“Look at this cool thing I found!” It can just be nice to share stuff with other people. There doesn’t need to be a deeper reason, it’s a function of humans being social animals.

This includes motivations such as wanting to discuss the thing with other people, to compare your own view with theirs, or simply to satisfy the need to yell at someone.

Edit: typo

The first word in social media is “social”. People typically post on social media because they want to socialize in one way or another.

When I share, I’m trying to pay it back. Some of you jabronies shared some cool things with me that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. So the least I can do is try and do the same.

And if everyone did this, Lemmy would be flush with content.

“Why do people talk to other people”

Many reasons. Searching for opinions and perspectives like you seem to be here. Searching for information and recommendations to resources. Sharing interesting things with friends and family.

Dopamine. Affirmation. Attention.

Although I don’t share that much on social media anymore.

I’m a performing artist. The stuff I share promotes causes I enjoy, keeps me relevant in an ever expanding scene, and helps get the word out for local shows and events.

Also a lot of shitposting. Mostly shitposting.

“Be the reason someone smiles today”. ,… and I need to gou out and touch some grass and take some more photos soon. I wanted to largely post pics of things people don’t normally see and hope they go 'cool, that’s a nice shot, might make it my wallpaper". Edit: I did get out, and saw some birds. https://lemmy.world/post/23520196

I’ve been shitposting and talking to other anonymous people online since 1999.

UBB anime boards

Somethingawful

4chan

Reddit

and now, I dance the babushka, for you!

And now, I find myself home to Lemmy. Just one of the thousands of Anons posting opinion, then meme, then opinion, then shitpost in the background static of the greater internet hive mind.

Arguments, rebukes, comments, discussions… discourse. It’s all necessary to me. I have to get in the fray. I have to cause the fray, in some instances. Discussion is life, passion in many instances. People care about what they care about and I both want to know why and tell why.

It’s not so much hypocritical of you to ask this question as it is you lack introspection.

People share things on social media to have interaction with other people, just like you did.

Ego (in the broad, classic sense of our need to have self identity) and–increasingly–loneliness due to the husk of societal interactions many developed nations have let wither due to overwork, TV and privatization of public spaces.

I find like-minded people who don’t exist locally.

Mostly, to bring my friends joy.

Sometimes, to see if anyone is willing to discuss the thing I’m sharing with me.

For me, it’s nice to share information and have light, friendly interactions. I don’t care for engaging in online conflicts or debates. That kind of stuff adds unnecessary stress to my life that I don’t want.

As far as SM with my real identity, like IG: It’s nice updating friends and family about life events. Sometimes I post silly things. Stuff like engagement doesn’t bother me bc it’s not about having a popularity contest.

But in particular, I like posting highlights as they happen throughout the year. My memory (for dates, especially!) isn’t that great, so this lets me scroll through in chronological order and quickly see what I’ve been up to. It’s sort of like keeping a picture diary.

For social recognition. I would not post something on the internet if I didn’t expect someone else to see it.