---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Social media, Facebook, Instagram…"
description: "\"Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away from them. They're alienating us socially as well as bringing us together.\" — John Hillcoat"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg"
---

#  Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away…

![“Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away from them. They're alienating us socially as well as bringing us together.” quote by John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg)

> “Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away from them. They're alienating us socially as well as bringing us together.”

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Social platforms can both connect and isolate people, creating social alienation despite their intent.

**In simple terms:** Social media can unite and divide.

Key Takeaway

Use them mindfully, balance online/offline life.

Themes

technology social interaction alienation

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

analytical cautionary

When to use this quote

- online networking
- family chats
- community building

Key Concepts

digital connectivity psychological impact

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you maintain real connections while online?
- What strategies reduce digital alienation?

A Different Perspective

Risk of echo chambers and reduced face‑to‑face contact.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Social media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-media/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/)

## Related quotes

> [“Beware of those who steer you away from your heart’s true happiness. It would make them happy to see you steer yourself right next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/beware-of-those-who-steer-you-away-from-your-heart-s-true-happiness/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [I try to steer away from doing something that's just commercial instead of sticking to a good script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-joel-osment/i-try-to-steer-away-from-doing-something-that-s-just-commercial/)

[Haley Joel Osment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-joel-osment/)

> [“Sometimes your talent can steer you away from your passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-weaver/sometimes-your-talent-can-steer-you-away-from-your-passion/)

[Fawn Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-weaver/)

> [If I had a son, I would steer him away from wrestling. It was fun for me, but for most it's not healthy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-funk/if-i-had-a-son-i-would-steer-him-away-from-wrestling-it-was-fun-for/)

[Terry Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-funk/)

> [I steer away from episodic TV; it burns you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-weller/i-steer-away-from-episodic-tv-it-burns-you-out/)

[Peter Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-weller/)

> [I've learned to steer away from the wrong kind of woman for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-ve-learned-to-steer-away-from-the-wrong-kind-of-woman-for-me/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [You can’t keep yourself from falling in love, but you can steer yourself away from the wrong people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-can-t-keep-yourself-from-falling-in-love-but-you-can-steer/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [One of the things that would steer me away from a franchise is that I'm playing the same character all the time and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/one-of-the-things-that-would-steer-me-away-from-a-franchise-is-that-i/)

[Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/)

> [My only general rule was to steer away from things I played with the band over the past couple of tours. I was interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/my-only-general-rule-was-to-steer-away-from-things-i-played-with-the/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [There's nowhere in the country that I can't go or won't go. I think it's because I've worked on making my show where everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/there-s-nowhere-in-the-country-that-i-can-t-go-or-won-t-go-i-think-it/)

[Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/)

> [I find filmmaking to be a super lonely, alienating experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reichardt/i-find-filmmaking-to-be-a-super-lonely-alienating-experience/)

[Kelly Reichardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reichardt/)

> [I think it's really hard to describe music without alienating somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/i-think-it-s-really-hard-to-describe-music-without-alienating-somebody/)

[John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/)

> [I thought I had a talent for alienating people, but I have no idea what it is that doesn't go over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-thought-i-had-a-talent-for-alienating-people-but-i-have-no-idea/)

[Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/)

> [People treating you differently, when you don't feel any different, is really alienating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/people-treating-you-differently-when-you-don-t-feel-any-different-is/)

[Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/)

> [Depression: the healthy suspicion that modern life has no meaning and that modern society is absurd and alienating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/depression-the-healthy-suspicion-that-modern-life-has-no-meaning-and/)

[Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/)

## More by John Hillcoat

> [I am very keen to do a film that's female-led.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-am-very-keen-to-do-a-film-that-s-female-led/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [It's great to make strong, powerful films, but in terms of people wanting to finance them, it's also very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/it-s-great-to-make-strong-powerful-films-but-in-terms-of-people/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [Fear shuts off possibilities. The first thing that kicks in when you're reacting with fear... This is what I love about Roosevelt's quote, "There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/fear-shuts-off-possibilities-the-first-thing-that-kicks-in-when-you/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I like restraint. Even with actors, restraint is something that I work on the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-like-restraint-even-with-actors-restraint-is-something-that-i-work/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I like the realism of anti-heroes. It's a healthy thing. I think heroes can be very unhealthy at times because it doesn't connect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-like-the-realism-of-anti-heroes-it-s-a-healthy-thing-i-think-heroes/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I love strong women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-love-strong-women/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [Everyone has a family, even if they're at war or fallen apart. It's the closest initial bond, and there's a sort of primal element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/everyone-has-a-family-even-if-they-re-at-war-or-fallen-apart-it-s-the/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [For all the spectacle of CGI, there's something alien and unreal about that domain, like a videogame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/for-all-the-spectacle-of-cgi-there-s-something-alien-and-unreal-about/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [The one that I've always wanted - and I have Scott Rudin in my way blocking it - is 'Blood Meridian,' which Cormac McCarthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/the-one-that-i-ve-always-wanted-and-i-have-scott-rudin-in-my-way/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I love working with ensemble groups of actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-love-working-with-ensemble-groups-of-actors/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I love the sci-fi movies where it's from the point of view of humans in that situation... When it becomes too clever in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-love-the-sci-fi-movies-where-it-s-from-the-point-of-view-of-humans/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I like to do commercials that are more than just flogging a product. It needs to have something to say. It's always an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-like-to-do-commercials-that-are-more-than-just-flogging-a-product/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [Radiohead showed a real affinity to being bold with visual imagery, so it came as no surprise when Jonny Greenwood did 'There Will Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/radiohead-showed-a-real-affinity-to-being-bold-with-visual-imagery-so/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [It's such an intense thing to make a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/it-s-such-an-intense-thing-to-make-a-film/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

> [I personally found 'Avatar' - the blue people, to me, looked like painted art from the seventies. It didn't have the realism as, say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/i-personally-found-avatar-the-blue-people-to-me-looked-like-painted/)

[John Hillcoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

[Explore all 65 John Hillcoat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/)

## More Media quotes

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [“She realized that the photograph had caused his reaction. It came to her almost as a revelation. Think of it: a photographer presses a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soheir-khashoggi/she-realized-that-the-photograph-had-caused-his-reaction-it-came-to/)

[Soheir Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soheir-khashoggi/)

> [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/)

Jennifer Siebel Newsom

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I do have opinions. Fortunately, I neither Twitter nor Facebook. My daughter forbids me to go on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/i-do-have-opinions-fortunately-i-neither-twitter-nor-facebook-my/)

[Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/)

> [This is what I say about the scorn of the media elite: I wear their scorn as a badge of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/this-is-what-i-say-about-the-scorn-of-the-media-elite-i-wear-their/)

[Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/)

> [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/)

[Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/)

> [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/)

[Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/)

> [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. We feel anti-Semitic hatred in the continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/we-witness-anti-semitic-attacks-in-the-heart-of-europe-we-hear-anti/)

[Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/)

> [I hate being on TV, hate dealing with media on TV. All that stuff, I don't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyronn-lue/i-hate-being-on-tv-hate-dealing-with-media-on-tv-all-that-stuff-i-don/)

[Tyronn Lue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyronn-lue/)

> [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

[Browse all 8,440 Media quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away from them. They're alienating us socially as well as bringing us together.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Hillcoat"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter-i-steer-away-from-them-they/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Media"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter-i-steer-away-from-them-they/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/john-hillcoat-10505_media_social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter_3235518.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - I steer away from them. They're alienating us socially as well…” — John Hillcoat",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Hillcoat",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hillcoat/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter -...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter-i-steer-away-from-them-they/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hillcoat/social-media-facebook-instagram-twitter-i-steer-away-from-them-they/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
