I would respectfully have to disagree with you concerning social media.

- I've been in IT 20 years and have no social media

- I meet my friends in person, since they're all local, save 2, and we prefer to talk or text

- I've never had a potential employer bat and eye or even care that I have zero internet presence. In fact, many have said they prefer it because I'm not distracted whilst at work. Besides, I enjoy being something of an anachronism where this is concerned. Granted, my stance is my own and I encourage others to do what works for them. I have considered that when I travel I may be harassed because the powers that be will assume I am lying since everyone else seems to have social media accounts.

Your method also only works if you have a small social circle or don't go out much. Good luck planning a big party or trip without a Whatsapp/Telegram/Facebook group chat..

You understand that society did just fine for thousands of years without these things right? Maybe if you are 20 the social norms have changed so drastically that calling someone is unthinkable but I rather doubt that. Certainly for my generation and above ('84) it's not required.

We used to have to call[1] several people to organize a gathering/outing, in the distant past of 15 years ago. If someone wasn't home you just had to try again later and/or leave a message, which they would only hear when they got home. Maybe every now and then someone would miss something because of this, though not often. Shockingly, it worked just fine.

[1] from our homes, obviously, since that's where the phone is, unless you were one of the rare high school students carrying a cellphone that had a usable amount of minutes on it, and even then cell call quality was (is...) so crap that you'd prefer your home phone.

While I generally agree with your sentiment, FWIW I'm a 25-year-old and I haven't answered a non-work phone call in several years. If friends/family want to contact me, they can send an IM or leave a voicemail and hope I call voicemail in the next week or two.

I haven't even had the sound/vibrate on my phone turned on for about a year now (which, honestly, is probably the most liberating decision I've made since then), as there's nothing in my life that can't wait however long it is until I check my phone next.

I am pushing 40 and everything is planned on Facebook now. That's the main reason I have an FB account, to keep up with events. The secondary reason is to keep up with conversations people are having on there, at the events they're planning on there.

My social circle is decidedly non-techy, too.

I don't think there is a generalizable rule.

In the past most people never went outside the 20 mile radius where they were born. keeping up with friends around the globe is a lot easier using social media

Social norms have drastically changed, but not to that degree.

I'm only 32. I live in a different city than I grew up in which was a different city than I went to school in. I don't use any social media sites (tried google+ but none of my close friends helped it so I left quickly). It's never been an issue. My friends from all three cities made it to my wedding and no one has an issue texting me when a group camping trip is being. planned. It's perfectly workable unless you feel the need to see what everyone is doing everyday, which never appealed to me.

Unless you call hacker news social media then you can definitely do it. I do it. I just call or text the people I care about when I'm thinking of them.

Nothing is needed from social media.

Yes, I love giving in to chilling effects that modify my behavior out of fear of consequences!

Or perhaps a government shouldn't be party to my social life?

> chilling effects that modify my behavior

I never modified my behavior. I just don't like the layout/UX of facebook/twitter.

> out of fear of consequences

This isn't being done for any specific reason, it's just a side effect of my dislike of their UI, management, and moderation.

> Or perhaps a government shouldn't be party to my social life?

If I'm texting, the government has it. I don't know what you are on about.

I don't like it either. But it's irresponsible to counsel people in ways that set them up for suffering. Protesting should be a conscious choice.