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Comment by rdiddly | Hacker News Reader

She is still doing a lot of approval-seeking in this very article, so I'm not sure how to handicap her odds of success at staying off Instagram for example, but I wish her luck.

Social media is a lot like every other popular idea that ends up being bullshit. It always ends up costing you time and money in the short-term, and of course some years often have to pass before you finally figure out it's bullshit. So, somewhat unfairly, I refer to that whole class of things as "rackets young people fall for." Like smoking. (Both.) Or drinking, or... weddings. Marriage itself (oh snap). Playing in rock bands. Bungee-jumping. Skiing? I'd better stop before I insult everyone. Get off my lawn. (Lawns also. Total racket. Fuck lawns.)

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I agree that throughout the article, she continues to signal in a way that one would signal on IG or FB. It’s offputting because she seems to miss the point of why social media can be unhealthy.

I'm afraid I'm bad at reading between the lines -- what sort of signaling is she doing in the article?

She is signaling her virtue by leaving those platforms, just like social media promoters signal their own virtue in other ways (diet, exercise, food pictures, stories about how awesome and relaxing they are at child care, etc) on those platforms.

Yeah, hobbies are totally “rackets young people fall for”. LOL quite the controversial statements you are making there!

A lot of hobbies are very hip and approval-seeking indeed.

Not really sure about skiing, I guess snowboarding is more like that. Geek culture is a big one right now, with Star Wars, Harry Potter and all that stuff is on the rage – to like it is cool, and it might be an indication.

Of course, not everybody does it for these reasons, but there are plenty of "nomadic" people who like it only because it gives some benefits of social approval.

Yeah, that argument can be made, I see what you mean. Kind of like the traveling just to post a bunch of flashy pictures on Instagram thing. Even when that is the case, I think a lot of those people who do outdoorsy stuff partially for the pictures, geek stuff, etc. do receive some pleasure from the hobby or activity itself and so it's not all just for "approval-seeking" or showing off on social media.

On the other hand, can't materialism and approval-seeking be positive in some aspects? For example, materialism and keeping up with the Joneses' incentivizes people to continue working harder and getting better jobs, thus helping them stay the course to prosperity and keeping high-paying jobs, or motivating them to get better jobs.

I know the same argument can be made that materialism causes people to be over-spenders and end up in a whirlwind of debt, but for myself, I think I might have had more goals and been more motivated when I cared about those things.

Is working harder and getting a better paying job a worthwhile end in and of itself?

That's the million dollar question.

Nothing wrong with seeking approval in general.

You had me until skiing. Skiing is awesome.

It really is, but as someone who started skiing when I was 3-4 years old and am now closing in on 30 and am not in excellent cardio shape... wow, skiing is tough. I had no idea it would be so much harder at 25 (years ago) than it was at 16.

Admittedly I hate it more because I suck at it!

> "I still got a few classic Insta-worthy photos on a recent trip to Greece, but didn't post them."

[posts the picture instead on MSNBC]

LMAO ... she really doesn't seem to get it.

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