Social Habits

For the cause of anthropology and my own self-documentation, every once in a while I like to record how I use social media. These practices of course evolve over time, so what I do now is different from what I did a few short years ago, and in turn will likely be different a few short years from now. Curious to hear what others do so please weigh in with your own habits and hacks.  

Instagram: I follow travel photographers almost exclusively, especially those who capture nature scenes, but spend very little time actually consuming new posts. Mostly I use the app to post pics (which then get automatically cross-posted to Facebook and Twitter), which are a steady dose of family, food, and city scenes.  

Blogger: I have settled into the rhythm of publishing posts at “Musings of an Urban Christian” on Mondays and Wednesdays, and “Huang Kid Khronicles” on Fridays. The former are urban musings (duh), excerpts from books I recently read, and links to interesting posts. The latter are pics, updates, and musings about the kids. Both blogs then get cross-posted to Facebook and Twitter.  

Facebook: Besides my Instagram and Blogger content, I will randomly post scary bike encounters, discussion topics, and sports or culture hot takes. Infrequently I’ll actually look at my feed, which I wish I had more time for because it’s fun to like and comment on my friends’ posts about personal successes, cute kids, and scenic vacations.  

Twitter: Besides my Instagram and Blogger content, my random Facebook posts usually get cross-posted on Twitter. As for consumption, I follow about 100 accounts, which are a pretty racially and politically diverse mix of public figures, personal friends, and news sites.  

LinkedIn: I use this professional network pretty aggressively, to seek out experts and consume industry content. I will also post professional updates, amplify colleagues’ posts, and share news items in industries where I do work.  

YouTube: I might take a handful of personal videos a month, especially of vacation scenes, so once a month those will get posted here. I watch a fair amount of videos in this space during stray moments like when I’m putting my work clothes on or in the background while I’m doing my bills. Common searches are sports highlights, stand-up comedy, and acapella covers.