Social media addiction explained

 

The Most Toxic Videos on the Internet

In a disturbing trend, parents are breaking eggs on their children's heads, scaring them, and recording these moments for social media. They share these videos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, all for the sake of gaining views. This behavior is toxic, manipulative, and symptomatic of how these apps are controlling our lives.

Social Media Manipulation

Social media isn't just an innocent pastime; it's manipulating you and making you a slave to its algorithms. This issue isn't confined to just one app—it's pervasive across all social media platforms.

The Problem with Our Attention

In today's video, we will explore five scientific reasons why your smartphone is becoming your enemy. More importantly, we will provide you with four simple steps to regain control of your life.

Smartphones: Making Us Dumb

Think back to when you only touched your phone to respond to a message or call. Technology was a tool to enhance human connections. Now, algorithms control our phones, leading to a world full of distractions.

The King of Distractions: TikTok

TikTok epitomizes this issue. Despite its ban in India, its influence persists as other platforms like Instagram and YouTube try to emulate its instant success. TikTok isn't just a social media company; it's a data collection enterprise, promoting harmful trends and challenges in Western countries.

The Illusion of Control

Today's smartphones mimic slot machines in Vegas. Every pull-to-refresh action on an app is like pulling a lever, giving you a rush of dopamine. This technique fosters addiction, as we become obsessed with the anticipation of a reward rather than the reward itself.

Dopamine and the Cycle of Addiction

Dopamine, the brain's "candy," is released in a cycle of action, expectation, reward, and more dopamine. This cycle creates a new baseline for happiness, leading us to constantly seek bigger rewards and never being satisfied with smaller ones.

The Role of Social Media

Social media isn't inherently evil. It enables us to connect with authority figures and express our opinions widely. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Our responsibility lies in understanding our true desires versus mimetic desires—desires influenced by others.

Mimetic Desires

Humans are social animals, influenced by the desires and values of our tribes—family, friends, and society. This often leads to confusion between our true desires and those imposed upon us by societal expectations.

The Battle for Mental Real Estate

Our minds are limited in capacity, yet the influx of thoughts and desires is unlimited. This constant influx creates a chaotic mental state where we chase desires without clear direction.

Solutions: Creating a Healthy Digital Diet

To counter these issues, we propose a healthy digital diet using the NURF formula: Notice, Use, Reconnect, and Focus.

1. Notice: Identify tasks for which you rely on technology. Avoid multitasking with one device to reduce unnecessary distractions.

2. Use: Prioritize necessary uses of technology. For example, prefer physical books over e-books to limit screen time and digital distractions.

3. Reconnect: Use devices for essential tasks only. Technology is not the enemy; a distracted mind is. Reconnect with the true potential of technology by focusing on important tasks.

4. Focus: Prioritize quality over quantity. Reflect on how digital activities make you feel. If they drain you, eliminate them. For instance, use black and white mode to reduce the allure of colorful interfaces and stay focused on your work.

Embrace JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)

Social media teaches FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), but it's essential to embrace JOMO (Joy of Missing Out). Enjoy where you are and live in the present. The biggest problem with your phone is the person holding it. Share this message, and let's reclaim our lives from digital distractions.