Good Intentions, Same Rectangle

After deleting Facebook, I still miss the local, human uses of it. Parkrun & gardens.

— Jay Alto

I deleted my Facebook account in 2024.

I loved FB. Then I hated it, so I deactivated it. I deactivated it many times but each time I got sucked back in. Finally, I deleted my account.

Now (2026), despite hating FB, I realise there are lovely things I miss, such as updates about Parkrun, cycling, gardening etc. Also, I have missed sharing my garden to a local audience.


I came upon Jay Alto’s observation recently and I screeenshotted it for use as a possible article. Yesterday, it came to mind as I cursed Facebook for selling an advertisement offering history quizzes. I like history quizzes.

Services are guilt tripping us for doomscrolling. But despite offering services to improve reading and knowledge they are still replacing one screen with another. They cash in on the moth principle.

Here’s my replacement version of the poem:

you pity the scroller
confusing a feed
for a life

yet here you are
buying a calmer feed
as a life

Staying Connected to The Dopamine

I’m going for a long walk. No earphones. No music. However, despite my best intentions, I’ll stick the phone in my pocket. 🙈 There might be something I’d miss.