This is how I feel most of the time when I see those “Look Up” videos or pictures, or people mocking girls taking selfies or other such “The sky is falling because social media!!!” rants.

I rode the subway just about every damn day for four years back WAY before smartphones, and I can tell you I DIDN’T WANT TO TALK TO MY FELLOW HUMANS. I read a book, or more likely a newspaper. Yeah a print one that left disgusting ink stains on my hands…SOOO thankful for electronic media :)

And I have crappy photos from trips taken way back before digital cameras too. Being a shitty photographer with a shitty camera DID NOT STOP ME from taking pictures instead of being, what was it?, “in the moment”. SOOO thankful for smartphone cameras that are WAY better than any I ever had before and let me take halfway decent shots that please me tremendously with NO talent and NO training.

I feel closer to more people than ever before. People who commiserate and cheer me on. People I can support. People who reach out for help and are overwhelmed by the response of their ONLINE community. People they actually see in person maybe once a year…if that?

SOOO thankful that social media has created pockets of caring and care for people who probably used to feel isolated and alone.

Maybe it’s because I’m an #undercoverintrovert. Maybe social media makes live more miserable for the extroverts in the world who do like to strike up conversations with strangers and actually be around people physically. I can totally see that. But there are tons of us for whom the online world has mostly brought love, joy, connection, and awesome animated GIFS.

And scene.