Some people talk about minimizing social media time and the associated doomscrolling, but every day Mastodon reminds me of how many kind, caring people there are. And how many I'm privileged to know on here. (And how many have adorable cats. Or dogs. Or goats.) People who appreciate the beauty around us; people who want to save the environment; people who want a good life for everyone.

It lifts me up, even when the news is horrific. Thank you all.

#Mastodon #SocialMedia

@jeridansky Iโ€™m glad youโ€™re here! ๐Ÿ˜
@jeridansky Same here. And thanks for saying this. So glad you are here. ๐Ÿ’™
@jeridansky
Thank you!
Happy to be here with you.

@jeridansky

You make a good point here, maybe it is because people here want something different to mainstream social media, interaction, collaboration and community, what the internet used to be like.

I am adding a picture of a squirrel I took the other day, to try and add to the positive vibe.:)

@zleap Aww, cute squirrel! Thank you! (Nice alt text, too.)
@jeridansky Social media isn't the problem: algorithms forcing us to "consume", and "react" (not interact) is.
@jeridansky โ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒป
@jeridansky likewise! It feels lighter here, people use it with purpose and that makes a difference. Have a great day ahead ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿฝ
@jeridansky Iโ€™ve joined a couple days ago and I 100% agree, this place is not like anything. It feels like alternative dimension for me.
@v60enjoyer Welcome! I hope you continue like it here. If you add a bio and post an #introduction message people will start to follow you.
@jeridansky You are so special and kind-hearted, Jeri! ๐Ÿค— 
Same here ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ’œ @jeridansky
@jeridansky the whole minimizing thing has to only apply to mainstream social media. open social is safer than life.
@jeridansky I feel this way, too. In weeks especially hard to bear, I mute the triggering words and then enjoy the beautiful, kind, caring side of Mastodon, and the future seems a little less bleak.
@jeridansky donโ€™t forget the adorable donkeys!
@dropbear Adorable donkeys, for sure โ€” and rabbits and guinea pigs and more I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention.
@jeridansky apart from the cats and dogs that I could do without, I fully agree with your assessment!!
@jeridansky Don't forget those who ARE adorable cats ๐Ÿ˜‡
@tisha And what an adorable cat you are!
@jeridansky The trouble is it's often not usefull to know the people you know via social media. I know some nice people via socmed, but they live thousands of miles from where I am. I can't help them out, they can't help me out. And if my pc is broken, I can't even contact them.

@PeterMotte I'll respectfully disagree. Sure, there are many things they can't help with. And they can't give me physical hugs. But there's still the mail, and I know I've sent someone something through the mail that was a help.

I've also supported charity fundraisers that folks here were involved with.

And I've seen many instances of folks getting useful advice when they asked for it.

And just a kind supportive word can be a big help, too. I've been the grateful recipient of those after the death of a pet, for example. And right now just the responses to my post make the world seem a tiny bit less bleak.

@jeridansky I agree. But if we lean too much on it, we're also going to miss a lot.
@jeridansky my two foster cats say hi!
@catnip Hi back to them! And thank you for fostering.
@jeridansky
Mastodon, even with its sometimes seemingly tight rules, manages to foster authenticity and integrity in people. Other social networks feel like they fall into some weird "pissing contest" mentality.
Hence why over the course of time I'd rather lean into having to CW a silly picture of my everyday dinner and have the recipient choose if/when they have look that have all the insanity of the world shoved down my throat.
So in the end, Mastodon wins by having more genuine folks 
@jeridansky thank you, I really needed to hear that. Ozzy says hi btw โ™ฅ๏ธ
@willowpje You're very welcome. And hi back to your beautiful Ozzy!
@jeridansky I know creators get discouraged during times like this but their work is important. It may seem frivolous but it's often a light in the dark for others. I know several that have gotten me through rough times.
@jeridansky The important thing is not to touch trending topics too much
@jeridansky Marge is here!
@dariusdunlap Hi there, Marge! You're pretty adorable.
@jeridansky That was at Blue Ocean Brewing. You ever hang out there? Dog friendly!
@dariusdunlap No, I haven't. But now I will! Outdoor seating and good beer sounds like a win to me. And as a bonus I can admire other people's dogs.
@jeridansky
Same. You missed 'ants', BTW ๐Ÿ˜€