Orion Ussner kidderMar 10

I don't want this any more, a continuous stream of six or seven different things, all jarring me in every which direction.

I don't want tech news and pleas for the lives of people's children next to memes of Skeletor.

This isn't good for me. This thing where some of the worst crimes humanity commits against ourselves are literally next to cute cat videos.

I need to separate my streams. It's not optional any more

#IDontKnow #WhatAreEvenHashtags #ModernityIsANightmare

Show threadKagan MacTane (he/him)Mar 10

@OrionKidder I hear you. I should probably curate my stream a little better, too. (I posted something about needing to improve my filters, maybe 4–6 weeks ago? And then failed to do so.)

I want to keep up with people like you, and various others here. That's what I log on for: the human connection. I should probably just unfollow some folks who post nothing but politics.

(I'm actually okay with the Skeletor memes. They're not doing me any damage. I occasionally... 1/2

Show threadKagan MacTane (he/him)Mar 10

@OrionKidder ...even enjoy them. But I recognize YMMV.)

If you need to take a step back, I will understand. But I'd really like not to lose touch with you. I've enjoyed our interactions, and consider you either a friend or a potential friend, depending on one's definitions. 2/2

Show threadOrion Ussner kidderMar 10

@kagan Man, same. We are definitely internet friends.

But here's the thing. I have two different accounts: one on mas.to and one on writing.exchange. The writing exchange account is my oasis of non-terror. It's the firehose feed that I have to curate.

Show threadOrion Ussner kidderMar 10
@kagan I don't dislike anything I'm seeing on my timeline, to be clear, including the Skeletor memes, but I've noticed lately that my experience is roller-coastering from families fighting for their lives against a certain genocidal government and 80s cartoon memes, and it's reducing everything to an emotional beige. I need to keep the news separate from the goofiness, for my own psychological health. It'll take some work to make actual lists, but I think I need to.
Show threadJumile

@OrionKidder @kagan I realised this a few years ago. I've never liked news (re) posts in microblogging, but is difficult to control outside of Mastodon specifically.

Here it comes down to (for me):

- Not following news accounts
- Extensive filtering
- Disabling boosts from accounts who repost rage bait
- Mute/block freely on Local and Federated timelines
- Using lists for some accounts
- Using @ tag-<hashtag>@relay.fedi.buzz (no space) to "follow" hashtags that you can then put into a list

Mar 10 at 11:16amWeb
Show threadOrion Ussner kidderMar 10
@jumile @kagan What's that hack to follow hashtags? We can do that via the GUI already, but I suspect there's more to it...?
Show threadKagan MacTane (he/him)Mar 10

@OrionKidder @jumile The only one I know so far is to go to the hashtag itself (e.g., https://wandering.shop/tags/WritersCoffeeClub) and hit the "Follow Hashtag" button in the top right. But I assume that's what you meant by "via the GUI", right? And I don't know how one would add that to a list.

Sorry.

Show threadJumileMar 10

@OrionKidder @kagan Just following a firehose hashtag nukes your timeline. Everything else gets pushed out, etc.

Using the fedi.buzz method I mentioned mimics following an account that you can then move into a List, preserving your timeline. You can view it when you want.

Show threadOrion Ussner kidderMar 10
@jumile @kagan Fuckin' eh. Thank you!
Show threadJumileMar 11

@OrionKidder @kagan Hope it's useful! It is for me. 😊

I only know about it thanks to @FediTips posting about it a while back - after the a.gup.pe reflectors went offline, IIRC.