Just imagine: a world without Twitter, Instagram … or both! It’s pretty obvious how reliant our generation has become on technology and social media, but have you ever asked yourself what it would be like if we didn’t have them? Sure, you can recall what it was like back when they didn’t exist — but what about now? Can you imagine not having a reason to look down at your phone other than when you received a text or call? Would you discover news or trending entertainment topics significantly slower? Would it feel like you were missing out on a whole different world of communication? I took it upon myself to ask some friends from around the state what it’s like to live without using different social media channels (since I’m guilty of being addicted to them all). Check out what they had to say!
No Twitter & No Instagram:
Name: Ryan GoodcaseAge: 21School: Eastern Michigan University Major: Biology and Psychology
What’s the main reason you don’t have social media?
I don’t have any real desire to join any new forms of social media. I don’t think they would make me any happier. I have Facebook and don’t even enjoy that all that much, so I don’t think I would enjoy other sites.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?Not really. It would probably be mildly entertaining to see updates from artists/celebs I am interested in and the occasional ego boost from someone liking my tweet, but other than that, no.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of certain social media outlets?No, not at all. Unless I pursued stand-up, in which case I would get a Twitter.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc.) slower than you would if you had something like Twitter?
Maybe, but not to a degree that actually matters.
Do you see yourself joining any social media outlet anytime soon? Why or why not?No, I really don’t see it making me significantly happier.
Do you think not being a part of social media has been beneficial in any way?It’s allowed me to spend time doing other things that I value more, even if it’s another time-waster like video games.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children to live without social media?
I probably won’t try and sway them one way or the other, but I’d dissuade them from using it excessively.
Name: Noah Glatz
Age: 20
School: University of Michigan
Major: Computer Science
What’s the main reason you don’t have social media?
To be honest, I really don’t feel that compelled to post any statuses or tweet any tweets. I am a pretty reserved guy when it comes to things like that.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?
Sometimes. I have just started watching some pretty cool travel vloggers and their instagrams have some incredible pictures. I almost got one just to follow them.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of certain social media outlets?
I don’t think so. I know LinkedIn is a big one for professional networking, but I’m not too worried about it.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc) slower than you would if you had something like Twitter?
Not really. I follow general U.S. and world news fairly closely through a number of media sites. I am a big proponent of alternative media like Vice and podcasts.
Do you see yourself joining any social media outlet anytime soon? Why or why not?
I could see myself joining Instagram. I am a big fan of photography so I could see myself following some people on there. I don’t know If I would post anything myself though.
Do you think not being a part of social media has been beneficial in any way?
I definitely think I am more present in day to day life which I think is a good thing. I often find myself looking around wherever I am and seeing everyone with their noses buried in their phones.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children to live without social media?
I would encourage them to do the things they want to do. If that is social media or building other online profiles, I think I would be supportive.
Instagram, No Twitter:
Name: Kara Sullivan
Age: 21
School: Central Michigan University
Major: Marketing
What’s the main reason you don’t have a Twitter?
Mainly because I don’t want one and because I already spend too much time on my Facebook and Instagram.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?
I feel that I’m behind with events. My friends with twitters are always up to date with the latest gossip whether it be with celebrities, current events, or sports.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of this social media outlet?
No, I think that Twitter is something that I can easily catch on to and if my career was going to be effected I could make one in seconds.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc.) slower than you would if you had a Twitter? If so, which kind?
Not necessarily because I follow a lot of entertainment accounts on Instagram, if something important/interesting posts I’ll look into it more and I’m not a huge sports fan but I’m always up to date through Facebook statuses on who is playing or who won (the only thing I find relevant).
Do you see yourself joining Twitter anytime soon? Why or why not?
I’ve made it this far, so probably not. Unless I needed one for my career.
Do you think not being a part of Twitter has been beneficial in any way?
One less social media account to look at and waste time.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children to live without social media like Twitter?
I don’t even see Twitter being as popular by the time I have kids, I’m sure there will be other social media outlets by then. I probably won’t try to control whether they use them or not unless it gets out of hand and it’s holding them back from real-world interactions.
Twitter, No Instagram:
Name: Jake Elliott Age: 21School: Kettering UniversityMajor: Industrial Engineering
What’s the main reason you don’t have an Instagram?I am not very active on social media, Twitter and Facebook are cumbersome as it is so I don’t feel the need for another channel of media.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?
Not in the slightest. I enjoy eating my food more than documenting it.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of this social media outlet?Quite the contrary, I believe the oversharing of personal information for some people may have unintended consequences down the road, albeit social media can be harnessed effectively for self promotion, the average user should be wary on how much information they reveal about themselves.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc) slower than you would if you had an Instagram? If so, which kind?
Specifically Instagram, no. Twitter is very keen on constant updates for sports and various news outlets that interest me. Social media in general is a very quick way to gain information though, especially on current events, so Instagram would fall under this category, just not for me.
Do you see yourself joining Instagram anytime soon? Why or why not?Negative, I don’t need another way to waste time.
Do you think not being a part of Instagram has been beneficial in any way?I wouldn’t give Instagram that much credit, so somewhat indifferent to this question. I have my ways I choose to kill time and stay connected; Instagram would just be another way that isn’t necessary. Beneficial though? No.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children (assuming you have them) to live without social media like Instagram?
By the time I have children, social interactions will be through virtual reality anyways so I’m not too worried. If I had them today? Well, let’s just say I feel bad for a lot of parents the way a lot of kids are engrossed in Instagram and the like.
Name: Josh Abruzzo
Age: 21
School: Siena Heights University
Major: Secondary Education and Social Studies
What’s the main reason you don’t have an Instagram?
The main reason I don’t have an Instagram is that I do not take enough pictures to maintain one. I think that having it would be a waste because I would not use it to its full potential so why have one if I’m not going to use it.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?
At times but I have enough friends who have Instagrams who will show me if anything super cool comes up. Also, not having one gives people a reason to ta you in other forms of social media so that they can reach you and your followers on that other media.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of this social media outlet?
Wanting to go into teaching I do not believe that I will be missing out on anything. If anything, it might help me get a job because I do not have another media for employers to possibly look at.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc.) slower than you would if you had an Instagram? If so, which kind?
No, I don’t feel like I miss out on anything because I do not have an Instagram. I have other social media in which I get news and updates fast enough.
Do you see yourself joining Instagram anytime soon? Why or why not?
No I do not because I haven’t gotten one now and I don’t feel like it would serve me any benefit to get one right now. I feel like if I got one that I would be too far out of the loop to try and get the full use out of it.
Do you think not being a part of Instagram has been beneficial in any way?
I don’t believe that being a part of Instagram provides any benefit. Most of the time its people who posted things to get likes or something and then drama seems to be caused from it and if I can avoid drama of any sorts I’ll do that at all costs.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children (assuming you have them) to live without social media like Instagram?
I think I will encourage my kids to do whatever they want. If they want to get social media, I will inform them about the dangers and the pros and cons of having those media outlets.
Name: Bryan SusallaAge: 21School: Washtenaw Community College, Ann ArborMajor: Digital Video Production
What’s the main reason you don’t have an Instagram?
Not many people have ever asked me that question before, and being an individual who works and studies media and looks for all possible outlets to put work out into, Instagram seems like a no brainer, right? Reasons that are personal but for the sake of the study I’ll go through briefly are I received too much information too fast going onto the website. Little over a year ago, I had been going through a break up with a girl, and had not known she was using Instagram like the rest of the world to put out updates on her life. There, I saw that she was too quickly in a new relationship, looking happy, and wasn’t being completely honest to me about seeing someone new. It was information overload on my brain about someone I cared so much for that it made me almost fear social media. Eventually, I deleted Facebook on New Year’s Day like a month later, but have since returned to that. For almost a solid ten months, I was on nothing but Twitter. Why? Twitter is simple, short, and to the point. It only allows for 140 characters and there people with too many opinions can’t go on rants there like they can on Facebook. Twitter is like a status update from Facebook without all the bullshit that’s game invites from your aunt or the local teen moms posting baby pictures of their kids or now a days someone taking sides on the vaccination dilemma and being extremely vocal about it.
Twitter can provide me breaking news, simple updates from people I care about (only following like 84 people), and it can be funny sometimes, too.
Do you feel like you’re missing out on anything?A couple months ago I had web series called Social Media Network News, it never really took off, but it does have it’s own official Instagram, and Instagram had it’s own segment. So, Connor Goff and I got a taste of what it was like but we didn’t dare look at our ex’s pages, because again there’s info on all social media you just don’t want to see. We had fun dogging on the stereotypical Instagram posts, gym pics, and food, but I don’t feel personally I’m missing anything by not being on one more social media site.
Do you think it will hinder your career in the future not being a part of this social media outlet?
Short answer, no. Here’s why: I feel coming into the professional world and the ease of access to everyone, even employers, to find out about one’s personal life, is going to hurt a lot of young people. The less social media people are on, or keeping it all as private as possible will help future careers. I have a website, SusallaMedia, and on every page there is a link to my Vimeo showcasing my work and there’s a link to my Linkden. I feel that’s all employers or potential clients need to see from me. Sure you could Google my name and see Facebook and twitter are there but they’re both locked down to anyone who’s not on my friends list.
Do you feel like you hear about news of any kind (entertainment, sports, etc) slower than you would if you had an Instagram? If so, which kind?
I don’t believe so? I was under the assumption that Instagram was just people posting pictures. I still feel twitter is how news outlets get stories to the masses the quickest as far as communicating through social media.
Do you see yourself joining Instagram anytime soon? Why or why not?
I’m truly undecided at this point. Enough time has gone past now where my original problem isn’t so much there anymore. I post pictures occasionally to Facebook, but honestly, I’m tagged more than anything I post. I feel Instagram is just one thing I could go without. Until I see a reason to get one I’m not going to make one just for the fun of it.
Do you think not being a part of Instagram has been beneficial in any way?
Absolutely! I haven’t had to see anything that would hurt me or feel tempted to go looking. I haven’t had to see people posting pictures of their dinner plates or that one girl or guy who’s CONSTANTLY posting from the gym. The celebrities I don’t care for, so yeah, I think not being a part of it has been beneficial, one less reason to look down at my phone.
Do you think you’ll encourage your children (assuming you have them) to live without social media like Instagram?
The world my children are going to be brought up in scares me, especially when they get to adolescents and god only knows how fast our technology will be. I won’t block them from it because then they’re only going to want to really get into it, but I’ll always remind them that it is a double-edged sword. It can incriminate them, expose them, and bully them. It can also keep them in contact with their buddies or their grandparents and let me know where they are, but if they want to go crazy with it then it’s going to be like taking the door off their bedroom and letting the whole world look right in.
According to a majority of these interviews, living without certain (or all) of the main social media outlets that our generation knows and loves, isn’t so hard. For someone like me, that is attached to their phone on a daily basis, this was more than a surprise. After seeing what each of my friends had to say, it’s interesting to think how their opinion might differ compared to someone who has been a part of certain social media outlets and later given them up. I learned that it’s pretty hard to feel out of a loop you were never a part of!