A few days ago, I wanted to ask if people thought Dan has maybe resolved to not tweet in 2020, but... didn't want to spoil the mood. That question still stands though. I wonder what goals/resolutions he's decided on in 2020. What will his social media use be like? His work? His breaks? Will he run the marathon or any race for that matter (maybe start smaller at a 10k)? My mind races with thoughts for Dan tbh.
Also this paragraph really encompasses my thoughts on the issue of Dan generally right now:
alittledizzy wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2020 2:44 pm
So here's the Dan empathy: I feel deeply, deeply relieved for him. Because he is someone who has had an unhealthy, manipulative, guilt-drenched, mentally harmful relationship with social media since the age of 18. He never got a chance to develop into an adult without the internet following his every step and constantly checking him, praising him, berating him, arguing with him, making him both a villain and a saint at the same time. I'm glad that now as an adult he's realizing that it's possible and alright for him to do that, not out of avoidance of us for one particular issue, not because he's fully immersed in one work project, but as a general rule of life - no matter how much we hate it. I feel like in the past two years he has grown so much as an independent person that doesn't base every decision in his life on what our reaction will be or out of fear of us. And so has Phil! I enjoy more what he shares now knowing that he's in a better place, that he doesn't feel like his life is in stasis because of all the things he's too scared to admit - than I did when Dan was doing agitated obviously anxious liveshows and regularly lashing out at us. I'm happy for him and proud of him if social media is now something he can comfortable use when he wants to use and close out of when he needs to close out of.
As a shameless Dannie, I struggle almost daily (way to be dramatic, amirite?) with his absence.
But I also understand him. I understand him wanting to step away from social media and get away from reporting on everything he does. And we can claim that
this is his job until the cows come home, but whether we like to admit it or not, his job is unique and unhealthy. Nobody should have to report on what they're doing constantly. Everyone should be allowed to walk away and do things for themselves and themselves alone and also to take the time to learn that lesson and what it means. Him telling us he's stepping away from... telling us things... the irony there is almost laughable.
I mean just look at last year, when he vaguely alluded to his marathon with that "montage" insta story? And that didn't work out. Now apply that to everything he does in life. That every time he makes a decision or mentions something, he's haunted by it, reminded of it, bugged about it. That's no way to live. Him saying "hey guys, I'm taking a social media break", means that if he so much as retweets something, he's gonna get at least 50 "0mG I thought you were taking a BREAK!!!111 p0st a VIDEO!" responses.
So anyway. I'm sad and I'll probably post a conflicting thought one day out of anger and frustration, but I get it. I miss the guy and hope that the new year means... some kind of content. But I'm also trying really hard to come to terms with that not being the case, because the disappointment is a hard fall for me.
but one thing I though yesterday is there when Dan is the only one out of the four of them to not even acknowledge the outing when everyone else posted or reposted pics just makes it an even more glaring thing that he's just..deciding not to. He absolutely 100% does not want to share his own pic or opinion about it even though we know he was there and I don't know how that makes me feel exactly. I guess resigned
I still love him, but I’m sad he’s gone the way of everyone else I knew who went silent.
)
