Hacker News Reader

Comment by bigger_inside | Hacker News Reader

do you realize that roads are optional? you don't have to leave your house to talk to friends.

do you realize that using the mail service is optional? nobody forces you to write post cards.

do you realize that electricity is optional? you can get a shack in the forest and burn wood.

do you realize that water pipes are optional? you can dig for your own ground water.

the world is not made of solipsistic individuals. infrastructure encases, shapes, and forms the possibilities and constraints in which all of us live.

View on HN

> "let's ditch social networks!"

> "You realize they're optional, right?"

> "Technically so are roads and mail and electricity and water!"

so... are you saying we should ditch roads and mail and electricity and water? Your response is one of the sillier non sequiturs I've seen in a while, and I browse Reddit.

Obviously the utilization of social networks is fundamental to social engagement in modern life. It's not silly whatsoever, it's a natural response when someone quips that a that a thing that's essentially needed but not absolutely required isn't worth complaining about.

How is it obvious? I (and most of my friends) don't use social networks at all. They're not "absolutely required" for absolutely anything (unless your country is significantly different from mine). You'll only "miss out" on things that are only happening on social networks, but that's the point, right?

I literally said they were not "absolutely required" and I don't know why you'd go out of your way to misquote my 2 sentence statement.

My mom didn't have a telephone, she had other friends without telephones, but having a telephone when she was a kid was fundamental to building robust social relationships. The reduction of social bandwidth generally results in fewer opportunities for social advancement, and most people would like to experience social advancement of some type.

> Obviously the utilization of social networks is fundamental to social engagement in modern life.

That is not obvious at all. I think it's not even true.

It's so non-obvious that 60% of the entire population of the Earth uses it.

That doesn't support the thesis that it's "fundamental to social engagement". I understand that it actually may be in some places, but I haven't seen a reason to think that's the most common case.

Roads, mail service, electricity and water pipes are valuable for me and improve my life. I want to use them, and I do.

Social networks are not valuable for me, and they would not improve my life. I don't want to use them, and I don't.

It's that simple, really.

Those things also don't quip at you ever 5 minutes saying 'use me!' and 'check me!'

Reply on news.ycombinator.com