this, I feel like it's especially visible in places like peoples personal sites, they feel much more expressive and interesting than any "social media" ever could. I love how real and raw it is, even if a persons site is barely put together I still love to go through it and explore because it feels so cool to peek into someone's interests and creations

[Absentmind]

There is this funny sense of "genuine" surrounding these old sites. I'm sure someone could argue that there is no such thing because the web is an "impersonal" tool and the feeling you're feeling is a removed sense of real physical meaning. I personally don't believe that however. I find myself being much more candid and trusting of other users on these sites, perhaps there is a sense of community surrounding an idea that we all agree with that grants a level of comfort. There is however, still a level of performance at play, there is such thing etiquette and a way you want to portray yourself in these environments, at the end of the day, there is still a level of anonymity. Some food for thought!

With that all being said I definitely agree. The charm of these sites are very appealing and raw in a sense like Silkskull said.

[manpaint]

Yeah I felt something similar when I started making my own website and using a certain forum.

I think the restrainsts previously felt where a product of social media. They often have downvote or dislike button that heavily incentivize individuals to "keep with the flow" at the detriment of one's individuality.

[Melooon]

I was thinking about this topic in relation to myself and friends I have in offline life. Iv noticed that in the years since I started my site I think Iv changed as a person; Iv become more genuine and open in real life because of it. Sometimes it shocks me when I interact with people in a web-revival-ish open hearted way and they DON'T respond openly like web-revival people typically do

Over that same timeframe I met friends who are very invested in social media and more conventional online spaces; Iv noticed how they have become more stressed, more detached and less able to express themselves because they feel they have to behave in a certain way.

Obviously that is not scientific and it could just be coincidence; but I think it does suggest the possibility that being a part of positive open online spaces can have real and lasting positive effects on your personality; both online AND offline.

The internet is still SO NEW (Less than 20 years old for most people); we are still figuring it out, social media has many positives (like finding people you lost contact with) but it also gets A LOT wrong (like not providing real room for individuality). So much of the web-revival is about reclaiming individuality, and I hope in the future this form of self expression will make its way back into mainstream web culture; maybe a little wiser, kinder and more open than it was before.

[DJoftheCoven]

I think one of the primary contributors to the feeling of freedom and individuality in this part of the web is the fact that it's pretty small--and that's not to say that something like this couldn't exist large scale, but that these spaces encourage people to find others who are into really niche, nerdy, practically unmarketable things and connect to each other well. For example, I've had a similar positive experience to the indie web with tumblr after I got into a really small fandom with about 100-150 active members. My posts started getting way more interaction than when I'd contributed to large fandoms, despite receiving fewer reblogs and likes. Yes there were fewer people, but they were more passionate about the media, bouncing off of my ideas to create elaborate memes and collaborative art.

Social media really went wrong when it started convincing people to make themselves marketable!!! Be cringey and be free!!!

[creaturefeature]

i dunno if it classifies as individuality but i find myself less anxious on what I put on my website.

I'm was too used to the idea that if you put anything on the internet no matter how innocuous it is some asshole and their friends are gonna try to mob you so it made feel less like myself?

[Melooon]

i find myself less anxious on what I put on my website.

I agree; I think its because the dopamine reward system is missing on websites. On a social network if you post a picture and no one likes it you (at least I) feel like a looser for posting a picture that no one likes; however on a website I have no idea what people like, so I don't worry about it

That leaves way more room to relax and not respond to peer pressure; its also one of the reasons Iv mostly stopped using Discord, its react system is totally the opposite of that.. Im not sure if its possible to have a social network that deliberately has no dopamine system, but Id love to see a study about it!

[Memory]

I agree about individually coming more easily on decentralised web (in my case, Neocities). As others have mentioned, I have also noticed myself becoming more open with others. I also think it helps me be more creative because I'm thinking about what I like and not what somebody else (my audience) might like. It's very freeing, and I feel a lot happier updating my website than when I update say, my social media.

Branding as a concept has done my head in a little as a graphic design student. On the one hand, I understand the concept. On the other, I don't think trying to fit myself into one box is helpful. I find it difficult to communicate the different parts of myself that people would normally think conflict. I used to do science, and now I do art - it's like I can't be both on social media, I have to be one or the other. But on my site there's pieces of both (though it does lean more towards art these days).

I also am a minority in a lot of ways, but also are privileged in a lot of ways too. I just don't feel like I fit into neat little boxes that social media seems to make me want to do. So I've tried my best with them and try to emphasize the "biggest" parts of me or the biggest interest I have! In the end I feel more free on websites. I'm not constrained by the potential audience as much, I can literally do whatever I want. That's a wonderful thing to think about.

[randomtangent]

i think so, definitely.

especially since the lack of an algorithm and lack of a weird 'pressure' makes it feel better for some, at least for me.
it's often safer too, especially for queer and neurodivergent folks!

for me i think it's definitely been better, not just mentally but also socially? there's even things being taught in my school now about leaving social media as a whole! though they don't mention the indie web    but they mention books and stuff.

[Cobra!]

I wholeheartedly agree. I think having my own site allows me to express myself more than social media ever did.

The problem is I am very indecisive when it comes to my site, and I can never really settle for one theme.

It also makes me wish I was better at art so I can make my site more aesthetically appealing but that’s unrelated to the conversation.

[Blue]

To be honest,t here's barly any difference to me, but that's because I am not a part of the "normie" social media (by normie I mean people who are just kinda there, they don't talk about a very specific thing when online or are a part of a specific community) so the aspect of being more honest about my love for particular things was never shunned on social media because I never feel the need to hide or reduce myself and my life for the things I like at all.

The only real difference is the fact that it is more customizable, you can't deny that. Right now, my coding isn't that amazing, so I am limited in a way in how I can customise things, but it is a breath of fresh air to have a place to come by that's like coming to your bedroom that's only for you after spending a long day at work/school.

This is definitely a biased view since I never really held back that much on my love for things and interests once I became an adult and realized what other people thing doesn't matter after being a very anxious child who was ridiculed for daring to like things that weren't known much or considered odd by his own family.