Active Participation

There was a great piece by Kevin Roose in the New York Times last week, which has only just filtered through the streams to reach me.

It's about how Covid-19 has forced us to use the internet in the way it's supposed to be used - "to connect with one another, share information and resources, and come up with collective solutions to urgent problems". It makes the case that social media is returning to the good old days when it was used for good and misinformation was both uncommon and quickly quashed.

But my favourite bit is this, on how to get the most out of the web right now:

One thing we know for certain is that actively participating in online culture is far better than passively consuming it. Research shows that people who use social media actively — by sending messages,  leaving comments or talking in group chats, for example — report being  happier than those who simply scroll through their feeds, absorbing news  stories and viral videos. Netflix binges and YouTube rabbit holes are  fine for escapism, but if you’re looking to find solace on the internet,  lurking alone won’t cut it — you need to contribute.

The whole article is great and you should read it.