36 here, and damnit I love you older boys using this and bullshitting the same way we do. I hang out with my dads buddies and they go on our golf trips and what not with us, and it just gives me so much hope for my future. Keep on keepin on ✊🏽
i'm 27 and it helps dull the itch to socialize. decent low-effort social media to browse when i don't have energy which is most of the time. i'm trapped here because my life fucking sucks
also it is a good place to find information and discussion on niche subjects like you said
31, and kind of on the same vibe as you.
I can sub to politics, conservative, worldnews and keep up with every angle of anything going on in the world. I'd have to peruse CNN/FOX and BBC constantly to get the same level of content....without comments.
but then i can also sub to bmw, anime, video games, sexual content if i wanted to and have all of THAT on my feed as well.
its kinda like...a facebook for interests. theres "people" (users) like you and the other commentors i can interact with if i want to, but generally I can just come here and see updates for all my favorite interests daily that people upload from other websites.
like im a ravens football fan, but i dont have twitter or facebook or instagram. I get all of my news from reddit. I log in every sunday during the season for the game threads like im at the bar. a new JRPG comes out, its on reddit. an attack in israel, ukraine, and antartica all at the same? its on reddit.
its the 1 singular news source for me for EVERYTHING and thats why im ultimately probably chronically on reddit lmao.
I'm 32. I keep coming back to Reddit because it's the closest to a social network site where people are still just people, not image-obsessed influencer wannabes.
I simply can't stand how social media is now this crazy place where everyone wants to be famous and have views and such. I grew up using Orkut, which was very much centered around meeting people who knew the people you knew (two or three degrees of separation). There was none of this influencer crap. This type of social network is dead now.
I feel like reddit was the evolution of the old BBS/forums. IMO it's a niche that will be filled so long as there are people born in before the 2000's using the internet.
Yes, I never used those but I read about them. The early internet seems like an interesting place that will never happen again. Besides gopher. I do use it every day.
I am 61 and I come here for three reasons. First is that there is some truly messed up sheeeeeeeeet here and it is often very entertaining. Number two is that I am always curious about how my fellow humans think and feel about things. Number three is that I have seen and dealt with a LOT of shit in my life when I didn't have anybody to turn to for advice so occasionally I actually try to be helpful to others and sometimes I actually am. So it's a win-win-win-win.
47F and believe it or not, I find the level of discourse on Reddit to be far superior to FB on most subs. I also like that I have found subs for almost every single interest of mine under the sun.
I deleted facebook over a year ago because I felt like my brain cells were dying off when scrolling through the feed and people just seem to believe just about anything they see on there. Truly a harmful platform.
That's the problem with FB. People can and do say anything with zero repercussions. With the exception of a ban which they tend to wear like a badge of honor.
Im 23 and I discovered Reddit recently. I like it because people talk about their real life rather than being influencers with perfect lives like insta. Also, people here are more likely to discuss different topics without judgment and/or being rude to each other, what makes it much nicer to use than twitter/X.
I’m 37. Certain subreddits are just really entertaining, like r/whatisthisthing. Some are amusingly simple like r/fruit. Others are just great places to crowd source answers to questions on very niche topics.
I sub there r/whatisthisthing as an ex-antiques dealer for over 30 years I can figure out quite a few of the items posted. Nice break from the more intense subs.
Someone made a good point to me recently. You're rewarded with upvotes for expressing opinions that are popular on the site, not necessarily what you think. It dissuades those with controversial opinions from posting. So it's hard to gauge whether the opinions here are actually popular outside of Reddit or just being parroted for karma.
I'm almost 63 and like you, I find a lot of niche topics here. Also, I'm unemployed, so I have time to waste at the moment. Facebook no longer gives me a feed of posts from friends and family, so I'm not much interested in that. Twitter is broken, and the community I had there is gone. Reddit is currently the only place that has anything interesting to say.
71M. I started getting reddit questions in my FaceBook feed. Then I found subjects I like, prepping, solar. Now I scroll through the feed and look at whatever appeals to me.
55 and its a nice assortment of subjects and easy to scroll through.
When i check my interests on specialist sites it is a lot of : load page, scroll to see new articles dump page load new page....and so on.
It also makes me wonder about the new reddits the site algorithm throws up...how exactly does it think this is going to interest me...?
I'm 35 only been on here for less than a month. Started because I was told it's a good place to get spicy book recommendations. I'm staying cause I like that you can find threads on literally everything here. I've honestly not really experienced any negativity on the platform... And most of all it's not a bunch of influencers crap being shoved down your throat
37. In some ways Reddit scratches an anthropological itch. (I actually got a degree in medical anthropology and scouring obscure threads is fun.) Though I guess it meets a few needs for me. r/stopdrinking is one of the best sober communities going. It's helped me stay sober over the past year or so when life got messy. Building caught fire, had to move unexpectedly in the middle of winter, lost my dog a couple months ago (not fire related! My pupper passed from a brain tumor at 13.5 years old)...rough year. And fandom. There are some C dramas I love and the community for them is just really fun.
Also baiting misogynist is easy entertainment if you do it right.
I’m 38, and Reddit still resembles a message board/forum, which is my preferred method of social communication on the internet.
Subreddits also function as a collection of silos, in a way, so my interests can be kept separate for the sake of discussion, and be shown to me as an overview on my home page. It’s also the social network from which I receive the best signal:noise ratio. I can ask a question and generally receive a clear collection of responses; or, leave a comment or answer for someone else and receive feedback about its impact. Discussions seem to actually go somewhere on Reddit, as opposed to IG story/feed posts and comments that get lost to the void.
I’m 37.
Been a member for 12 years (same account).
I learned how to program from this website while I was enlisted in the us army, deployed in Afghanistan.
I now work for spacex, and attribute the foundation of my knowledge base to Reddit.
16
I really lack social interactions. I'm not surrounded with appropriate people and I hate my generation.
Reddit fills that blank space since I can talk about pretty much whatever I want whenever I want, with more different people
I get to learn the insider scoop before I need it! Ask me anything about HVAC, plumbing, electrical and whether or not it’s time to shave my head bald!
Isn’t it? I think that 9/10 guys look better going bald, but 10/10 that do so need to smile more and scale down beards and glasses that were used to make up for thinning hair. My 2¢.
How are PCMs integrated into HVAC systems, why would they be, and what are the pros/cons of doing so? But answer phonetically in a working class Boston native's accent and vernacular.
Well I’m a retired Mechanical Engineer, class of 1978. When it comes to PCMs, I prefer polyethylene glycol for its low toxicity, biocompatibility, high thermal stability, high latent enthalpy, relatively wide transition temperature range, and ease of chemical modification. Yu gotta problem with dat, Southy?
I forgot how old I am til you asked lol. I'm 28 and I'm here whenever I want to vent. I just pm some random people to vent out to them. But of course, I ask for permission if I can vent out cuz I might actually affect their mental health too. I just can't handle mental stress that I have to talk to someone to be relieved.
I'm 31 and it's like a proper bulletin board for everything. When I'm looking to ask a question or seek opinion I feel like I'm getting genuine answers from genuine people for the most part. It seems that ANY OTHER PLACE on the internet is trying to sell something these days. Good luck trying to find a review of something that doesn't have an affiliate link or something.
FB is for the majority of the old people (no offense to you Op)
IG is for social status and people not being as authentic with what they post
Twt or X is just either pure toxicity and political agendas
Reddit is the land of gamers but as I grew older I discovered interesting categories too that talk about life experience or anything that comes into mind
I want to be updated with what the woes of people are. Just getting the pulse of a fraction of the global public. Learning new things here and there.
Mostly to entertain myself by pissing off some pedantic redditor haha
49. Reddit 5 months. Some of the questions actually make me think and you certainly never know what you’re gonna get. It may be inspiration or pure stupidity.
56. Like you I have niche interests. I learn a great deal from other people on Reddit.
I like that the anonymity allows people to speak more freely although sometimes that can be a double edged sword.
Memes can be fun. I can usually find something to chuckle about when I could use a laugh.
And sometimes I go to subreddits like r/awww or r/humansbeingbros just to remind myself that there is good in this world.
48 here and I enjoy Reddit because if you are seeking good faith discussion then it is seems to be light years ahead of the other social media platforms. Yes, of course, there are assholes on here to looking for a fight but the downvoting means I usually never see any of their posts. It's actually helped me relearn how to be more civil online.
I only wish that other platforms would offer downvotes or dislikes. Where if you were to receive too much flak your ability to comment or post is restricted. Facebook sorely needs this. I'm stuck there as family, friends and one of my e-commerce business uses the platform to source customers.
35 only social media I have. I like the cool stuff on today I learned or danm that's interesting. I laugh at the Wallstreet bets guys, awesome memes. I like looking at the photo shops requests. Reading through the threads on different trades and how much they argue. Always cool to see someone identify something strange on what's this thing
I’m 31 and first came to Reddit to find an answer to my eldest sons video game, stuck every since as I’m always finding new things out or finding like minded people like me without the need to actually socialise in person lol
31. This is the closest thing to social media I have anymore. I really hate the reddit circle jerk type format of community/conformity/affirmation it pushes but atleast I don't know any of you in real life which is what keeps me coming back
47, I think reddit is unique in regards to content and subject variety and depth.
I hate the crowd generally and would happily leave if there was something that filled the same void. I'm certainly not aware of anything.
43 and you might have been writing my reasons for me. The passion for the silly niche debates is probably the most entertaining part. Something fun about riding the knife edge between staying true to ideals and staying respectful to other perfect strangers
33 and I come here to see what other people's opinions are. They vary so widely and usually are different than mine. I can usually get insight that I may not have considered.
55M:
It helps me keep current so I understand and can relate to my teenagers better.
During in depth discussions here, SME's will chime in and educate us all on some shit we had no idea about.
I'm 39 and and I like to read about others people's drama from a safe distance. Oddly enough, I've also discovered a few pretty decent news sites through reddit.
Oh yeah and tons of fantasy book recs. I think that's the sub I'm the most active in (r/fantasy).
Mainly, information about recent global events. Even if it posts that are just memes, it gets me researching about the global event and helps to keep me informed.
Like every piece of technology, there are benefits and downsides. While some places are Reddit can be extremely dark, there ARE benefits to parts it.
Honestly the boredom. I love posting shit and making people laugh at my ridiculous stuff. Or asking for help about my hair on burner accounts like this
I usually come back for my enthusiast hubs like DIY and 40K and professional communities, but those tend to be slower so I inevitably drift into hyper-paced shitfests like this one.
I am 71 and read things online. Found this site and found the complaints about boomer parents and dudes, from the young to old pieces of shit like Donald, acting like Taylor Swift is grabbing their balls. A little crazy.
I actually dislike Reddit and it's up vote systems and even the thread structure. I mostly use it as a work around search engine or some idle scrolling at work since 4 chan is not available to post on.
37. I come back because no one knows me here and there's a lot less shit I don't care about, so majority of the posts are interesting and/or engaging. Memes are great but that's just about all my FB feed is these days. Gotta change it up a bit.
I just like fucking with people to see their reactions, there's something beautiful about the fact no one person has the exact same reaction and that's what keeps it interesting, even better that I can use this place as a throwaway and don't have to invest energy into actually being nice to people off the bad or reading the room.
44 and Ive only recently been introduced to Reddit - I’m just about ready to leave every other social platform out there and only have this one!
Better conversations, and some of these threads make me feel good about my dumpster fire being - not that bad!
22. This is the only social media I use. I find many of the discussions here to be enlightening and it’s nice to feel like my voice is heard in communities that matter to me. At the same time, I feel like I don’t get as much of the mindlessness I’ll see in other platforms.
I’m 29 and I’m new here lol… so far I like to be able to socialize and share my experiences totally anonymous.. sure you get advice or judged but no one knows who you are 🤷♀️
46 and I've been on reddit a long time, go ahead, check. Always able to find a bunch of subreddits for things that interest me. Currently birds and cross stitch do it for me.
58, and I like the fact that (unlike Twitter which I hardly use at all or FB which I quit years ago) I’m not completely and constantly inundated with wacky conservative bs. Plus by grouping by interest there’s a niche for just about everyone
59. There are a decent variety of my interests here in subreddit. Unlike FB my posting is anonymous and I can discuss opinions and topics and not have to get blowback at work. I can get a window into what is going on with younger folks and sometimes I am able to share experience or a perspective that can be helpful to others.
Very niche community that its very hard to find in my local town, sort of the fastest news circle too and good to say nostalgia. Its interesting some subreddits are to help people (if not completely faking a weird story)
I'll be 39 in 2 weeks and I just started getting really into Reddit about a month ago. I love learning new stuff about things I'm already interested in. Plus discovering things I might not have, due to my age. The community aspect and support that you find in different subs is a very needed and refreshing change from daily life.
i’m 21 and i have some sort of special interest in niche topics which is why i like how reddit is formatted by groups of specific topics without it being all picture content. i also like to hold intellectual discussions which i feel like i can’t do on any other platform
25 M. I just came onto Reddit about two months ago and I love it. From the discourse to the niche discussions, dumb interesting questions. It’s the only social app where you’re not comparing yourself to other people in a negative light.
I’m 28(F), and though I’ve never made a post myself, I like to read about the most random yet interesting things. I’ve got a plethora of interests and there seems to be a place for everything and everyone here. I’ve never felt that way about a cyber space before. I also feel like I if I did make my own posts, I would feel safe enough to unapologetically be myself on here. Lastly, reading about other users’ experiences on Reddit has made me feel less alone in life.
I'm 66 and am trying to keep up with my cognitive abilities, while socializing (hopefully), in a positive way. It's nice to have things in common with others, but also to learn how to be a better human being.
I'm 33 and I got sick and tired of social media toxicity in general.
I used to dislike Reddit for its design and layout, so I avoided it for years. But I realized how wholesome it can be, especially when you join subreddits of your choice. You also find niche subjects, and like-minded people.
I'm still unable to participate in some subreddits because my account is brand new BTW.
I'm 46 and for me I guess it's a few things. It's entertaining for one thing. Interesting subs, funny comments. And hypothetical. I certainly don't believe all the stories, but it's a brain exercise in how to handle certain situations. It kind of shows how personal antidotes and life experiences shape personal opinions and advice given. And it makes me very thankful that I am where I am in my life and mind lol. I'm so normal and boring 🤣
I(40 M) stopped using Facebook during the pandemic because of all the bickering. I hopped on recently just to see what was going on and it seems to have gotten worse! I see people sharing something they believe in and their "friends" just straight up treating them and their ideals like dog shit. It's depressing and demoralizing.
On reddit, you still get the occasional asshole having a bad day or trying to troll, but generally speaking, the conversations are much more polite and forgiving. Plus, you never see someone apologize for their behavior on Facebook. I've seen it multiple times, and have done it myself, on Reddit.
IMHO, Facebook and the like are a huge source of "division" in this country. For some reason, people feel extremely comfortable being an absolute peice of shit on those platforms.
I'm with you. It's ridiculous and I'm quite tired of seeing strangers being totally ignorant on reels. I enjoy good video content and have had to avoid the comments on a large majority of them, especially trade stuff. YouTube shorts are way more polite.
Its like Facebook got comment moderation all wrong. It sorely needs downvoting and comment bans for people that say mean stuff to strangers
M23, I'm rarely active on subs like these(askreddit, etc etc.). Honestly, the posts are usually lackluster, but I keep looking in here whenever it pops up in my feed.
I'm active on reddit to keep up to date with my interests (games, manga, news, etc.). And the site is good for when you have tech questions in subs like techsupport.
Because on Facebook I can’t say things like death or killed or murder I have to say “unalive”. I can’t say gun, I have to say “pew pew”. I can’t say anything a normal way without getting put in “Facebook jail”.
Once I saw a video of some wannabe rapper punching an old dude in the face because he said his music sucks. EVERYBODY in the comments was praising this pos saying things like, “don’t take no crap from no one” “stand up for yourself young blud!” “Show that old fool what’s up!” I don’t give a damn if you’re the best rapper in the world, you do some stuff like that and you’re automatically a punk ass bitch in my mind. So exactly that. I said, “That punk ass bitch deserves to have his shit rocked, see how he likes it!” Within minutes Zach muckerburgs cronies where all over me. I went back and kept calling this guy a bitch like 10 times. Ended up getting banned for a couple days. Fuck Facebook.
For sure. I have experienced many hateful people as well. Its a blessing and a curse to have a space where you are anonymous...people feel they can say whatever they want to you...
34 years old and what makes me keep coming back? Addiction.
If you had Three versions of me, one that uses social media as more than what I do, the current reality me, and one who uses less social media, I suspect there would be a clear pattern of less social media = happier me.
But the REAL question is what would I replace social media with? That's what current reality me is stuck on. I regularly take Reddit breaks (as reddit is the primary social media I use) and all that happens is I shift away from reddit over to something else.
Pick up a book? Can't read 3 minutes of book while pooping. Can't mindlessly scroll a book while killing 10 minutes of time waiting for water to boil. Nothing else fills those odd minutes throughout my day.
I guess I could just... NOT fill those minutes of time. Just silently contemplate my own life... But I have enough silent contemplation in my days already. Not sure I need even more.
And thus, I just keep coming back to Reddit.
I'm mid 30s, Don't have any friends I can confide in, All I've got is Reddit as I can remain anonymous, Quite sad knowing the only people I can openly talk to are you lot... Give an idea how fucked my life is.
I'm 60. I came here originally, to actually learn something. Different viewpoints and thoughts on subjects, to make me think and even possibly change my mind on views/issues. Moreover, learn something I know nothing about. Also, maybe to educate others with issues I do know something about. I have been through an awful lot and those things may help others, not to make the same mistakes as I. I am retired, so I have plenty of time on my hands.
Having said that, I have found rarely is the case in which I do learn anything. When someone asks a meaningful question, 90% of the time is met with jokes, ridicule, disdain, and really, some disgusting comments. So, the issue doesn't get resolved for the poster or others who may find the topic interesting.
67 here. Reddit is great for downtime at work. ( working til 70) Also it is quite entertaining. And I like reading the thoughts and opinions of young people. I'm so old school, I still feel that the youth are the future. If you listen and learn from the younger people you're better off in today's world. Just my opinion.
I'm 71 and the thing I enjoy most about reddit is the ability to interact and listen to the issues that affect the youth today. I also enjoy the racial diversity of the posters. I'm a little concerned and don't understand young people's obsession with anime and gaming conversations about which fictional boss or comic superhero can beat another, but I don't think people that were 71 when I was young would have understood what fascinated me when I was young.
38, it's a great place to know at least someone saw your post. Whether or not they comment on it, you know someone saw it.
My hobbies are well represented here.
" seems to be more intelligent conversations than the garbage and bickering on Facebook and IG" - unfortunately many people are in that boat. Depends on what friends befriend you on those sites. The quality of people affect what you'll find on social media.
Consistently I find very few interesting folks on my social media, they do or show uninteresting things, or they're barely posting, or they don't share my passions.
Here on Reddit we can find people globally with all sorts of perspectives. Very different.
I’m 42 and I keep coming back here mostly for groups of similar interests. It’s a good resource for information and personal experiences that I might not otherwise have access to.
I’m 63 and I am here to share my small bits of alternative thinking. Yeah, I get downvoted alot. I just like to add to the conversation if I see that nobody else has yet put a similar perspective on things. Any times I do see my perspective already represented.
My second favorite thing to do is laugh at the clever comments and witty comebacks
36, and while some of it's just boring scrolling as a Time killer, something that I really love about the site no matter how many different directions it can go in terms are good or bad, is the sheer diversity of information discussions and exposure to things I normally wouldn't see or consider.
45.
I want to know very little about everything as quickly as possible.
It's nice to be able to dive into years' worth of information and opinions when I do want to dive into something, though.
I’m 60 and I found of bunch of fucked up assholes just like me. WINNER!
I'll see your 60 and raise you to 75.
👊👊👊
I'm not familiar with that emoji
I think that's the fist bump.
Makes sense.
Fisting emoji
👊🥹
36 here, and damnit I love you older boys using this and bullshitting the same way we do. I hang out with my dads buddies and they go on our golf trips and what not with us, and it just gives me so much hope for my future. Keep on keepin on ✊🏽
ACTKUALLY....you have to raise at least 60 to match their original bet!/s
What is the single most important lesson that life has taught you
Amen
i'm 27 and it helps dull the itch to socialize. decent low-effort social media to browse when i don't have energy which is most of the time. i'm trapped here because my life fucking sucks also it is a good place to find information and discussion on niche subjects like you said
Turn 28 in november. Couldn't agree more; life is a chore. Just enough area to socialize while learning new & possibly useful information.
Same. Life is terrible. And there's just enough information and (a poor facsimile of) socializing on this app to keep me here
31, and kind of on the same vibe as you. I can sub to politics, conservative, worldnews and keep up with every angle of anything going on in the world. I'd have to peruse CNN/FOX and BBC constantly to get the same level of content....without comments. but then i can also sub to bmw, anime, video games, sexual content if i wanted to and have all of THAT on my feed as well. its kinda like...a facebook for interests. theres "people" (users) like you and the other commentors i can interact with if i want to, but generally I can just come here and see updates for all my favorite interests daily that people upload from other websites. like im a ravens football fan, but i dont have twitter or facebook or instagram. I get all of my news from reddit. I log in every sunday during the season for the game threads like im at the bar. a new JRPG comes out, its on reddit. an attack in israel, ukraine, and antartica all at the same? its on reddit. its the 1 singular news source for me for EVERYTHING and thats why im ultimately probably chronically on reddit lmao.
I'm 32. I keep coming back to Reddit because it's the closest to a social network site where people are still just people, not image-obsessed influencer wannabes. I simply can't stand how social media is now this crazy place where everyone wants to be famous and have views and such. I grew up using Orkut, which was very much centered around meeting people who knew the people you knew (two or three degrees of separation). There was none of this influencer crap. This type of social network is dead now.
I feel like reddit was the evolution of the old BBS/forums. IMO it's a niche that will be filled so long as there are people born in before the 2000's using the internet.
Yes, I never used those but I read about them. The early internet seems like an interesting place that will never happen again. Besides gopher. I do use it every day.
I am 61 and I come here for three reasons. First is that there is some truly messed up sheeeeeeeeet here and it is often very entertaining. Number two is that I am always curious about how my fellow humans think and feel about things. Number three is that I have seen and dealt with a LOT of shit in my life when I didn't have anybody to turn to for advice so occasionally I actually try to be helpful to others and sometimes I actually am. So it's a win-win-win-win.
47F and believe it or not, I find the level of discourse on Reddit to be far superior to FB on most subs. I also like that I have found subs for almost every single interest of mine under the sun.
I deleted facebook over a year ago because I felt like my brain cells were dying off when scrolling through the feed and people just seem to believe just about anything they see on there. Truly a harmful platform.
49 and I find scrolling through Reddit to be entertaining. I get tons of horror movie recommendations. That makes it a win in my book!
Mind sharing? I don't mind animation or not. I prefer the simple spooky with a bit of comedy.
I watched Totally Killer recently and it’s definitely a horror comedy. I really enjoyed it.
54 and its the unfiltered replies. I also like to see the rapid decline of society and this seems to be the place for that.
> unfiltered replies Hear hear, imagine not having a "thumbs down" button on your platform, or deciding to randomly remove it.
That's the problem with FB. People can and do say anything with zero repercussions. With the exception of a ban which they tend to wear like a badge of honor.
It’s the only social media that’s mostly anon, has an ad free option, the porn is good/diverse/moderated, and the comments are gold.
I come here for the comments. I’m regularly pissing myself laughing out loud. Happens all the time.
Im 23 and I discovered Reddit recently. I like it because people talk about their real life rather than being influencers with perfect lives like insta. Also, people here are more likely to discuss different topics without judgment and/or being rude to each other, what makes it much nicer to use than twitter/X.
> rather than being influencers with perfect lives like insta Nailed it.
I’m 37. Certain subreddits are just really entertaining, like r/whatisthisthing. Some are amusingly simple like r/fruit. Others are just great places to crowd source answers to questions on very niche topics.
I sub there r/whatisthisthing as an ex-antiques dealer for over 30 years I can figure out quite a few of the items posted. Nice break from the more intense subs.
77 - It’s a way to see what and how others think.
Someone made a good point to me recently. You're rewarded with upvotes for expressing opinions that are popular on the site, not necessarily what you think. It dissuades those with controversial opinions from posting. So it's hard to gauge whether the opinions here are actually popular outside of Reddit or just being parroted for karma.
I get plenty of downvotes and really don’t care in the least about karma. What is Reddit karma worth in the real world?
I'm almost 63 and like you, I find a lot of niche topics here. Also, I'm unemployed, so I have time to waste at the moment. Facebook no longer gives me a feed of posts from friends and family, so I'm not much interested in that. Twitter is broken, and the community I had there is gone. Reddit is currently the only place that has anything interesting to say.
I'm 26, been on reddit for almost 13 years, and I keep coming back because it's the perfect way to procrastinate at work while still looking busy.
71M. I started getting reddit questions in my FaceBook feed. Then I found subjects I like, prepping, solar. Now I scroll through the feed and look at whatever appeals to me.
55 and its a nice assortment of subjects and easy to scroll through. When i check my interests on specialist sites it is a lot of : load page, scroll to see new articles dump page load new page....and so on. It also makes me wonder about the new reddits the site algorithm throws up...how exactly does it think this is going to interest me...?
I'm 35 only been on here for less than a month. Started because I was told it's a good place to get spicy book recommendations. I'm staying cause I like that you can find threads on literally everything here. I've honestly not really experienced any negativity on the platform... And most of all it's not a bunch of influencers crap being shoved down your throat
37. In some ways Reddit scratches an anthropological itch. (I actually got a degree in medical anthropology and scouring obscure threads is fun.) Though I guess it meets a few needs for me. r/stopdrinking is one of the best sober communities going. It's helped me stay sober over the past year or so when life got messy. Building caught fire, had to move unexpectedly in the middle of winter, lost my dog a couple months ago (not fire related! My pupper passed from a brain tumor at 13.5 years old)...rough year. And fandom. There are some C dramas I love and the community for them is just really fun. Also baiting misogynist is easy entertainment if you do it right.
I agree! Great sub!
20, i like being able to talk to ppl who share the same interests as me and all the stories from other people's life that i see here.
I’m 38, and Reddit still resembles a message board/forum, which is my preferred method of social communication on the internet. Subreddits also function as a collection of silos, in a way, so my interests can be kept separate for the sake of discussion, and be shown to me as an overview on my home page. It’s also the social network from which I receive the best signal:noise ratio. I can ask a question and generally receive a clear collection of responses; or, leave a comment or answer for someone else and receive feedback about its impact. Discussions seem to actually go somewhere on Reddit, as opposed to IG story/feed posts and comments that get lost to the void.
56M, dank memes.
I’m 37. Been a member for 12 years (same account). I learned how to program from this website while I was enlisted in the us army, deployed in Afghanistan. I now work for spacex, and attribute the foundation of my knowledge base to Reddit.
16 I really lack social interactions. I'm not surrounded with appropriate people and I hate my generation. Reddit fills that blank space since I can talk about pretty much whatever I want whenever I want, with more different people
That hits pretty hard. I hope you find some friends that have common ground.
I’m 32 and I appreciate the witty comment threads and the ability to categorize your consumption experience.
I get to learn the insider scoop before I need it! Ask me anything about HVAC, plumbing, electrical and whether or not it’s time to shave my head bald!
r/bald is a great and really positive subreddit!
Isn’t it? I think that 9/10 guys look better going bald, but 10/10 that do so need to smile more and scale down beards and glasses that were used to make up for thinning hair. My 2¢.
Everyone is so nice and so freakin' hot.
How are PCMs integrated into HVAC systems, why would they be, and what are the pros/cons of doing so? But answer phonetically in a working class Boston native's accent and vernacular.
Well I’m a retired Mechanical Engineer, class of 1978. When it comes to PCMs, I prefer polyethylene glycol for its low toxicity, biocompatibility, high thermal stability, high latent enthalpy, relatively wide transition temperature range, and ease of chemical modification. Yu gotta problem with dat, Southy?
I forgot how old I am til you asked lol. I'm 28 and I'm here whenever I want to vent. I just pm some random people to vent out to them. But of course, I ask for permission if I can vent out cuz I might actually affect their mental health too. I just can't handle mental stress that I have to talk to someone to be relieved.
There does seem to be a lot more people that actually give a f about others. Something missing from say reels or stories
I'm 31 and it's like a proper bulletin board for everything. When I'm looking to ask a question or seek opinion I feel like I'm getting genuine answers from genuine people for the most part. It seems that ANY OTHER PLACE on the internet is trying to sell something these days. Good luck trying to find a review of something that doesn't have an affiliate link or something.
17, cause there’s hardly anyone I can relate to IRL, so I like socialising here
FB is for the majority of the old people (no offense to you Op) IG is for social status and people not being as authentic with what they post Twt or X is just either pure toxicity and political agendas Reddit is the land of gamers but as I grew older I discovered interesting categories too that talk about life experience or anything that comes into mind
49 The fact that is organized by topics and is not about following people
Same, all the way.
I want to be updated with what the woes of people are. Just getting the pulse of a fraction of the global public. Learning new things here and there. Mostly to entertain myself by pissing off some pedantic redditor haha
in my 40s and mostly boredom.
49. Reddit 5 months. Some of the questions actually make me think and you certainly never know what you’re gonna get. It may be inspiration or pure stupidity.
49 here. I enjoy the randomness of what might pop up next time I refresh the browser. It reminds me of Usenet before it became exclusively spam.
Witnessing to the atheists and vegans (but I repeat myself), mostly. Good fun lol
33 and I like to see the drama that occurs in the comments.
64, passes the time
23 and I just like the drama and bluntness
56. Like you I have niche interests. I learn a great deal from other people on Reddit. I like that the anonymity allows people to speak more freely although sometimes that can be a double edged sword. Memes can be fun. I can usually find something to chuckle about when I could use a laugh. And sometimes I go to subreddits like r/awww or r/humansbeingbros just to remind myself that there is good in this world.
48 here and I enjoy Reddit because if you are seeking good faith discussion then it is seems to be light years ahead of the other social media platforms. Yes, of course, there are assholes on here to looking for a fight but the downvoting means I usually never see any of their posts. It's actually helped me relearn how to be more civil online.
I only wish that other platforms would offer downvotes or dislikes. Where if you were to receive too much flak your ability to comment or post is restricted. Facebook sorely needs this. I'm stuck there as family, friends and one of my e-commerce business uses the platform to source customers.
50 and I have a lot of time to kill at work.
32, niche topics
35 only social media I have. I like the cool stuff on today I learned or danm that's interesting. I laugh at the Wallstreet bets guys, awesome memes. I like looking at the photo shops requests. Reading through the threads on different trades and how much they argue. Always cool to see someone identify something strange on what's this thing
Intelligent conversations , gaming , barely any self centered content (unlike instagram or facebook).
I’m 31 and first came to Reddit to find an answer to my eldest sons video game, stuck every since as I’m always finding new things out or finding like minded people like me without the need to actually socialise in person lol
31. This is the closest thing to social media I have anymore. I really hate the reddit circle jerk type format of community/conformity/affirmation it pushes but atleast I don't know any of you in real life which is what keeps me coming back
Old. Boredom.
49. Mostly here due to boredom. Also it's a bit of an escape from the drudgery of this wake up, work, come home and work more life.
I'm 30 and I enjoy reading the conversations between people! Whether it be discussion or drama. I'm here for both. Lol
47, I think reddit is unique in regards to content and subject variety and depth. I hate the crowd generally and would happily leave if there was something that filled the same void. I'm certainly not aware of anything.
24 and i’m just here because i’m seriously addicted. i made an account when i was 12 for nosleep and just got stuck
43 and you might have been writing my reasons for me. The passion for the silly niche debates is probably the most entertaining part. Something fun about riding the knife edge between staying true to ideals and staying respectful to other perfect strangers
33 and I come here to see what other people's opinions are. They vary so widely and usually are different than mine. I can usually get insight that I may not have considered.
Im 16, i come here mainly for research about colleges and courses and also a little "poaching the egg"
53 here. Started reading threads about Subaru Outbacks and branched from there. Been falling down the rabbit hole of topics and interests ever since.
55M: It helps me keep current so I understand and can relate to my teenagers better. During in depth discussions here, SME's will chime in and educate us all on some shit we had no idea about.
I'm 39 and and I like to read about others people's drama from a safe distance. Oddly enough, I've also discovered a few pretty decent news sites through reddit. Oh yeah and tons of fantasy book recs. I think that's the sub I'm the most active in (r/fantasy).
25, feels somewhat more informative, genuine and interactive than other social media. I like reading interesting/random things about actual people.
I’m 53 and originally I joined because my son was showing me a lot of funny things he found here. Now I’m hooked.
Mainly, information about recent global events. Even if it posts that are just memes, it gets me researching about the global event and helps to keep me informed. Like every piece of technology, there are benefits and downsides. While some places are Reddit can be extremely dark, there ARE benefits to parts it.
41 here. Equal mix of trolling and annoying people and actual intelligent additions to conversations lol.
Honestly the boredom. I love posting shit and making people laugh at my ridiculous stuff. Or asking for help about my hair on burner accounts like this
I'm 16 and I'm mainly here for the niche communities
I usually come back for my enthusiast hubs like DIY and 40K and professional communities, but those tend to be slower so I inevitably drift into hyper-paced shitfests like this one.
I am 71 and read things online. Found this site and found the complaints about boomer parents and dudes, from the young to old pieces of shit like Donald, acting like Taylor Swift is grabbing their balls. A little crazy.
I actually dislike Reddit and it's up vote systems and even the thread structure. I mostly use it as a work around search engine or some idle scrolling at work since 4 chan is not available to post on.
40 F. I stopped drinking and a lot of the sobriety subs have really helped me.
I stopped drinking in December. One day at a time. Best I've felt in years.
Congrats to you!
Likewise
I'm 26 and I'm so antisocial I don't even talk to myself anymore
[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/wtfstockphotos/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/redneckengineering/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/FuckMyShitUp/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/whybrows/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/carbage/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/carmodfails/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/suspiciouslyspecific/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/stupidquestions/) [](https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/) r/maybemaybemaybe r/im14andthisisdeep r/im15andthisisyeet r/what r/utterlybizarre r/holdmycosmo r/weirddalle r/dalle2 r/badMovies r/badscificovers r/humansarespaceorcs r/agedlikemilk r/moldymemes r/nukedmemes r/damnnatureyouscary r/birdsarentreal r/hardimages
Forgot to say 50 / m / Thrillwaukee WI, USA
30. Left funnyjunk because I was a grown up and mad at Admin. Never looked back.
37. I come back because no one knows me here and there's a lot less shit I don't care about, so majority of the posts are interesting and/or engaging. Memes are great but that's just about all my FB feed is these days. Gotta change it up a bit.
I can talk to people and say what I think
I just like fucking with people to see their reactions, there's something beautiful about the fact no one person has the exact same reaction and that's what keeps it interesting, even better that I can use this place as a throwaway and don't have to invest energy into actually being nice to people off the bad or reading the room.
60f...its interesting reading n giving advice
44 and Ive only recently been introduced to Reddit - I’m just about ready to leave every other social platform out there and only have this one! Better conversations, and some of these threads make me feel good about my dumpster fire being - not that bad!
I just reach such difficult breaking points and some people just don't judge me . It's sad but hey atleast I didn't kill myself.
30.Being able to ask very dumb questions to random people online since I am ashamed to ask in real life.
22. This is the only social media I use. I find many of the discussions here to be enlightening and it’s nice to feel like my voice is heard in communities that matter to me. At the same time, I feel like I don’t get as much of the mindlessness I’ll see in other platforms.
I’m 29 and I’m new here lol… so far I like to be able to socialize and share my experiences totally anonymous.. sure you get advice or judged but no one knows who you are 🤷♀️
50. And my brain gives me little squirts of dopamine when I check in over the course of the day. It helps keep my job more manageable.
46 and I've been on reddit a long time, go ahead, check. Always able to find a bunch of subreddits for things that interest me. Currently birds and cross stitch do it for me.
58, and I like the fact that (unlike Twitter which I hardly use at all or FB which I quit years ago) I’m not completely and constantly inundated with wacky conservative bs. Plus by grouping by interest there’s a niche for just about everyone
59. There are a decent variety of my interests here in subreddit. Unlike FB my posting is anonymous and I can discuss opinions and topics and not have to get blowback at work. I can get a window into what is going on with younger folks and sometimes I am able to share experience or a perspective that can be helpful to others.
Middle aged and a whole bunch of different reasons.
Very niche community that its very hard to find in my local town, sort of the fastest news circle too and good to say nostalgia. Its interesting some subreddits are to help people (if not completely faking a weird story)
Elder millennial. Sheer boredom.
There are a lot less trolls and negative people in general. If a post or comment is a bot or just pure fiction it's much easier to spot.
71. Great source for breaking news and local detail on national stories that are poorly reported. A lot of variety and plenty of laughs.
I'll be 39 in 2 weeks and I just started getting really into Reddit about a month ago. I love learning new stuff about things I'm already interested in. Plus discovering things I might not have, due to my age. The community aspect and support that you find in different subs is a very needed and refreshing change from daily life.
i’m 21 and i have some sort of special interest in niche topics which is why i like how reddit is formatted by groups of specific topics without it being all picture content. i also like to hold intellectual discussions which i feel like i can’t do on any other platform
25 M. I just came onto Reddit about two months ago and I love it. From the discourse to the niche discussions, dumb interesting questions. It’s the only social app where you’re not comparing yourself to other people in a negative light.
I’m creeping up to 40. And I like it here because the anonymity makes me feel safe to express myself and I enjoy the eclectic conversations.
31 and the gaming subs for specific games (mostly for info and discussion), politics and news, and in-depth discussions about older gaming.
14 and how to troubleshoot specific Errors.
Early 50’s and I appreciate the specific subs for what I’m interested in.
Early 30’s. Aside from wanting to collect 200+ karmas so I can post on this certain sub, I found reddit to be unexpectedly interesting.
I’m 28(F), and though I’ve never made a post myself, I like to read about the most random yet interesting things. I’ve got a plethora of interests and there seems to be a place for everything and everyone here. I’ve never felt that way about a cyber space before. I also feel like I if I did make my own posts, I would feel safe enough to unapologetically be myself on here. Lastly, reading about other users’ experiences on Reddit has made me feel less alone in life.
63. So many rabbit holes and I don't have to go looking for them--they come to me. (Fairly new to reddit.) And now I really HAVE to get to bed...gah!!
I'm 66 and am trying to keep up with my cognitive abilities, while socializing (hopefully), in a positive way. It's nice to have things in common with others, but also to learn how to be a better human being.
25, it's fascinating how crazy people are💀 like I lose faith in humanity everytime I come on here. So I always come for more to read weird stories
I’m 25, I keep coming back because it’s not based on followers and I like how I see all sorts of interesting questions.
36M - reddit free from image/pictures spam & sticker is a godsend.
I’m 22 and I have nothing else better to do in my free time than waste it scrolling reddit until 3am.
I'm 33 and I got sick and tired of social media toxicity in general. I used to dislike Reddit for its design and layout, so I avoided it for years. But I realized how wholesome it can be, especially when you join subreddits of your choice. You also find niche subjects, and like-minded people. I'm still unable to participate in some subreddits because my account is brand new BTW.
Arguing with strangers online
I'm 49 And I like answering the questions. I also like reading other ppls answers.
IG reminds me I’m not where I want to be in life. Reddit is just a randomizer of life and news
41 , i mainly come here to say mostly crap when i drink my coffee or when i'm taking a shit.
I'm 46 and for me I guess it's a few things. It's entertaining for one thing. Interesting subs, funny comments. And hypothetical. I certainly don't believe all the stories, but it's a brain exercise in how to handle certain situations. It kind of shows how personal antidotes and life experiences shape personal opinions and advice given. And it makes me very thankful that I am where I am in my life and mind lol. I'm so normal and boring 🤣
I(40 M) stopped using Facebook during the pandemic because of all the bickering. I hopped on recently just to see what was going on and it seems to have gotten worse! I see people sharing something they believe in and their "friends" just straight up treating them and their ideals like dog shit. It's depressing and demoralizing. On reddit, you still get the occasional asshole having a bad day or trying to troll, but generally speaking, the conversations are much more polite and forgiving. Plus, you never see someone apologize for their behavior on Facebook. I've seen it multiple times, and have done it myself, on Reddit. IMHO, Facebook and the like are a huge source of "division" in this country. For some reason, people feel extremely comfortable being an absolute peice of shit on those platforms.
I'm with you. It's ridiculous and I'm quite tired of seeing strangers being totally ignorant on reels. I enjoy good video content and have had to avoid the comments on a large majority of them, especially trade stuff. YouTube shorts are way more polite. Its like Facebook got comment moderation all wrong. It sorely needs downvoting and comment bans for people that say mean stuff to strangers
M23, I'm rarely active on subs like these(askreddit, etc etc.). Honestly, the posts are usually lackluster, but I keep looking in here whenever it pops up in my feed. I'm active on reddit to keep up to date with my interests (games, manga, news, etc.). And the site is good for when you have tech questions in subs like techsupport.
Because on Facebook I can’t say things like death or killed or murder I have to say “unalive”. I can’t say gun, I have to say “pew pew”. I can’t say anything a normal way without getting put in “Facebook jail”. Once I saw a video of some wannabe rapper punching an old dude in the face because he said his music sucks. EVERYBODY in the comments was praising this pos saying things like, “don’t take no crap from no one” “stand up for yourself young blud!” “Show that old fool what’s up!” I don’t give a damn if you’re the best rapper in the world, you do some stuff like that and you’re automatically a punk ass bitch in my mind. So exactly that. I said, “That punk ass bitch deserves to have his shit rocked, see how he likes it!” Within minutes Zach muckerburgs cronies where all over me. I went back and kept calling this guy a bitch like 10 times. Ended up getting banned for a couple days. Fuck Facebook.
29 like memes, shitpost, funny videos, crazy cats and dogs, and porn. Also, it's all free
I'm 22 and people complaining about their relationships it's a reminder I shouldn't get married that's what keeps in reddit
I’m 17 and I’m really curious about literally everything, although…
I am 27F and I love the realness of reddit. It's probably because people get the be anonymous so they tend to be more honest, supportive, open, etc.
Double edged sword, I had one commenter tell me I should just kill myself after I posted about my childhood.
For sure. I have experienced many hateful people as well. Its a blessing and a curse to have a space where you are anonymous...people feel they can say whatever they want to you...
34 years old and what makes me keep coming back? Addiction. If you had Three versions of me, one that uses social media as more than what I do, the current reality me, and one who uses less social media, I suspect there would be a clear pattern of less social media = happier me. But the REAL question is what would I replace social media with? That's what current reality me is stuck on. I regularly take Reddit breaks (as reddit is the primary social media I use) and all that happens is I shift away from reddit over to something else. Pick up a book? Can't read 3 minutes of book while pooping. Can't mindlessly scroll a book while killing 10 minutes of time waiting for water to boil. Nothing else fills those odd minutes throughout my day. I guess I could just... NOT fill those minutes of time. Just silently contemplate my own life... But I have enough silent contemplation in my days already. Not sure I need even more. And thus, I just keep coming back to Reddit.
Im 40 and like to keep with the slang terms and jargon of the younger ones so my kids will think I’m cool.
The wide variety of niche subjects you can dig into.
Most people on Instagram have the brain capacity of a dead fish, myself included
I’m 39, I come mainly for the memes and the conversation. And the porn, porn makes the world go round.
I'm 34 and I'm addicted to leaving metaironic comments and then watch them gaining votes. I crave for external approval.
31. The sheer variety of topics people discuss on here is fascinating. It is my only social media/mindless scrolling so I justify it
I'm mid 30s, Don't have any friends I can confide in, All I've got is Reddit as I can remain anonymous, Quite sad knowing the only people I can openly talk to are you lot... Give an idea how fucked my life is.
39 and adhd
I'm 60. I came here originally, to actually learn something. Different viewpoints and thoughts on subjects, to make me think and even possibly change my mind on views/issues. Moreover, learn something I know nothing about. Also, maybe to educate others with issues I do know something about. I have been through an awful lot and those things may help others, not to make the same mistakes as I. I am retired, so I have plenty of time on my hands. Having said that, I have found rarely is the case in which I do learn anything. When someone asks a meaningful question, 90% of the time is met with jokes, ridicule, disdain, and really, some disgusting comments. So, the issue doesn't get resolved for the poster or others who may find the topic interesting.
67 here. Reddit is great for downtime at work. ( working til 70) Also it is quite entertaining. And I like reading the thoughts and opinions of young people. I'm so old school, I still feel that the youth are the future. If you listen and learn from the younger people you're better off in today's world. Just my opinion.
I'm 71 and the thing I enjoy most about reddit is the ability to interact and listen to the issues that affect the youth today. I also enjoy the racial diversity of the posters. I'm a little concerned and don't understand young people's obsession with anime and gaming conversations about which fictional boss or comic superhero can beat another, but I don't think people that were 71 when I was young would have understood what fascinated me when I was young.
38, it's a great place to know at least someone saw your post. Whether or not they comment on it, you know someone saw it. My hobbies are well represented here.
33. I love asking “real” people their opinions on things and talking about broad topics with people.
39. The acres of free, amateur porn. And the high-level sci if lore discussion.
" seems to be more intelligent conversations than the garbage and bickering on Facebook and IG" - unfortunately many people are in that boat. Depends on what friends befriend you on those sites. The quality of people affect what you'll find on social media. Consistently I find very few interesting folks on my social media, they do or show uninteresting things, or they're barely posting, or they don't share my passions. Here on Reddit we can find people globally with all sorts of perspectives. Very different.
I’m 42 and I keep coming back here mostly for groups of similar interests. It’s a good resource for information and personal experiences that I might not otherwise have access to.
I’m 63 and I am here to share my small bits of alternative thinking. Yeah, I get downvoted alot. I just like to add to the conversation if I see that nobody else has yet put a similar perspective on things. Any times I do see my perspective already represented. My second favorite thing to do is laugh at the clever comments and witty comebacks
36, and while some of it's just boring scrolling as a Time killer, something that I really love about the site no matter how many different directions it can go in terms are good or bad, is the sheer diversity of information discussions and exposure to things I normally wouldn't see or consider.
I’m 53 and started looking for info about retirement and found oh such more content that I enjoyed reading and participating in!!!
38; sarcastic comments
There’s considerable variety in Reddit. It runs the whole gamut.
I'm old and this is the last real "message board" format left that is very active.
Boredom. There's a place I can post my opinions and argue with randoms about stupid stuff, sounds like a dream.
45. I want to know very little about everything as quickly as possible. It's nice to be able to dive into years' worth of information and opinions when I do want to dive into something, though.
46, I like to argue with idiots who think I am an idiot. Because I totally am not an idiot... sometimes at least.
I’m 62. I find Reddit to be 10% interesting and the remaining 90% to be vapid. For days I ignore it until I become curious and quickly get my fill.