What I Learned Today 😒

Today I learned that those darn meaningless numbers will suck in even the savviest among us.

Why do I obsessively check the stats, the followers, the likes, the shares, the comments? Why do we all do it? Validation, yes. It can feel good to get instant feedback on work you know you'll be chugging away at for 10, 20 years, or more.

But, I'm torn here. Is it even worth being on these social media platforms if I don't actually intend to be social? If I were in the food, fashion, sneaker, or watch industries, perhaps so. For these businesses, I've seen social media work wonders and inspire purchases.

But what I sell? I can't see someone going to Instagram looking for my widget. What the hell do I “share” every single day?

Inspirational quotes are easy. But does the world actually need one more sticky sweet quote on a pretty background? Probably not.

But here I am, playing the game so many others play and spending ungodly amounts of time with the hope that just one person will find what I have to say interesting.

Maybe I'm on social because it's easy. Frictionless. I don't have to put in much thought to higher strategies that will cut through the noise with grace.

I love the data, stats, and all that stuff. It's what marketers rely on to see if what they're doing is working. They tell us when we should probably change course and try something else.

Maybe social is a big testing ground where we begin to learn the high-level stuff.

It's true: we are all competing with your friend's cute dog, yummy looking recipes shot from above and prepared with dizzying speed, that hot chick you were obsessed with in high school that is still really hot and you have to check in every day just to see what earth-shatteringly intelligent thing she had to say this time about the blue margaritas at that club.

And then there's the political arguments. The digital embodiment of a horrific train wreck you just can't stop looking at. The weddings, the baptisms, the 20-year reunions, all full of familiar faces you know and care about. Your best friend got promoted. Your uncle got a new boat and can't wait to take everyone out.

The 67th article you've seen today about fake news ruining the republic. Beautiful celebrities in gorgeous clothes. A video so moving and inspirational you well up at your desk. I'm not crying. You're crying!

Raccoons in tutus. Fat children dancing really well to trap rap. Cute babies laughing hysterically.

And here we are. The marketers. We show up to this party daily wearing our Sunday best, sporting a bottle of Dom Perignon, desperately trying to mingle. To be clever.

God help us all.