re: nobody actually talks anymore?
As a Gen Z this has been my whole life.
I left (didn't delete, unfortunately) Instagram in 2024.
All my friends have my phone number but only one speaks to me regularly (without prompting with a link), and it took ages for her to realize that I didn't want to be bombarded with TikToks.
I just wanted to know what she's been doing and how she's been. I had to stay firm with my boundaries for her to finally realise that.
Recently, I logged into Instagram and there were a few DMs from friends. None of them were questions, only links to Reels. Why do they think I dropped off the face of the earth because I don't post, when they've got my number?
I have a few ideas as to why this is happening:
- People are afraid of actually taking up space in other's lives -- even though they're friends!
- We are forced to be constantly available at work, school, group chats etc. These messages demand attention at any time, so it's easy to get overwhelmed.
- We're just losing the skill of shooting the shit. It's so easy to get a burst of satisfaction showing a friend a TikTok we know they'll like instead of push through the natural lulls of conversation.
I've been lucky enough to find friends of many ages (including mine), friends who actually talk to me, ask me things and don't bombard me with surface level texts 24/7.