In mid 2018, I intended to check up on what was going on there and created my first account on that notorious platform which collects all your data and gives you nothing in return. Or does it?
Now, after sifting through and checking out numerous features and having gained some new (virtual) friends, I need to say, that is not my cup of tea. Thus, I am today promising myself to end this experiment and I will close my account there by the end of 2020.
However, as I enjoy writing about tea and some other stuff (more to come, stay tuned), I am starting this blog in order to have a wee location where I may occasionally publish what I consider noteworthy. I am not promising any amounts or intervals, we'll see how it goes.
What I can promise, however, is that I do NOT get paid for writing about tea or tea shops and such and I intend to keep it that way. I buy the majority of my teas myself and since about two years ago when I started my database to keep my collection in check, I have acquired teas from almost 70 tea merchants around the world and I also enjoy trading samples with friends. Yes, sometimes I do receive free samples from vendors, but rest assured - I will disclose this fact whenever I may report on any such tea. I also promise not to present a lot of teas like those:
So, what has "social" media given me? On the positive side, some information details (ranging from profane to quite interesting), plus some new (mostly virtual) "friends", but also a few people I would not mind meeting in person. Not all bad, only it took a lot of time and I might also have gained that much by sitting in a nice tea house all the time I strained my neck looking into my not-as-smart-as-we-think-those-are phone.
On the negative side I found way too much/many
ads
hate
spite
fakes
greed
selfies
racism
bubbles*
Babylon
stupidity
ignorance
selfrighteousness
____-phobia (feel free to fill in the blanks)
In short, all the deadly sins and then some. So, I will focus on this blog and be deleting my Freakbook** account soon, having learned that businesses need to be in there, individuals do not. My two cents, your results may differ.
Have a brewteaful time and come back for a cuppa any time!
*As in filter bubble, not as in bubble tea. First one contains too much hate, second one too much sugar and artificial flavouring.
**Cleverly disguising the platform's name by using a completely unrelated fantasy name.