Time to Step Away from the Hellmouth
why I’m leaving Instagram
On Monday, I logged off of Instagram and deleted the app. It’s been three days, and already I’ve decided that, indefinitely, I’m not going back. Let me explain.
I love my little corner of the internet and the people with whom I have connected, but as a friend observed recently, Instagram is increasingly the Hellmouth hunting grounds. Since this isn’t an episode of Buffy, it’s utterly exhausting fending off the monster of the week. Even when I’m minding my own business, they come looking for me. I’ve had about enough of that.
Moving platforms won’t remove the target on my back altogether, but it will make it harder to reach me. Without a constant stream of information input every time I log on to the app, the aliens and their gnarled energy will lose their access. I’m no longer on their playing field where they have the upper hand.
Many people worry about how connections and friendships and opportunities will find them if they step away from a major platform like Instagram. I hold to a note I scribbled to myself in early 2022 — I have way more faith in my ghost PR team than I do in this app.
That which is meant to find me will. Never underestimate the ghost grapevine.
Connections drop out of the sky.
AS FOR INSTAGRAM
For anyone wondering, I’m not burning all things Instagram to the ground. I love what I have built there, namely the connections to incredible people and the discussions that ensued. The questions and insights that arose from the deep dives in the stories will be the thing that I miss most. It’s my sincere hope that you’re bold enough to leave those same thoughts in the comments section here.
Creating some space from Instagram certainly wasn’t part of my plans for the week, but here we are.
As they say, when you know you know. Or as I say, trust the energy.
Will I return? Not a clue. That’s a decision for another day. Until then, you can find me and a whole host of thoughts right here. I hope you’ll join me.
Don’t mind me while a tuck a few more things at the end of this note. I can’t be the only one with the Buffy theme going through my head, so here you go. Plus, the closing scene from the original movie is simply the best so I’m not going to miss an opportunity to include it for everyone to enjoy.
For anyone interested in the very human component doing the Hellmouth’s bidding, Crowder lays it out quite clearly — https://www.youtube.com/live/Ei855pJiES8?si=PCMr-5em6DivNOmv&t=343
Paul Ruebena death scene in Buffy is just priceless. Will miss your beacon of good on Instagram but totally understand the need to pull away. Maybe we can catch you on the beach in Empire this winter!