Iowahawk bids goodbye, at least for the time being

Facebook (two links in body of thread) | February 2, 2017 | David Burge

[EveningStar]

Quick note: I have decided to check out from the wonderful world of social media, and this FB will be self-destructing soon. If you want to stay in touch you can ping me at davidburge at comcast dot net. Cheers!

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I've had some folks ask me to elaborate, so here goes...
1. no, nobody paid me the million bucks.
2. no, it had nothing to do with the Sam Wang twitter thing.

Fact is this has been on my to-do list for some time. I've never been paid for anything I've done online, nor have I wanted to. Even if I went balls-out and threw myself into writing full time, I could never hope to make a third of what I make in my boring (yet fulfilling) day job. It's always been a lark, a tertiary hobby for me.

I abandoned the blog largely because the posts were fairly time consuming and Twitter allowed me to drop a quick mini-satire in between real life stuff. Over the last 2 years, though, I found myself questioning why I do any of it in the first place. I don't need the money, so why bother? Answers weren't very reassuring. The only honest answer I can give you is my own narcissism, and addiction to attention/approval.

There's certain high provided by follows, RTs & upthumbs, but in the end it's fleeting and empty. I have a pretty damn kickass real life, and the time I spend on social media subtracts, rather than adds, to it. One kiss from Tammi Jo still beats the hell out of all the retweets in the world.

So basically I've decided to lay off the social media crack for a while and enjoy myself, without the constant need to post about it. I'm keeping my Twitter account, but only for DM communication; observer rather than participant. May go back there at some point, don't know.

As for FB, I'll be nuking this account in a few days. If you're a real-life buddy, who knows, maybe I'll reappear somewhere elsewhere around here on Planet Zuckerberg. <wink>

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[Flick Lives]

Iowahawk’s 140 character tweets are brilliant.

[Iron Munro]

Read the Iowahawk blog faithfully but lost him when he went to Facebook.

Don’t do Facebook - it puts money in the pockets of the enemy.

[babble-on]

I've always enjoyed his wry light touch on political topics, but I can understand what he's dealing with. The Left wants him to be a punching bag who embodies everything they don't like about anybody right of center. Meanwhile everyone on the right thinks he should be a crusader for whatever sub-issue they are obsessed with, just because he's effective snarkifying on the issues he's obsessed with.

[Liberty Valance]

Happy Trails Iowahawk! Drop us a line now and then -

[Roger Kaputnik]

Yep. I did that very thing 4 months ago. Prior to tbat, I have also been boycotting the following:

NFL (1994)
NBA (1994)
Starbucks (2002)
Premium Cable (2004)
Network TV (2004)

And many others. Too numerous to list. And I find my quality of life is much better by doing other things both inside my home and outside in the world.

[Interesting Times]

Iowahawk started his brilliant side gig as an online satirist here at FR more than 15 years ago.

Best wishes in whatever you decide to do, amigo, and thanks for all the fish.

[EveningStar]

Done. :)

[Thumper1960]

Too bad. Only in passing will any words be read. Been years since the hawk posted on FR. End of a saga.

[Thumper1960]

Too bad. Only in passing will any words be read. Been years since the hawk posted on FR. End of a saga.

[upchuck]

A growing, and much-needed, trend... kissing social media goodbye.

Then, there are curmudgeons like me who saw through social media from the start.

[who knows what evil?]

Curmudgeons UNITE!

[shineon]

It’s just a stream, a river and we are but a vapor a mist.

[Hostage]

> “The only honest answer I can give you is my own narcissism, and addiction to attention/approval.”

No. You do it for the same reason that I and so many others do it. Because without our contributions and so many others like us, the field of social media would be left to liars, agitators, and provocateurs.

For us, we don’t attract attention immediately. It takes a long time to establish credibility, as it should. To leave the field is fine as long as others of similar wisdom, understanding, and experience are available to fill the vacuum. The good news is there are plenty of such others but the danger is always apathy that will leave too many missing at critical times.

Social media defeated Hillary Clinton and saved the Republic. Social media introduced us and allowed is to know more of our current President. Social media is in the process of destroying legacy media and its propaganda. We don’t do it for our eGos or for adulation, especially when such notions fly in the face of anonymity.

Iowahawk will be back not because he is a narcissist, he will be back because he cares and he has an important contribution to make.

[SuzanneC]

I will miss your posts Mr. Burge. All the best to you and TammiJo.

[tumblindice]

I browsed FakeBook not setting up an account, two, maybe three times so I could see what I was missing.
It’s like Reddit. Worse. Even 4chan is being infiltrated by these maroons, maybe Brocksters?
I don’t have the patience to deal with all the left wing nuts there.
Walk away, life’s too short. Free Republic is it for conservatives ... come back Shane!

[Robert DeLong]

I must admit I am a little confused:

He says:

I don't need the money, so why bother?

But earlier he had said:

I've never been paid for anything I've done online, nor have I wanted to.

So what exactly would money ever enter into his thought process for exiting that awful medium called Facebook? That medium and its founder are reason enough to exit stage right as quickly as possible.

[upchuck]

Curmudgeons UNITE!

I'm a member of South Carolina local number 16. How about you?

[thesearethetimes...]

One of our go to’s for finding laughter to temper the insanity, and will be missed, but still, wishing him all the best.
May God bless.
Tatt

[Gargantua]

Bye.

[who knows what evil?]

Tennessee, I-26 Chapter...loud and proud!