Rec
Not out of fear of lack of likes or engagement. I mean, Iāve just joined, but so far I think this app is pretty neat, in the sense that it doesnāt feel like a āoh, Iāve got to curate this thought or personal share until itās whittled down and not actually *me* anymore - so that itās more widely appealing or relatableā kinda thing yāknow? Doesnāt feel like itās about amassing followers, monetisation, or becoming an *influencer*.
Pretty certain that everyone has had angry, dark, bitter, jealous, painfully yearnful, embarrassing moments and feelings. And the kind of thoughts that are ānope, canāt say that. thatās overshare territory babeyā- or like thereās that feeling of āwould I want that being screenshotted?ā hanging over ya. I donāt feel disgust when Iāve read others share those things on social media or when my friends confide in me, but I still feel shame for feeling them myself? How silly.
One thought that Iāve considered sharing on here, but yeeted into the void has been about my identity, erosion of sense of self, and self image. Existential dread, stential(?) dread. Which is, like, *yeah*, everyone (to scaled degrees, especially based on your race, gender, sexuality, class, ALL of the above) can probably relate to by virtue of existing in this shitty framework of a society where everyoneās physical, intellectual, and material image is always going to be scrutinised.
Which I know? But I still struggle with writing or articulating things like āhey, Iām *not* doing okay with this and I donāt know what to do about it. I donāt like where I am, but thinking about change scares me. Sometimes, maybe all the times, I donāt know who I am or what Iām doing outside of the perception of others and that really fucking terrifies me.ā
I donāt know, Iāve deleted most other of my social media accounts and only really yap to my close friends about deeply emotional and intimate *struggles*. But I still feel like flinging things out there sometimes to strangers (which I guess Iāve just done here lol). Itās a different kind of vent release, a type that you donāt have to worry about extremely concerned follow up questions from friends or family haha. Or like, the feeling that even though weāre strangers from all over the place, we all share in the relatable struggles and joys of the human condition - whether through personal shares or *memes and shitposts*
The candid pet pics are cool too tho
Pretty certain that everyone has had angry, dark, bitter, jealous, painfully yearnful, embarrassing moments and feelings. And the kind of thoughts that are ānope, canāt say that. thatās overshare territory babeyā- or like thereās that feeling of āwould I want that being screenshotted?ā hanging over ya. I donāt feel disgust when Iāve read others share those things on social media or when my friends confide in me, but I still feel shame for feeling them myself? How silly.
One thought that Iāve considered sharing on here, but yeeted into the void has been about my identity, erosion of sense of self, and self image. Existential dread, stential(?) dread. Which is, like, *yeah*, everyone (to scaled degrees, especially based on your race, gender, sexuality, class, ALL of the above) can probably relate to by virtue of existing in this shitty framework of a society where everyoneās physical, intellectual, and material image is always going to be scrutinised.
Which I know? But I still struggle with writing or articulating things like āhey, Iām *not* doing okay with this and I donāt know what to do about it. I donāt like where I am, but thinking about change scares me. Sometimes, maybe all the times, I donāt know who I am or what Iām doing outside of the perception of others and that really fucking terrifies me.ā
I donāt know, Iāve deleted most other of my social media accounts and only really yap to my close friends about deeply emotional and intimate *struggles*. But I still feel like flinging things out there sometimes to strangers (which I guess Iāve just done here lol). Itās a different kind of vent release, a type that you donāt have to worry about extremely concerned follow up questions from friends or family haha. Or like, the feeling that even though weāre strangers from all over the place, we all share in the relatable struggles and joys of the human condition - whether through personal shares or *memes and shitposts*
The candid pet pics are cool too tho
Jan 18, 2025
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Thank you for replying so thoughtfully. I hope youāre right about people not trying to curate their lives here, and the similarities I feel between posts is just because users have a lot in common.
I empathize completely with the idea of changing being scary even if I want to do it!
Existential was the word you were looking for āļø
Jan 18, 2025
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šidk iām tryna keep this one for me. iām in a period where almost everything is up the air: my job, my finances, my city, the fucking state of the world; more than usual, iām feeling out of my body.
i read an article (watched a tiktok) that said that ~creative people~ without an outlet are almost always the most insufferable people you know; and honey, iāve been insufferable for a while now. it sounds wankery, but maybe posting here (where no one else is) reminds me of the things that ground me: (1) curation of the things i like, and (2) and the development and continuation of personal aesthetic for aestheticās sake.
anyway, i hope posting things i like on this silly website/blog/(anti) social media platform does the trick - itās almost foolish to ask any form of external thing to fix me, but hey, letās see if this new outlet can at least soothe some symptoms <3
i read an article (watched a tiktok) that said that ~creative people~ without an outlet are almost always the most insufferable people you know; and honey, iāve been insufferable for a while now. it sounds wankery, but maybe posting here (where no one else is) reminds me of the things that ground me: (1) curation of the things i like, and (2) and the development and continuation of personal aesthetic for aestheticās sake.
anyway, i hope posting things i like on this silly website/blog/(anti) social media platform does the trick - itās almost foolish to ask any form of external thing to fix me, but hey, letās see if this new outlet can at least soothe some symptoms <3
Jun 25, 2025
Rec
I am going to speak on this both within the PI.FYI ecosystem and outside, in my real life. I consider myself to be gregarious in a way where I am often holding wonderful conversations with wonderful people who do not share my interests. By being immensely charming and well-spoken (or perhaps by having very very patient friends and acquaintances), I find myself able to talk about things I like without boring another person. I donāt think a lot of my taste is something that goes viral with people on this site, or is interesting to people who I get along with. Iām a gemini and I do feel the pull to try and alter myself to who Iām talking to, but I think the ability to just be earnest about yourself will get you way farther and help you develop much more meaningful relationships than just Mirroring Your Way Through Life. If you lead through life with a genuine desire to connect and care and make people leave the room feeling better, I donāt think it matters if youāre a geek or freak, I think it just matters that you were honest.
Iāve had one or two viral posts on PI.FYI, but the recs Iāve been most excited to write are for a comic book or video game. Those recs donāt get any likes at all. And honestly I think thatās perfectly fine, because beyond being just a platform to connect with earnest people, this is an archive of interests and personality. In 700 years when the digital museum archivists are sifting through all the internet servers that havenāt eroded, putting together The Final Digital Archive Of You or Somebody or Whatever, I put something out there that was a little bit honest. Though, I donāt think I have the impulse to leave behind a perfect digital representation of myself. I think the most important things in life are things you canāt leave behind, because they are moments that are meant to be forgotten when you and everyone you know are gone. But one day someoneās going to be in a boring university library sifting through my recs on Grant Morrisonās bibliography, and theyāll be Wondering Why I Felt That Way. And by and large theyāll know.
Iāve had one or two viral posts on PI.FYI, but the recs Iāve been most excited to write are for a comic book or video game. Those recs donāt get any likes at all. And honestly I think thatās perfectly fine, because beyond being just a platform to connect with earnest people, this is an archive of interests and personality. In 700 years when the digital museum archivists are sifting through all the internet servers that havenāt eroded, putting together The Final Digital Archive Of You or Somebody or Whatever, I put something out there that was a little bit honest. Though, I donāt think I have the impulse to leave behind a perfect digital representation of myself. I think the most important things in life are things you canāt leave behind, because they are moments that are meant to be forgotten when you and everyone you know are gone. But one day someoneās going to be in a boring university library sifting through my recs on Grant Morrisonās bibliography, and theyāll be Wondering Why I Felt That Way. And by and large theyāll know.
Apr 6, 2025
Rec
šiām not sure what area youāre studying/working on, and which is the basis of your essay - also, as a newbie who isnāt well-versed on the culture here - i guess iāll just say some random misc thoughts about my experience so far!
there is something about this interface, i.e. the fonts, the emojis, the formatting, the colours, etc, thatās all so incredibly nostalgic of early tech. it looks like an elevated version of the bare websites they had us build with html/css in ict class. it also feels like a more text- and community-based tumblr, another platform that i found a lot of comfort and joy being on. i donāt have the introspection or technical knowledge to pinpoint what exactly it is about PI, and similar platforms (like tumblr) that makes them safe and comforting/less stressful to use compared to others, so iād be interested in seeing whether this is something your essay will touch on, or define!
maybe itās because itās still new and with a smaller user base than Big SMā¢ļø sites, but the culture here doesnāt seem to care about how many followers you have, or in getting the highest amount of engagement on everything you post! itās an even playing field where everyone iāve seen is just enthusiastic, helpful and thoughtful in their recs or general comments. a small detail, but i also like that specific ālikeā numbers arenāt displayed - it (maybe unintentionally?) removes a lot of subliminal pressure to up that figure!
PI is a happy, unencumbered space that makes you feel like a (pre-)teen exploring early tech and social platforms again, except instead of it being a collection of people u know irl, itās basically a bunch of friends from all over. and thatās something thatās been sorely missed, or perhaps even erased, from the cultures of other social media sites. thereās so much individualism and criticism there, and when you donāt receive engagement, youāre basically talking to yourself bc the algorithm wonāt pick up your posts & have them show up for other people.
thereās always something so special and personal when social sites such as this are in their early days, when the people participating are still genuine in their pursuit on them. the people gravitating towards being here are probably looking for the same thing as well, so i hope for nothing more than for it to stay like this.
there is something about this interface, i.e. the fonts, the emojis, the formatting, the colours, etc, thatās all so incredibly nostalgic of early tech. it looks like an elevated version of the bare websites they had us build with html/css in ict class. it also feels like a more text- and community-based tumblr, another platform that i found a lot of comfort and joy being on. i donāt have the introspection or technical knowledge to pinpoint what exactly it is about PI, and similar platforms (like tumblr) that makes them safe and comforting/less stressful to use compared to others, so iād be interested in seeing whether this is something your essay will touch on, or define!
maybe itās because itās still new and with a smaller user base than Big SMā¢ļø sites, but the culture here doesnāt seem to care about how many followers you have, or in getting the highest amount of engagement on everything you post! itās an even playing field where everyone iāve seen is just enthusiastic, helpful and thoughtful in their recs or general comments. a small detail, but i also like that specific ālikeā numbers arenāt displayed - it (maybe unintentionally?) removes a lot of subliminal pressure to up that figure!
PI is a happy, unencumbered space that makes you feel like a (pre-)teen exploring early tech and social platforms again, except instead of it being a collection of people u know irl, itās basically a bunch of friends from all over. and thatās something thatās been sorely missed, or perhaps even erased, from the cultures of other social media sites. thereās so much individualism and criticism there, and when you donāt receive engagement, youāre basically talking to yourself bc the algorithm wonāt pick up your posts & have them show up for other people.
thereās always something so special and personal when social sites such as this are in their early days, when the people participating are still genuine in their pursuit on them. the people gravitating towards being here are probably looking for the same thing as well, so i hope for nothing more than for it to stay like this.
Apr 26, 2024
Top Recs from @softshelled
Rec
šµIām here in the moment with you bro, itās fleeting, elusive, stay with me before itās gone
Feb 9, 2025
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šNo, itās not a looming breakdown.
*Iām forecasting, Iām emotional project managing, Iām curating*
Apr 21, 2025
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Sent to two friends, one who got me the shirt and the other the necklace. But also Iāve been feeling down lately and I like my face in this one, *so*
(my hair is clipped up, itās actually down to my lower back, but Iām feeling more confident in myself if I ever go shorter again!)
(my hair is clipped up, itās actually down to my lower back, but Iām feeling more confident in myself if I ever go shorter again!)
Jul 11, 2025