Is it bad that I do not use FB/Twitter etc?

[Samantha Wheeler]

I am just curious, you see I choose not to use these things anymore because I found them to be massively horrid to my self esteem and amazing time wasters (not to mention privacy killers)
Now that I am 2 years free of them I am finding out nobody seems to want to communicate in ways other than these sites and I am getting made fun of for not using them (even by teachers) and finding out after the fact when people (including teachers) post something about me on FB that is hurtful..
It seems like my choice to not use FB makes people not want to know me, but I do not want to use it because it is addicting and a time waster; but people seem to think the only way to keep in touch now is facebook and I really don't want to go back to it.
But everybody seems to laugh at me for not having it, is it really a bad thing to not have FB/Instragram/Twitter and be more interested in say LinkedIn?
I mean I am 25 and a Graphic Design student so I "should" be all tech savvy, and I am interested in the creation part of sites and forums but not really in participating in the way others are (FB is a copywriting nightmare...all you share becomes creative commons unless already patented) and again they get at me for it.

So is it a good thing I choose not to use massive social media sites?
Is it a good thing the only reason I would use it would be for self contract/business advertising?
Is it the lack of social media that is why I never get invited anywhere?
Whatever happened to calling or texting me?
I just don't really get social media..and I am starting to think it is bad that I am not really "on it" and that I lack a "presence" minus long outdated need to be erased accounts.

So please can anyone help me with this issue?
Is it a bad thing I do not use these things called social media with the addiction level of a drug addict?
And that I do not really use it at all?

[Janet]

Hooray, I've found someone who thinks the same as me. Everything you wrote made perfect sense and you are certainly not alone for wanting nothing to do with those sites other than for business type purposes. Personally, your question has given us an insight into who you are: a young, bright and intelligent person who prefers to use his brain for intellectual purposes than waste time on mundane time-wasting social networks. You prefer not to be part of the flock that follows the shepherd, and that is more than fine. When people laugh at and mock others who are different to themselves really don't have a lot between their ears. I like a person who thinks for himself and who isn't afraid to be individual. Stick with it, and be glad you aren't in the flock. I joined this website only a short time ago and have found it to be addictive. However, I know that I won't continue for much longer as I am about to start an online course so will be putting my time to good use.

Maybe you could find other avenues to socialise, join a hiking group, rowing group, that kind of thing. Just an idea.