#all the fanarts and then discourse like i wouldn’t want that to my worst enemies

[kookjinnies]

… im still awake and it’s already 04:45 is kr 🧍‍♀️BUT SEOKJIN COMES HOME TODAY 🙂‍↕️🎉🎉

[rissynicole]

☕️ Tumblr?

Like a lot of people, I have kind of a love/hate relationship with Tumblr.

(More under the cut for people who want to read a coffee-fueled ramble about Tumblr.)

The site is constantly glitching, I can’t ever find any of my old posts even with tags, etc., etc. One time, I changed my background color from pink to black, and Tumblr held my account hostage for having “adult content” on my blog. It’s just a hot mess.

As for actual content, I’m constantly torn.

I’m on Tumblr a lot, so I obviously don’t despise it. I’d probably never find some of the silly, goofy posts I see here on any other site. Every now and then, I’ll come across something pretty insightful, too. It’s also nice to be able to interact with fellow writers and artists.

As for how it’s set up, it’s very well-suited for me. I don’t have to worry about maintaining some sort of perfect façade since everything here is largely anonymous. I just don’t like social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. I hate taking pictures of myself, and I don’t feel the need to constantly update everyone and their goat on my life. Here, I can just chat about my hobbies and whatnot without feeling any pressure.

On the other hand, anonymity has kind of a dark side to it. The ability to be anonymous really brings out the worst in people.

Sometimes the content here drives me insane. I’m really not a judgmental person, but some people here are just a bit too much to handle. I’ve had to unfollow people for posting/reblogging too many political things that they don’t tag properly.

I’ve had to do the same thing to people who hold really extreme views that I just can’t get on board with. I couldn’t imagine holding such extreme views or getting so worked up over random things. One minute, I’ll checking out IZ fanart pics on my dash, and the next minute, I’m reading a 10-mile long discourse post on the evils of almond milk, where several misinformed people are automatically roasted into oblivion by really wound-up strangers hiding behind a keyboard. It’s mostly shit like that that just makes me… tired?

I can’t recall a single political discourse post on this site that actually reads like a civilized political debate. It’s more like a circle jerk fueled by group polarization. This site ends up being a slippery slope, where anyone who doesn’t 100% agree with a political viewpoint is automatically seen as the “enemy.”

And besides, I’m not on here for politics. I don’t want to constantly be angry and annoyed. If I wanted to research the evils of almond milk, I would search for credible sources online. I wouldn’t just mindlessly believe the wisdom of PussySlayer420 on Tumblr.

As for fandom, I absolutely understand how people can be relentlessly bullied on Tumblr to the point of leaving the fandom altogether. Again, I want to attribute that to anonymity. People get awfully brave behind a keyboard.

Any site like Tumblr that allows for easy anonymity (such as Reddit, Discord, or even Twitter) ends up being kind of a breeding ground for discourse. It dissolves into a lot witch hunting and petty drama.

All of that said, I firmly believe that you curate your own experience on social media. Don’t like someone? Block them. I’ve blocked a lot of people on this site. Far more than any other social media platform I’m on, in fact.

I mean, it bums me out. I don’t take pride in making enemies. But in order for me to have the best experience I can in the IZ fandom on Tumblr, it is necessary.

Anyhow, this is just kind of the tip of the iceberg. There are way more issues with Tumblr that I could go and on about, and it would probably end up in a full-blown essay about the pros/cons of anonymity online. 

I haven’t even discussed one of the most important things of all: the dangers that exist on anonymous platforms like Tumblr. Some weird people exist on the internet. Some dangerous people exist on the internet. Be safe. Use discretion.

I’m going to cut myself off here, though. I already feel like I’m rambling. Eh, this shitshow of a response could probably be summed up with this final message: just be safe on the internet. And don’t be afraid to unfollow/block people or blacklist certain things if it would be better for your mental health.