Fear and Suspicion in the Age of Social Media (AKA How Social Media Killed My Dad) [23 Jul. 2025]

Here's a quick one that I've been thinking about.
I have not used big social media for years, and my family had been the same for a while, but in the past year, I've seen noticeable change. My dad started using Twitter, and he's fallen down a terrible hole, it's hard to even connect with him anymore without hearing some uncreative racism, explanations of why I should use AI for literally everything, something about how evil autistic people and "liberals" are, or something about how I'm inadvertently a disappointment. I look(ed?) up to him, so it weighs on me. Now I've tried talking to him about it. Nicely. but he got really defensive and talked about free speech and how I'm part of the "woke cult". (for reference, the only "woke" things about me is the fact that I'm queer and am not very fond of incessant racism. I'm not involved in politics, I just want to live.)
It's no secret that it's easy to fall into "doomscrolling" where we are hooked in by an intense emotion, usually a negative one like fear or hatred, and scroll endlessly. I've witnessed my father become more scared and angry over the past few years. He used to be smart and interesting to talk to, we used to share interests like shooting and hiking, but now I don't even feel inclined to do those things with him because somehow something always comes up and he goes on some kind of rant for half the ride home. He doesn't seem to even care about other people's input or emotions anymore. I remember distinctly a day he asked me how my day at work was, and I said bad, because it was a long day. He said "Good? Good." and moved on, almost like he didn't care to listen at all.
Now whenever there's an idle moment, he's on his phone, and I feel sick, because I know he's just digging his grave deeper.
Oh yeah, and he jumpscared me by saying 'we live in a society' today. Unironically. Each day something new, as they say... an emoji with shifty eyes
This seems to be a bigger problem in society, not the racism per-say, but the mounting paranoia of your fellow man. You see it with parents who constantly monitor their kids, people keeping to themselves at the park and on the street, intensifying of political factions due to fear of what "the other guy" is going to do if he wins (left vs right, at least here in the U.S.), and the rise in social anxiety (not attributed fully to social media, but I believe it has a large part in it.) Luckily, people are starting to see the harmful effects of social media, and some are starting to try and do something about it (like a lot of you on here!) but for all those people, there are those who are unable to, or don't want to quit, and suffer the adverse mental effects.
It'll be a long time before everyone realizes what they're doing to their minds, but I hope we hit a reset one of these days... We probably won't, but I can hope.

Asexual something or other (18+ topics and weird angry rant from your local celibate) [23 Jul. 2024] [Self]

⚠️TW for mentions of The Nasty (no details, just the concept in regards to society) family issues, and an offhand remark about racism 🚧
Does anyone else's dad BEG them to get out and fuck someone? Just me?
He says I'm in college so I should have fun. I am having fun, I'm just not having sex and getting boys, because I don't want to. I tried dating, mainly for him, but it didn't work out, I don't have those feelings. I ended up breaking a few hearts and feeling the guilt all because I wanted to try and be "normal" for once. Cishet normativity kills.
I was thinking it's kind of weird, the way he thinks. He's got people down to a science, or so he says. For instance, the only reason people compliment my butch type style is because girls like to see me dress less provocative, since it's less competition for them. It's all a damn game to him. And I know it shouldn't affect me since it's so wacky, but it does. For some reason all I want to do is appease him, I mean I've been doing it my entire life, so it's really hard to stop now.
A low quality picture of SpongeBob dead on the floor But hey, if life really is a game and the way to win is getting a man and procreating in order to save the master race, (*solemn nod*😞) then I'm probably gonna "play" it like I played Tears of the Kingdom. (Doing all the side quests and completely forgetting about the main story)
I personally think there are a lot more ways to have fun than sex. I definitely have nothing against with Those Who Fuck™️, more power to em, but it's never appealed to me. I am happy being celibate. The only reason I wish I was hetero and allosexual is to fit in. If people just let me be, and accepted me for who I was, I'd be a lot happier with myself.
And I should love myself, I have a lot of good traits (and, if you're reading this far, you should love yourself too, I'm sure you're better than you think.) It's a shame that I keep being pushed away from being my true self because of this guy alone. If I was alone, I'll assure you, I'd be the town eccentric, I'd go all out! But wait, idea! A gif of Patrick from SpongeBob saying "let's leave!" My reasons for not doing just that: Unfortunately I got myself into a shit situation where I am financially dependent. Let's hope I can work it out. I'm afraid. I'm a scared little Chihuahua under the couch. Wretched little thing. Yelling but not doing anything. I'm off on my own for the fall, but his voice still haunts me. It berates me in my subconscious. Like shut up, you're not even here! Any idea how to get rid of that? Priest? Deal with the devil? I love the rest of my family to pieces. I can't just leave my mom and sister.

👋 Sending virtual hugs to whoever needs them 🐶
O.D.