I joined mastodon and loved the generally friendlier atmosphere (which I realize has not exactly been everybody's experience here)
But the longer I've used it, the more I've realized how much I love the freedom from ads, trackers, and feed algorithms
@tcql It warps your mind. On Twitter I found myself behaving like a brand: self-promotion, curating my "personal brand," always being bland and milquetoast. In retrospect it shouldn't be surprising since that's what the platform is honed for.
@nolan yea, on twitter, I tweeted about work or tried to make polished / shiny tech showoff gifs. Sometime in the last year it slid entirely into "argh i'm mad about politics" but before that it was all brand-y.
Here I'm much more a whole person. I make shitposts and get some likes & laughs, but mostly I just toot about what I'm thinking or feeling or I care about.
@tcql This feels far more natural to me.
@tcql And for a lot of us! Thanks to be there like everyone there :-)
@tcql Hello ! :wave_tone1: :moyai:
@tcql Yes, this very much. Also hipster points.
Everyone got to see the sides of others they had been hiding for long and it was not pleasant.
not to say that I don't think the community atmosphere isn't a major selling point / isn't still good.
I just don't think I realized before how much an effect some of the actual platform's features have