Does anyone know NZShadow in the real world?

waxjunky

Kind of a weird post, but I follow him on IG and he was a pretty prolific poster and he stopped suddenly a couple months ago. I know he had a recent heart issue, so I’m hoping it’s not that. Never met the guy in real life, but he was a fellow SSOG from 20 years ago so I kind of feel like I know him a little bit, and he had some legendary material on here during the site’s heyday.

ketan

I do not know him, but he's been at it a bit around here lately - maybe over the last month?  Chances are, he's reading this!  Have you tried a PM?

waxjunky

Yeah, I did through IG, but in case he just deleted the app, I thought to try here.

Jimster

I've just pinged him an email, we used to chat a lot over IG but yeah, he's been v. quiet.  I do recall him saying he was about done with the way social media has gone.

Jimster

He's good!

Taking a break from the social medias.

Told him to come on here instead.

Once Zuck has merged Instagram and WhatsApp into FB, forums will rise again!

  

nzshadow

Hey. 

I'm good, I appreciate the thoughts,  I just finally hit my limit with social media.

I was beginning to notice some serious addictive behaviour in myself & then I stumbled upon a short video by Cal Newport & I realised that all I had to do was go cold turkey.

Since deleting my IG I have gone on a bit of a tear researching the effects the 'constant companion' social media business model has had on society & have really come to the conclusion that it added sweet fuck all in value compared to the real cost.

I could go on a fucking tear about Constant Companion, Surveillance Capitalism, Attention Economy, Pavlovian behavioural training, but I won't.

Anyway, this is the short vid that opened my eyes:





And this is an excellent speech by another champion of a better way of doing things: