Since the pandemic hit, it appears as social audio spaces have blown up and skyrocketed. People were looking for something to do and since being in person with others wasn’t an option, Clubhouse filled the gap in the need for socialization. Now I was never a person who was into social audio spaces until Clubhouse. Clubhouse was a scary place for me to be honest. It seemed like sensory overload with all the people on mic fighting for a chance to speak and getting firsthand reactions of what they said, whether positive or negative. I tried hosting a room myself and the anxiety was real. I actually hoped no one would show up and when they did, I would panic and exit the room. I eventually left the app and decided that social audio spaces weren’t for me.
What to consider with social audio
Fast forward to 2024, I was hearing a lot about a tech founder called Isaac Hayes III and how he had built a competitive product to ClubHouse called Fanbase. I was moved by what the founder said about what this app could do for Black creators. Now, I don’t consider myself a creator but I do have a business and every little bit of exposure helps. I decided that since the app was new, maybe this would be a great opportunity to try social audio spaces again. I had dabbled with X (formerly known as Twitter) and felt it was time to level up. However, I still had some trepidation about audio spaces given concerns about what I might be opening myself up to.
Audio spaces are a great way to connect with others especially if in person interactions are not possible due to location, accessibility, or time constraints. However, what I have learned is that there is a dark side to audio spaces. You are dealing with complete strangers; people who you have no clue about the status of mental health. They may be in a bad way and come into social audio spaces bringing that energy into the room. This may trigger you to respond in a certain way and then the situation gets out of hand between the two of you. Then you have a room full of people witnessing this argument, adding fuel to the fire, or recording it. I have even heard of situations where people have given out their addresses in social audio space, so that the person can ‘pull up’ and in one incident, it resulted in a fatality. You have to be careful about where you expend your energy because what you receive, you may not like.
The rules of engagement with social audio
Despite the dark side of social audio, I frequent different social audio spaces but in a cautionary way. I speak with intention and correction, if needed, to avoid offending or stirring up unnecessary arguments. I do a lot of observations of rooms to “read the energy” before injecting my input. I do not stay in spaces where folks are cursing, arguing, or talking about controversial topics that I feel are distasteful. I only consume what I seek to learn or discuss more to gain other’s perspectives. This is how I move in the social audio space world and with the exception of some isolated incidences, I have not had trouble with anyone. Conflict does not follow me…
Overall, I think social audio spaces are a great way to connect and expand your circle. If you are feeling isolated for whatever reason, you can make some great online friends in some of these spaces. I see social audio as being like a neighborhood that you frequent and just like you have some good neighbors, you will also have some bad ones. Some that are loud, rude, and disruptive and you have to learn to live with them as well. But the more you frequent the neighborhood, the sooner these folks will show themselves and you can always avoid the spaces they are in. That’s the key to attending these audio spaces; knowing who to commune with and who to stay away from. What’s also key is modeling the behavior that you want to receive. That will set the precedent for how others will treat you. And this does not just apply to social audio spaces but every space you are in.
Regardless of the dangers of social audio, I believe that socialization in any respect is needed for mental wellness. Humans are social creatures and having more avenues to talk and network is good. There is a loneliness epidemic going on right now and social audio can fill that gap for you if you are experiencing depression because of feeling isolated. However, tread lightly. Still be sure to tap into your natural supports like friends, family, church, etc. before putting all your energy into audio spaces. There is a lot to gain from participating in those spaces, but there is also a lot to lose…
Take good care of yourselves…
Kira
