Why Haven't I Been Using Social Media?

You ask, "Why am I not using social media?”

Back in January, I fasted, attempting to start the new year free from distraction. Before this point, I made several attempts to "take a break" from Instagram and Twitter simply because it consumed much of my time. Like most people, I would sit on my phone for hours straight just scrolling deeper into the void of pictures and opinions of people I didn't know or even care about. It was entertaining, of course, to see what people are doing, who's interacting with who, or which celebrity caused a think piece that day. But once I deleted it for a week, I realized I could go without it for much longer. Honestly, I realized I didn't need it. 

I initially viewed my departure as a break. I subconsciously knew the amount of media I consumed was negatively impacting my thoughts and actions. I was the queen of taking a picture specifically for Instagram and not posting it because I didn't love the edit, the caption, or the time of day wasn't "right" to post. I closely monitored now many likes I had, who watched my stories, how many people shared, and how many saved my posts. Viewing all of the false realities, I consequently sought to recreate that for myself. I thought I would take a break, reassess my activity on social media, unfollow a lot of people, and create a feed that was filled with more positivity. It was a nice thought, but practically impossible. In my post, "What does it cost to change?" I begin to explore these thoughts. I knew I wanted to become my best self, but I also knew social media could prevent me from doing so. As I mention in that post, I accepted the fact I would be missing out on so many things like updates to my friends' life, celebrity news, and memes. As time went on, I became okay with that. 

Over the next few months, I began to look at social media a critical eye. I went from thinking this isn't something I want to engage often to questioning if this is something any of us should engage in. Social media has made itself an integral part of our culture changing the way we interact with each other. Yes, It can be a space for connecting people from all over the world, supporting each other in a positive community. But, it can also be a place of great divisiveness. It's a place were we pin people against each other or where you might be cornered into thinking whatever popular opinion is. From the post friends share with me, it seems there is less freedom to have a constructive conversation of both sides or even agree in the middle. We are further pushed to either side the polarized spectrum every idea seems to live on. 

On the other hand, I began to really ask my self, does everyone need to know my every move? Do a thousand or so people need to know I went to the beach this weekend? Why do I feel the need to share? What am I gaining? Each moment we spend does not have to be documented for others to view. I would argue that we are overly connected. There are some people genuinely I know too much about.

Final Thoughts

Now, of course, social media provides the space for a valuable exchange of ideas and creativity. It's a necessary tool, at this point, for marketing and mass communication. Honestly, I'll have to use it to share my ideas as well. I find it necessary for me to acknowledge the negative patterns I participate in. With the same mentality as I started my fast at the beginning of the year, I still want to limit the distractions in my life. I want to detach myself from the need for validation through likes and comments. I want to be in a place where I can share ideas and projects to foster a reflective conversation. I hope to engage with people on social media in the way I would want to engage people in person, reflecting the values I have in my life.