We have a fairly active but very new user feeling some woes over having no followers here. I think we all know how hard it is to start on a new network. Check them out and consider following them, and give'em a warm welcome, lets show that fediverse spirit: @snow

@freemo @snow
I've never been able to figure out why people desire followers. Personally, I couldn't care less whether I have 0 followers or a million... except that I might feel obligated to reply more if I had more followers. Seems a negative rather than a positive.
Insight?

@sda

More followers mean more people to talk to. It is **social** media, which for many implies a desire to be social.

@snow

@freemo @snow
There are plenty of people to be social with, even having zero followers.

In the days of Usenet, the original social media that was never called that, there wasn't any such thing as a "follow" yet people managed to have conversations and debates... sometimes going on for months, all without anyone following anyone.

I think there's more to wanting followers than just wanting to be social... certainly it has to do with external validation, very nearly alluded to by snow... and yet, external validation comes without followers also.

@sda

No doubt there are enough for some to be social with. Some of us however want me to be social with than what you'd get with 0 followers.

@snow

@freemo @snow

Interesting thought experiment: Not knowing how many follow you.

Still be able to follow people. Still know how many and whom you follow, but not know how many follow you. The only thing I can think that affects at all is the ego.