Crossfire of Social Revolution
It came around for my generation at a time when our brains were developing. We were vulnerable to manipulation of our neurochemistry. Dopamine hits from likes and comments are addictive. It’s easy to fall into the black hole of mindless scrolling, hopping from TikTok to Snapchat to Twitter to Facebook to Instagram.
It’s common to scroll as a method of escapism; to distract yourself. Whether you realize it or not, you’re filling your subconscious with junk, causing you to have low energy and anxiety.
The screen time feature on iPhones was a rude awakening for a lot of people. If we keep living the way we’re living with social media, we’re going to spend half of our lives in a virtual illusion. It’s not real. Most content on social media is manipulated and curated to portray asceticism.
Aesthetics can be fun, artistic, and forms of expression. But it’s wise to always keep in mind; you don’t see the rougher side of life behind the content. Models starving themselves, travelers detained in foreign airports, the baby screaming all night, the real toxicity of the happily ever after relationship, etc. Filters, perfect lighting, photoshop. Even landscapes don’t live up to reality. Tourists photoshopped out, garbage photoshopped out, colors and light enhanced.
We are constantly teetering the edge of creative content and distorting reality. The consequence? We’re all sitting on our asses, scrolling all day and the never-ending feedback is reminding you of what you’re not, what you don’t have, and how much better everyone else’s life is. It’s not real.
I personally have dealt with this for a decade. When I was 12, I made my Facebook account. Throughout middle school and high school, I dealt with cyberbullying. It was detrimental to the development of my self-worth and feelings of belonging.
Navigating the Benefits of Social Media
I hit a crossroads early this year. I am, without a doubt, addicted to social media. I’ve identified it as an entity that is affecting my quality of life and perception of self. My instinct was to delete all of it. Every account. Never log on again. But that’s not a viable option for me with my paritcular goals. I work for myself as a writer and photographer. My livelihood and dreams are built off of marketing via social media. I can’t get rid of it but it’s also taking a toll on my mental health.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re in a similar boat, my advice is to monitor yourself and develop a system or structure that works on building a healthy and productive relationship with social media. I’ve found that 90% of my interactions are mindless and operating out of habitual movements. When I deleted the Instagram app, I would still pick up my phone and my thumb would click on the empty space where Instagram was. It was alarming that I didn’t even realize what I was doing until I noticed the app was gone. I’m guilty of scrolling while watching a movie, working out, or eating dinner.
But permanently deleting is not an option. Lately, I’ve been practicing setting intentions for social media use. I don’t want to give it up because it’s a marketing tool and it’s full of useful content. Inspiration, adventure, creativity, and information. It’s a gift that’s created a collectiveness; an ability to stay in touch and share information.
Opal is the app I use to lock myself out of social media for most of the day. I set up time frames for social media to post and consciously interact. Then I’m done. Notifications are off. I made a pact to myself, that in my pockets of free time, I will do anything but scroll through social media. Even if it means staring at the wall.
Though limiting social media is not the only challenge. The business side of many platforms has become complex over the years. The algorithm is constantly upgrading to bump the posts it predicts consumers will purchase from. Those who have higher ad budgets get priority to an audience they haven’t gained yet. Meanwhile, small businesses, brands, and artists are being hidden from their own followers. It’s a curveball from the classic, chronological order feed.
Curating a strategy and structure is vital to maintaining a productive and healthy relationship with social media, especially if you’re marketing your work. Consistency is key in most marketing strategies. However, that directly counteracts the goal to limit social media. See the dilemma? The only solution seems to be maintaining the discipline of balance. Use social media to better your life, not escape into a hole of judgment and insecurity.
Alright, now I have to post this.