I got blocked by Facebook!! | How Steemit and China changed my way of blogging and Social Media

in #steemit7 years ago

Facebook just blocked me out of my account making my brain recap the development of Social Media on a personal level since joining Steemit and coming to China.


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So after having been in China for now close to 2 months I finally got the chance to take a look at Facebook on my Chromebook by borrowing a VPN from a friend for a while. Well, Almost. I was planning to answer some messages my friends wrote me a few weeks ago and share some articles and thoughts with my friends in different places.

But I could not!

Thanks for breaking up, Facebook!




bye-bye-facebook.png

I neither have access to my German number I didn't even remember I put there. Damn you Instagram! Nor access to a PC I used to log in previously.


And I am totally not giving Facebook insights about my passport


China apparently got confused by me suddenly switching locations to Hong Kong in the blink of an eye thanks to my VPN. Too be honest:


I don't even care for Facebook closing its door.




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So how did China change my social platforming?




You know, China doesn't like Google and most of Western platforms as it tries to keep Western influence to a minimum.


China definitely knows how to set up walls!





Trump, lean back
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Shortly after I arrived to China the Chinese government even made slipping through the big Chinese Firewall worse by tightening their VPN laws making my Betternet (VPN) not so better after all.

That means no access to the platforms we humans like to spend so much time. Facebook. Youtube. Instagram.

A drastic change for me especially because I used those to promote my blogging content I create here on Steemit and on my "real" other blog rootingrobert.com which I haven't updated since I joined Steemit (I may do soon).

Back to what counts


Not just Facebook left my life, also Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram etc. Basically all the things you learn to be essential as a blogger. Until you learn they are not.


Missing the essential.




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Blogging




With all that huge amount of platforms, facebook interaction groups, Instagram Pods and constant improvements on the visual aspects of the blog the most important part of the blogging got neglected. The blogging part. The insights about other countries, about cultures some long forgotten, life, food.

Your thoughts. Your thoughts, MY thoughts, got buried by a constant feeling of missing out. Missing out on sharing, missing out on spreading your word. Whilst you, I, missed out on the words to spread.

Where did the blogging go? Let's look at some stats of my real blog


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Taking a look at my blog you will find a total of 28 posts.

Let me say that again.


Twenty. Eight. Posts. Not even I expected that less.



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28 articles written about 8 months, 4 countries, countless memories, endless thoughts. 28?! That's not even 30. That's not even sweet. That's kinda sad.

Now let's take a look on my Steemit handle.

steemit_stats.png


985 posts. A little more than on my blog..


Well that, of course, counts in comments and replies, the interaction with you other Steemians.

Taking that into consideration and counting all the comments and replies I got in Wordpress that would make around 200 there.

So how many of that 985 are actual blog posts? As I am a really lazy (or time efficient) being I won't go back and count each of them.


Let's do some simple math instead.



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First the facts:

and 2. while being in China after having been kinda demotivated by the time put into my posts in relation to the following payout. (For anybody who says success comes with consistency alone is wrong)

So let's reduce those almost 4 months I am on here to 3 months active daily posting


3 months a 30 days = 90 posts written in 2 countries solely published on Steemit.



No pinterest worthy images like this

and

(Almost) no shares on facebook, twitter, flipboard, Instagram & co


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Is this extreme better?


No

I don't think so to come straight to the point. So I switched from being primarily more focused on promoting and working on the visuals of my blog to writing full-time with totally neglecting any Social Media Shares at all.




And I god damn love the absence from "Western" Social Media! It brings so much ease to the mind.






Yet, both extremes are a desirable option if you want to call yourself a blogger.



In my opinion, a good combination of both is needed. Seeking balance. Promoting your content while having content to promote, yet just one works without the other and during my time here on Steemit I definitely learned how to share my thoughts / experiences more freely.



I had a really hard time to do so earlier because I wasn't so keen about personal insights about my life and I am still continuously working on that but it's improving.

Connecting with other beautiful souls on Discord helped in particular as I myself noticed, that everybody is struggling with the same or similar topics.

We live in a time of revealation! So there's no need to hold back. And it definitely is ok to not be ok just like my dear friend @battleaxe stated lately.







You're still around? Dang, you're pretty awesome! Feel free to check out my previous adventures




JJ the Mollusca

The Shining of The Evergreen

Hitting the Ground 490 times in 7 Days

Say Hi to @foodflaneur

Older but golder


Wanna kiss some beautiful girls?! How I became a fuckboy at a Chinese KTV

❤ How the Milkyway and the Chinese Valentine's Day were given the gift of life! ❤

I almost DIED flying to China!

Hashgranny misses Granddaughter's Theater Performance - M4H

Thank you for being! (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧

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lol. Yes, I'm still around. I read all the way to the bottom and saw that you called me awesome just because I read your fun post. :)

And, yes. there's something about Steemit that creates true engagement and community vs the others. Right there with ya!

That's great, Karen! It's an enrichment to the heart and mind to have you here.

The engagement here on Steemit indeed is different and focuses more on the human aspect of social networking which is nice. It furthermore is a wonderful money and friends earning detox tour from facebook.
ヾ(@^▽^@)ノ

" Not just Facebook left my life, also Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram !!!! " well dont you feel better to have these kiniving soul worms out of your life @rootingrobert ?

Totally @gomeravibez my friend! "Social" Platforms which mainly are nothing more than digital bloodsuckers. I still want to spread my word but not again by the means of sacrificing my mental well-being.

And even the quality of a shitpost here on Steemit is better than the overall quality you get on Facebook.

:v..kniving soul worms

You don't need fb buddy we are steemians! Too much negative energy on fb grew tired of it. That block on fb you're not missing out on anything. Cheers will check out your other posts looks awesome.

Indeed, I am looking forward to deleting facebook from my phone and tell all the people to just write me on Wechat. less distraction there and no drama. Thanks for the love ヾ(@^▽^@)ノ

Wow you are in china amazing, I know a friend who has a VPN there but she said its not always reliable.
Thank you for sharing.

Especially since the latest new law many VPN's became worthless, premium accesses work fine too.

Anytime, China is always there for you to surprise you :D

This post has received a 0.99 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @rootingrobert.

steemit is one of the best things that happened to social media. haha
will look forward to more of your adventures!

เขียนเรื่องราวได้ดีมาก ;-)

Steemit is a God sent here living in China ! I dont even neeed vpn.. well most of time hehe

Aye indeed. Steemit in combination with discord and Wechat and all social skills are covered. A little sprinkle of real life interaction is also ok from time to time :D

I can only imagine getting vpn to work in china. I have a hard time getting it to work at my office hahaha. good on you mate!

What I learned today is that even getting it to work doesn't get you anywhere because then you do not get blocked by China anymore but by another party. Fun times!