Longtime lurker , first time poster .
Just wanted to chime in and agree with OP - social media has killed the (e)conversation .
Growing up I was active on many BBs/forums - the owner who created my first multiplayer rpg (before "massive"morpg's) , my video game clan , basketball etc . .
Every walk of life I was into had a forum dedicated to it with a community of newbies and bona fide pro's , creating a plethora of information to learn from .
Staying up all night just talking to people from other countries on Ventrilo / Xfire / MySpace / Xanga / AIM / IRC , my pops used to take my keyboard away so I spent my saved up lunch money to buy a backup one instead of bearings for my board . .
When memes were just unnamed funny pictures people made on MS Paint or a bootleg copy of PS .
Used to get my ass beat for being into Star Wars in elementary school , had the trading cards and still have 30+ Expanded Universe novels , Disney shit on all of that . . watched the last jedi but not spending $ on Solo or anymore here on out .
Being a nerd is cool , being a skateboarder is cool (won't wear a thrasher shirt for another year or two til all these cunts simmer down) , graffiti is cool . . . what the fuck is going on yo . . I was fucking crucified for all of these in my youth . . . .
I have an insta but rarely use it . the app's not even on my phone . . . shut off my FB (since I doubt anything attached to Zuckerberg is indefinitely deleted) almost 5 years ago , and life feels so surreal without them . . I'm completely out of the loop .
Kind of sucks to think about where society and technology is headed , on some bitter I-liked-how-life-was-before tip . . .
EDIT: took my lifestory out of this post . .