Mandy I don't blame you one bit for leaving Facebook. I have an account but haven't been on it in quite a while. Facebook became so daunting to me with all the negativity I just had to step away to protect my own sanity. I enjoy your live demo's tremendously and never miss a single youtube video. Much love and many blessings to you....xoxoxo ❤

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. It's sad, isn't it? Many people feel this way about the platform...

Completely understand. I have FB account in case I need it to access another site. But I‘ve never posted. Perhaps I‘m too old - I just don‘t get it. I still miss letters! 💗

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

I miss letters too...I used to write a lot with penpals...the joy of hearing an envelope land on the door mat!

Oh I’m so glad you aren’t leaving KZread! I thought this was what this video was for! 💙

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Oh no! Sorry to scare you! No, no....I l♥ve KZread! I've no intention to leave here :-)

I left Farsebook about 8 years ago. If people were meant to stay in your lives,they would still be there without it! I choose quality over quantity in people. I don't let these social media outlets decide my worth by how many "likes " I receive! I could care less to be honest. I know my own worth ! I say BRAVO to you ! 😊

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Cathy. I don't know the icon for a strong arm and a pumping fist, but if I knew how to do that on KZread and a keyboard, I would post that here now. Your worth is indeed yours alone! And mine mine! :-)

@cathyridley3005

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije Lol I think our society has and will continue to be damaged by social media if we don't control it for ourselves. The biggest damage is and will be to our children . They wrap way to much of their self online. We should give our time to the people that are right in front of us. Always quality over quantity and that is not always family , but that's ok too.🤗😊

i appreciate your thorough discussion here - some points i havenʻt even noticed myself. itʻs a rock and hard place for me - being disabled and housebound (before the pandemic) fb has been a lifeline to friends (even locally) that i simply canʻt see anymore and since voice/talking is difficult for me now my social connections are text based. but over the past 1-2 years itʻs gotten rough. iʻm good at curating my feed by blocking toxic people or telling fb i donʻt want to see xyz kind of posts etc but the general mood has shifted, even with my light and bright tribe of people. itʻs a rough and chaotic time in our world and amplified on fb. i used to spend much of my day/energy on fb for social and emotional health but now i just dip my toe in once every few weeks to see how my people are doing and share a tiny joy when iʻve got one. i miss it, i feel more isolated than ever but just canʻt be there like i used to - itʻs far too easy to spiral down and takes tremendous energy to wade through the negativity and mentally block it out. feels like fb took the low road and i wish theyʻd taken the high road. i get that this is, at basis, human nature (negative experiences register deeper in the psyche than positive ones, itʻs a survival skill) and they are simply amplifying it but think of the possibilities if they had amplified the positive, creative, healthy aspects of community interactions - it could significantly shift humans for the better. anyway, long winded way of saying i totally get it and respect your decision. taking care of ourselves on every level is vital. xoxo from hawaii

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Jen, I SO get how fb can be important to you in your situation. So I'm sorry to read that even though you have very good reasons to be there and work hard to filter the information you get, it still weighs you down. It's a shame that it is so hard to clear away negative energy on that platform. You're not asking for all that. A bitter pill when fb is the easiest way to keep in touch with people. Could you try Instagram? It's still owned by fb, but at least it's a lot less negative and I find it way less addicitive. The timeline doesn't show your real friends, but you can look them up fairly quickly. I'm keeping Instagram for a little while longer, to see if that fills some gaps for me. If not or when it gets too addicitve or negative, I'm out of there too. I'm going to find ways to keep in touch with my friends and if that should fail, I'm going to look for new ones... That's a thought that came up during a discussion with a friend...we're so afraid to leave fb, but there are a gazillion online places where people can meet up. I'd just never thought of that because I had fb. Now I'm beginning to see new possibilities. Away with the negative online experiences! Like you say, our minds take it in really hard. And with all the challenges of our daily lives we don't need any more that are loaded onto us from a platform. Take care, Jen. And it's good that you're here. In general interaction here is really great! Thanks for your comment♥

@IridescentJen

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije yes to instagram! it is a much less reactive (and addictive) experience. for me it also feels less interactive but thatʻs ok, itʻs just different. it always gives my brain happy colorful images to look at since i follow so many creative people and sparks my own flame for whenever iʻm able to paint ;)

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

@@IridescentJen Yes! Exactly. You deserve to get clean inspiration for your days, Jen. I hope your flame gets sparked today... ♥

Preach! Hugs, Mandy ❤

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Tehee...preach! :-) Yes...it is a bit of a preach, but it needed to be said! Hugs to you too :-)

I quit FB about 3 months ago. So happy I did. Their censorship was just too authoritarian

You will feel better soon, Mandie! You will find a way to keep up with the people that are truly important. I’m an introvert and Facebook felt like it brought chaos and drama into my home. I knew way more about casual acquaintances than I ever dreamed. It was too much. Leaving wasn’t hard for me. Now I just follow artists and accounts of interest on Instagram. I probably have 5 people that I know personally and the rest is art and things that interest me. I don’t post much myself. Instagram is certainly not perfect- I may just drop it too one day. The ads are gross sometimes. I had cable tv for only about two years. I fell in love with dvr. I never was able to watch shows because I worked at night. The dvr let me record things to watch on Sunday- my way of zoning out. When I decided I didn’t really need cable I cancelled. The day of cancellation I was SO anxious! I’m ashamed to admit it- but I was. The anxiety lasted the whole day but I felt better almost immediately! You will too💗💗💗💗💗

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Alice. I think so too. :-) ♥♥♥

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Btw...it's brave you cancelled your cable. But SO great! I hardly watch any tv at all. We have cable, but only because da hubs likes to zone out that way. He's got a busy job with lots of people needing his attention during the day. So for him it's heaven to just let his mind drift off into that screen. For me, not so. I get bored or anxious. The only time I enjoy the tv is when we watch a movie. Then I go on an adventure I choose to go on. All the rest...I feel I don't need that much entertainment in my life. Life's colorful enough as it is when you're making art :-)

For my 80 year old mother, who passed away last year, FB was a fun way to keep in touch with many of her friends. Unfortunately some of them were passing around fake news garbage, which she believed because it was coming from her friends. It's really sad the way the site has been used to manipulate people, and I couldn't agree more with your feelings about it. I'll be following your blog.

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Nelli. Yes, it's a dreadful shame that so much (dangerous) nonsense enters our lives, especially through friends. Facebook really WAS a fun way to keep in touch. I loved it SO much, back in the days. And fb are counting on us to keep loving it for that reason. But it isn't what it used to be anymore. The weighing of the joy versus the negative side effects is something I think many people will have to deal with sooner or later. I'm happy your mother managed to keep in touch with her friends in her older days. And I wholeheartedly wish that a truly social platform will one day pop up where we all can keep in touch with those we care about and enjoy ourselves with. Life is simply too short for the negativity that oozes from facebook now and I'm sorry to read that even your mother in her old age had to deal with that. And of course, welcome to my blog!

I literally use Fb to keep in touch with physically distant friends. I agree these social platforms can be awful places. I’m much happier keeping off it in my bubble of normality. Thank heavens for art.I think Instagram is best used as Teo aka Parker Blogs said like a private view of his work. I like to see the thumbnails as an album. Useful. But as a platform for sharing it’s awful. The people it promotes are often astonishing (bad) compared to others who remain in the shadows. You tube is cool as people can always find you and discover your work.

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! Exactly that! Instagram promotes horrible artists...one-trick poneys, mostly. So few really good artists get shared there. But like you and Teoh say...Insta can be used as a landing page/platform...as an easy portfolio in case someone looks for you there. Although I'm not yet sure if I want to use it that way...I'll see. Step 1 is leave facebook. And that I already find a bit daunting, so...let's see how I feel about insta in another few weeks :-)

@suzisandpiper

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije definitely best do one at a time I think. And for me Fbk was definitely the most time and energy sucking platform. I’ve felt a lot better and more creative keeping away from it. I shall follow you onto your newsletter and website…I find you so level, calming to listen to and with interesting insights. I loved watching you paint with the Rembrandt paints the other day, your morning routine…I was really impressed with those paints and I grabbed a big tin while a good price. ( I know this is off topic sorry! ) but just wanted to say how great those paints are and how I felt inspired to do some sort of artistic meditation start to the day too.

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Hehe, never mind off or on topic...paint is ALWAYS on topic!!! :-) Especially a good watercolor set by Rembrandt. SO glad you love them! Or no, let me put that differently...I'm SO glad you tried them...they ARE simply wonderful, aren't they? They are the best companion to start your day meditatively. Absolutely! Rembrandt have amazing flow and are superb for working intuitively. Did you get the 48 set?

@suzisandpiper

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije hehe…yes the 48! 🤭😽🙈…simply couldn’t resist! They actually remind me of vintage Winsor & Newton the way they used to make paint…I still have my first bijou set from the early 90s and some box sets we bought in a closing down sale 20 years ago. If you can spot a reasonable price. set of vintage in a heavyweight tin on eBay they are well worth it. So I’m very happy to have tried the Rembrandt though. I’m surprised they don’t get spoken about more especially as they are a bit more affordable usually x

Haven't logged onto FB since Hurricane Harvey, when I wanted to let out-of-towners know I was OK. I hate it because I can't keep off the crap I'm not interested in. What the world needs is a world-wide consortium to run a social network as a non-profit, so greedy investors don't ruin it all for the everyman.

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Hear, hear! Absolutely. And the day such a social network pops up, I'd be in for sure. Until then we'll do without. A day after announcing my decision I feel better and better about it.

@jillshort9241

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije You should be fine, since you have other options for communicating. I'd get off FB for sure if it weren't for the extreme weather we can have here in Houston. Since people don't have land line phones anymore, you can't be sure you have folks' current numbers, since people change phones and plans fairly often. So FB is a way to broadcast that I'm OK, but I resent it.😕😕

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, you have a point there. You should be able to get in touch with people in such circumstances.

@rayne6737

2 жыл бұрын

Haven't you notice that "consortiums" and "non-profits" also have issues and agendas that only benefit them? It isn't a social media issue but rather a humanity issue and the loss of it in our populations. People choose their agenda, whether it's money, power or whatever, and they mostly tend to do anything and everything to obtain these things and the rest either fall for it or simply watch it happen. I have also never seen such a desire to belong no matter the cost. I have watched religions, non-profits, and once respected institutions turn their backs on their values and ethics and when you call them out on it you're the bad guy. I'm not sure how to fix that but it seems to be like watching the fall of civilization.

@MandyvanGoeije

2 жыл бұрын

@@rayne6737 It's a bleak perspective on what it means to be human, but I'm afraid you're right. There are always people who want to dominate for whatever purpose and there's a crowd standing by because they like to be fed or guided and they give up who they are for it. From a helicopter view facebook did an outstanding job hoarding a loyal and dependent crowd. I don't think there is a fix for it. I think all we can do, is decide to invest our attention, time, energy and money in other things. And perhaps we can share our choices. I don't expect people to follow in my footsteps, but I think it sure is good to point out that there are alternatives to the reality we've created for ourselves.

hate facebook- left after the 2006 election and my life dramatically lightened. It's a shame so many people keep using it, especially since all their data is being scraped and collected, even things they do on their computer when they are NOT on facebook. If you look into all the programs/ideas, etc that Facebook has wanted to try (including a financial "rating" system that would decide if you were ideal for credit or a loan based on the finances of your Facebook **contacts**) it's absolutely alarming. And it's shocking that so many literally do not care.

@MandyvanGoeije

3 жыл бұрын

I think people don't understand the enormity of what facebook is doing. They like so much what they find there or are so addicted that they do'nt think to consider the platform. This is why I chose not to leave without a word, but to explain why. And then I've only just scraped the surface of the reasons why I am leaving. There's SO much more, indeed. What you mention is a really important argument as well. Facebook keeps inventing ways to squeeze money out of its users or their data. But you wouldn't believe the amount of response I'm getting from facebook users who also want to leave, but find the plunge too scary because they are afraid to loose touch with people. I think a fairly big amount of users is doubting their presence on the platform. And the others? No, many do'nt care...but just look at it this way...what if you're dimwitted and finally on facebook you are getting an audience who will listen to the lying madness pouring out of your skull....that must be a thrill...to finally be somebody somewhere, to finally meet likeminded sorry excuses for humanity. Those people thrive there. They will hold on to it if it's the last thing they do because at long last there is a platform that acknowledges them. Which is exactly why I'm out of there. I can't bear to support a platform anymore that grows dangerous illusions in xenophobic people with self-esteem issues and prone to violence or suppression. And on the upside, two of my fb friends messaged me that my leaving has inspired them to leave as well. I was an early adopter of the internet, of social media and I'm an early adopter of FOMO, although not as early as you are :-) But I think that I'm riding a wave here...SO many artists I know have already left and I'm certainly not the last one.

@gingerblue

3 жыл бұрын

@@MandyvanGoeije Everything you said resonates SO deeply. Thank you so much for making a stand and explaining why- I'm in the US, and the constant misinformation and false nonsense that is pouring into the public conscious is absolutely terrifying to me- it literally shakes me to the core. First it was with the election, and now with the pandemic and people dying by the millions, and it's getting worse again! It got so bad for my family (me, husband, teenage daughter) we literally moved across country from one coast to another to escape the PEOPLE who were actively engaging in this madness and reveling in it since a lot of it is concentrated in one quadrant of the country and we just couldn't stand the idea of being in that environment any longer. I can't tell you how much I appreciate how forthright you are being, and how you are making a stand. So many artists on KZread will not do that in fear of losing some of their followers, and they allow small communities of deniers and hoaxers to congregate and share ideas in their comment sections, etc. I just can't deal with it anymore- too many people have literally died and will continue to die. I mean, we are talking life and death! I mean, that's where I draw the line, and it shocks me that anyone with any sense doesn't do the same.