Social Media Pariah

Social Media Pariah Cartoon by Bearman Cartoons

I have said before that as an artist, it can be frustrating to spend several hours on a piece of work that gets ignored or little attention on social media but I can toss up a picture of my cat and it get tons of attention. ย  So today’s cartoon is another homage to that.

I asked my google plus followers “what trending topic that consistently pops up do you just not get?” ย Of course I got many but the ones that popped up most were “Cats, Justin Bieber, and Dr. Who.” ย  I get cats and honestly that is the only social media aspect that my wife is remotely interested in and I am guilty of giving into her demands to post our cats onย occasionย  ย Luckily for me the people I follow are not Justin Bieber obsessed however I constantly see his name as a trending topic. ย  Dr. Who is the one I don’t get the fan love about. ย I watched it as a kid when we didn’t have cable and it was the only thing on the 5 channels we got. ย I even tried it again as an adult. ย Just can’t get into it.

What about you? ย Any trending topics you find consistently on social media that you don’t get? ย  Oh and first person to name the character on the wanted poster wins…..NOTHING.

Comments

101 responses to “Social Media Pariah”

  1. Cat Forsley Avatar

    Personally – I love your Mug shots ————–
    i turn off Justin Bieber – he does not even enter my mind …………………..
    lol
    Cats on the other hand …………… well – it’s a love for animals thing xx
    ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚
    C

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Someone that goes by Cat better like them.

  2. Cat Forsley Avatar

    and Dr who ????????????????
    never been into him ……

  3. Deb Avatar

    I know that guy in the poster…but I didn’t mention any names.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      That’s because he is NOT wanted.

      1. Binky Avatar

        Not even by his parents.

  4. Red Dwyer Avatar

    Hank Addanac. ๐Ÿ™‚

    No, he is not trending, but he should be. I hate those trending topics. They are never of interest to me. Ever.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Hank might trend if George would post more on Google Plus.

      1. Red Dwyer Avatar

        I need to finish my battle w Google so I can start posting again. The only way I can use it know is to sign out of everything I have or give up my personal YouTube channel. Ugh.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Must have missed that post. What happened?

          1. Red Dwyer Avatar

            Although my corporate email is hosted by Google (since I despise NoDaddy’s service), they will not let me change my email. Since they bought YouTube, the only way to use YouTube or G+ is to use a gmail address. All of my corporate programs use my real email, not a gmail address. I cannot be logged into both and stay logged into everything. I can only use the primary to log in. Ergo, the loser is my personal YT and G+, which are tied to an ancient gmail addy. I have to set up a new G+ account and circle the 1K+ ppl from my personal account.

          2. Red Dwyer Avatar

            Any chance you are going to spoof NoDaddy’s Super Bowl commercial? *giggles*

          3. Bearman Avatar

            Oh that’s crap. I used to not have a gmail account just a yahoo one. Then I tried out a android phone for a while and needed to create one. Suddenly the gmail account became the primary account and I can’t erase it without screwing everything up.

          4. Bearman Avatar

            Oh and haven’t seen the commercial yet. Gonna have to check it out

  5. Tim D. Avatar
    Tim D.

    Anything Kardashian, I will never get.

    And that’s Hank from the great “Addanac City” webcomic by George Ford.

    I need an excuse to give him a cameo, too.

    PS New comics on Sunday? Thanks, but isn’t that CRAY-CRAY?

    1. Bearman Avatar
  6. Colleen Avatar

    I, too, boycott cats, teenie poppers, and Dr. Who. There are a lot of other things I don’t get as well. You could say it’s because I’m old, but I never got them when I was young either. Of course we didn’t have internet to rub my nose in it all the time then.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      A trending topic when I was a kid came in the form of what was written on school desks.

  7. Michael Corley Avatar

    He’d get more donations if he wore a bow tie and carried a sonic screw driver.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Sonic the hedgehog?

  8. Sam Avatar

    Dr. Who. I mean, I know the show is good (from what I’ve seen of it) and I do like it. But it’s also been around for decades, yet the super love for it in social media and memes has only come around in the last year. Why the sudden popularity?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Not sure. The Dalecs and the phone booth are all over the place. Thanks for stopping by Sam.

      1. Sam Avatar

        No problem, I’m actually a long-time reader / Twitter friend, but I used to use a pseudonym.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Well you aren’t going to tell me your secret identity?

          1. Sam Avatar

            Mister Woodles, but I’ve gone the Tony Stark route and made it public

          2. Bearman Avatar

            ahhhhhhhhhhhh MR WOODLES!!! Awesome. One day I might do the same but the lottery needs to come in first.

  9. Comedy Plus Avatar

    Social media? I’ve not Facebook account, no Twitter account, no any account that is considered social media. It’s too time consuming for me and when Entrecard died and went away I swore that I’d visit my peeps and move on. It’s been a fabulous decision.

    Have a terrific day. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Probably a great decision. Though I find the meaningless chatter a good break when on boring conference calls.

  10. jynksie Avatar
    jynksie

    When it comes to social media, I tend to walk away from it with a bloody aneurism on a daily basis due to my head shaking in disgust! People will fight to the death on “privacy rights” at Facebook, or what content posted can be resold or reused without permission w/ instagram, but have a national issue like guns and dead children and NOT-A-WORD on organizing ANYTHING!

    Social media is a whine fest of unimportant flatulence!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I see more of that type of discussion on Google Plus. BUT you still have to wade through the BS.

  11. George Avatar

    We must be alike because we both don’t “get” the same things. Although I don’t knock anyone for being fans of the good Doctor Who, I really don’t understand the devout infatuation.

    I think Justin Beiber trends mostly from people making fun of him than being actual fans. Of course, I’ve been known to be wrong on occasion.

    As for the dude in the Wanted poster, I’ve never seen him before in my life. He looks like riff-raff to me.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      OH he is riff raff. Not sure who wanted him though.

      While I love Dexter, I don’t feel the need to post daily memes about him. Probably my ADD. Need to move onto the next thing.

      1. George Avatar

        I’d love to see you draw something about Dexter. That would be cool.

          1. Bo Lumpkin Avatar

            I remember that one. That was the first time I had ever heard of Dexter.

          2. Bearman Avatar

            My job is to keep you informed.

          3. Bo Lumpkim Avatar

            And you are doing it quiet well.

          4. Bearman Avatar

            And loudly too

  12. Sam Avatar

    I know eh?? ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Any in particular for you Sam?

  13. duncanr Avatar

    don’t understand this obsessive love of cats – disdainful creatures that condescend to share our homes with us !

    Now dogs, on the other hand . . . ๐Ÿ˜†

    As for justin beiber – I’m too old to find anything about him remotely interesting

    Dr Who I have mixed feeling about. Watched it first time around as a kid but got bored with it – special effects were rubbish, plots weak. No tears shed when they pulled the plug on it. When they revived it after a gap of several years, I got into it again because everything about the new series was so much better than it was the first time round. That said, I lost interest again once David Tennant decided he no longer wanted to play the Doctor

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Oh man…the special effects as a kid were what made it good. You know the guy was working on a shoe string budget.

      All those doctors confused me. Simon Baker was the Dr for me.

      1. Miss R Avatar

        Cats? check.
        Justin Bieber? -pokes spork in eye-
        Dr Who? Hated it as a kid, but ever since they show ‘re-booted’ 4 years ago I’m a total fan. A combination of the scripts (including several by Neil Gaimen), show being geared more to adults now than children, and the very good actors. Helps that the BBC decided to budget the episodes at more than 237 pounds each heh. Fell in love with David Tennant but love Matt Smith too. ‘Cause fezes are cool.

        SIG: Tom Baker was the doctor first time I saw the show too. couldn’t get into it.

        Trend I don’t get? Beyonce and her ‘remove me from the internet’ statement.. and instant memes. Who cares? Add Kardashians.

        Oh, guy in the wanted poster: some loony cartoonist. George something…

        1. Bearman Avatar

          The last one is the worst of them all.

  14. Nate Fakes Avatar
    Nate Fakes

    I’m surprised I don’t see any gang signs on social media. They put them everywhere else.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Maybe they are there but so subtle you don’t see them.

      1. Nate Fakes Avatar
        Nate Fakes

        True. As long as I don’t have spray paint on my screen, I’m happy.

  15. Rogers George Avatar

    I don’t do any of those trending topics. I prefer your cartoons to any of them.

    I am looking forward to that comet this fall, though. I predict it’ll trend. Probably someone will start a rumor about it hitting the earth, and that’ll trend even more. sigh.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      ooh I haven’t heard about the comet. I’ll have to look it up and take advantage of a trending topic by cartooning about it..haha

  16. Christy Birmingham Avatar

    Cats are a big deal on Google+ – especially Grumpy Cat ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Grumpy cat is making me grumpy

  17. Jim Avatar

    There’s many things I see trend on the networks, but unfortunately I do kinda ‘get’ all the hububaloo. Cause, you know, I think we were all under the thrall of some sensation or another at some point of our lives.

    Having said that, uhhh . . . put me down for Pokemon.

    That’s all. Carry on.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Wait now I am confused. You like Pokemon or it annoys you. Actually again that is another topic I don’t see in my stream. You must have a bunch of 14 year olds in yours..haha

      1. Jim Avatar

        Heheheh. Not really annoyed, but it seems pretty popular in the fan art showing up on tumblr.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          ahhh…I don’t hang out on tumblr. Guess I don’t have time for yet another outlet.

  18. Binky Avatar

    If it’s trending, I’m probably not interested in it. Now if Wombies started trending, that’d be a different story.

    Talking about cats, did you see the dolphin and cat one Loon posted?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Oh yeah.

      I tried to get wombies trending but no one would bite.

      1. Binky Avatar

        We’re too cool to be trending!

  19. Bo Lumpkim Avatar

    I have no Idea who Dr. Who is but I have seen tons of stuff on social media and so far it has not made me curious enough to check him out. Justin Bieber seems like a nice enough young lady but I don’t really care for her singin’. All I know about Dexter is what I have read in comments here. My son has two cats and I thought I raised him better. However, I am a dog person and I get more hits on my posts about Molly than I do any of my comics or jewelry posts.
    The only thing that got me more hits and comments was my last heart attack and I don’t think I want that to be a trending topic again.
    I don’t worry about trending. I visit my friends and through them I find other interesting people and stuff.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Well I sent people to cheer you up after the heart attack. Not sending them to say hi to your dog.

      Isn’t it amazing the stuff that is the least creative in our lives is the part people are interested in the most.

      1. Bo Lumpkim Avatar

        Molly will be hurt but I do appreciate you sending folks to cheer me up. It worked. Gonna post another prototype of my project tomorrow and I included an ad for you. It is just temporary. I will let you design one for yourself and send to me. Around 230 x 120 pixels will work well I think.

  20. G.B. Miller Avatar

    About the only think I ever saw trending on Facebook was “Zombieland” when Hostess went bell-up.

    As you know, one of the three subplots was Tallahassee searching for the last Twinkie on Earth.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I took advantage of the Twinkie scare so I am not talking.

  21. Tony McGurk Avatar

    I like Dr Who & have included Daleks in 2 different past comics.
    Tom Baker even did a cameo in 2011 A Rat Odyssey
    I have another in draft that is based on the Weeping Angels from a more recent Dr Who episode. The only time I get to watch it is if “She who controls the remote” isn’t home.

    1. Tony McGurk Avatar

      Forgot to say I don’t really notice trending things on G+ & FB as I don’t use them much. I recognise the wanted kid but who’s the begging guy???

      1. Bearman Avatar

        Yes but your love of the show isn’t an obsession where that is all you post.

        The begging guy was noone but once I was done he kind of looked like a guy on Google Plus.

        1. Tony McGurk Avatar

          I guess in that case Star Wars would be one I notice trending at times on some sites

          1. Bearman Avatar

            Yes but I get Star Wars so it doesn’t bother me as much.

    2. JerryBenedict Avatar

      I have to say, we’re huge fans of Doctor Who in our house (I even have a Dalek T-Shirt, and my wife has a Tardis mug!), but I don’t really follow the social media for it. I think the current Doctor Who is really well written, and, unlike the first 30 years of it, they have decent special effects. Having watched it in the 70’s – and even though I liked it then- I can say what they’re doing with it now is a vast improvement!

      I think a lot of the fuss about the show stems from that the British consider it to be a bit of an institution.

      1. Bearman Avatar

        I think most people posting on Social Media that I see are Americans.

  22. SpilledInkGuy Avatar

    That happens to me after spending several months on a project (if that makes you feel any better).
    I get hardly anything I see. But I live under a rock. And I’m getting old.
    Sounds like our Dr. Who experiences were very similar… Tom Baker was the Doctor back when I was fighting with the rabbit-ears (I think his hair might have been blocking the reception)…
    ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I thought his hair was helping the reception.

      1. SpilledInkGuy Avatar

        Ha… could be… maybe I was on the wrong side…

  23. Jack of Gulls Comic Avatar

    I love the ‘talk to the hand’ pose with the head tilted back. That’s a diss.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I was hoping I got it right…thanks

  24. Rent textbooks Avatar

    I never got into DR Who either, I have tried to watch it a couple times and nothing.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I guess I have to turn my nerd card in.

  25. Young American Wisdom Avatar

    Someecards! My Facebook/Twitter timeline is filled with them. They’re funny, but c’mon people, be original. Everybody is just passing around the same 5 cards, which they didn’t even write!

    Here’s an idea…make your own version, but instead of the vintage picture in the lower righ-hand corner, draw a picture of a cat or Kim Kardashian’s butt. That might help get you noticed.

    Seriously, I thought about doing a version of this with my Heard It On The Bus.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Oh yeah. I should do a cartoon on those. Lord they are annoying after a while. But I guess if people were sharing my cartoons as much I wouldn’t mind.

      Definitely you need to do it. But it should be an image of a nose being picked I think. Or just a School Bus.

      1. Bo Lumpkin Avatar

        All this reposting of stuff and sharing and no one putting up an original thought on Facebook has just about driven me completely off. I think I am going to make some Redneck cards for my sayings and tell people that if they don’t share it all my relatives are going to drop in for supper or something.

        1. Bearman Avatar

          I think that would be a great idea.

          1. Bo Lumpkim Avatar

            Actually it might work. You know me…I’ll try anything.

  26. ltpen315,barb Avatar
    ltpen315,barb

    Kardashians, Taylor Swift, and reality shows!! I do like Tom Baker’s Dr. Who, though!!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Two others I don’t see too much of in my streams. So far I have been lucky.

  27. Mark Stokes Avatar

    It’s a memes to an end!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      But do the ends justify the memes?

  28. lisleman Avatar

    Bearman I think you get plenty of attention here on this blog.
    I don’t get hooked on TV shows much at all. I have enjoyed watching a few Dr. Who shows.
    I don’t understand (did a post on this a week or so ago) why media gives Kim Kardashian so much attention.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Kim has a great agent. I need her mother to represent me.

  29. Gray Dawster Avatar

    I always liked John Pertwee as the Doctor ๐Ÿ™‚

    A fantastic looking and well designed cartoon ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks whatever I should call you this week….hahah

  30. DadaHyena Avatar

    I don’t openly hate Dr. Who, but I do have to admit that I just don’t get it. The real surprising thing about the Dr. Who phenomena (to me, anyway) is just how many women love it. And I mean LOVE IT. I’ve had at least two girls that I’ve dated try to get me into the whole Dr. Who thing and it just went right over my head.

    I will concede this: Daleks are hilarious. An entire show about Daleks rolling around and yelling at each other would be something I would watch.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Dumped for your reluctance to become a Whovian or whatever the hell they call it.

  31. Jande Avatar

    Looks to me like Hank Addanac is trending lately… :`D

    I seriously never have a clue what is trending. Mostly because I just can’t make myself care. Started this interwebs social media stuff too late in life, I guess.

    Love the cartoon, Bearman. โ™ฅ

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Sometimes you are bombarded by it. Lucky you that you don’t see it.

  32. Japanese Ghost Avatar

    Dr. Who is right up Japanese Ghost alley but neither me nor my posting partner has seen it so we would feel like frauds posting about it.

    I always got tons of hits for a kitty post at Dummies. Japanese Ghost has no cat photos (I think). I do get a ton of hits on a Batman infographic.

    You should make one of those and then I would post it on Japanese Ghost, submit it to Stumbleupon and take all of your traffic. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You actually get traffic from Stumple Upon?? I must be doing it wrong

      1. Japanese Ghost Avatar

        I get about 10 to 100 hits for most posts but sometimes one will take off and get 30,000 hits. This is bad for bounce rate but good for ads.

        Here is a real good time saving plugin that includes stumbleupon: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/social-networks-auto-poster-facebook-twitter-g/

        Also I guess it depends one’s goals. For me I like to have community on my sites but I also need to be able to purchase some groceries so google ads come in handy. ๐Ÿ™‚

        1. Bearman Avatar

          I haven’t monetized anything. 30,000 wow. in my dreams..haha

          1. Japanese Ghost Avatar

            At least your content is original ๐Ÿ™‚ You’ve got talent, I’ve got grubby hands :-/

          2. Bearman Avatar

            Maybe I need to be grubbier