Hello, and welcome to my last blog of the year. 2023 has not been my easiest year; I’ve had many challenges. My last difficult year was 2013, so I might hibernate in 2033 😊. On a positive note, difficult times remind us how strong we are, to be thankful, and that life continues; I’m certainly looking forward to 2024 with enthusiasm.
This month, I will discuss why successful people are removing themselves from social media. Before I go on the attack, there are some positives for me. I love seeing posts and photos from friends and family, especially those across the waters. I especially like photography tutorials and all the free workouts I use on YouTube. I also benefit from researching my blog topics without sifting through books in the library. But I also appreciate the dangers and worry about our younger generations, as I’m sure their addiction to social media will affect their future for reasons I’ll explain below.
So why ditch social media?
Because we are losing our ability to concentrate, many people can’t focus long enough to read a book! The cognitive cost of constant connectivity is starting to resonate with clever people.
Now, I appreciate these are big statements, but continue reading, and all will become clear.
Short attention spans are driven by the dopamine kick of social media – short clips and concise bite-size text and then swiftly onto the next topic. All the platforms work similarly, and as well as influencing our attention span, social media can also make us anxious, which affects the way we think. It seems everyone has an opinion on everyone and everything, and the worst thing is that these opinions are made by people who don’t know much about anything.
I once had a row on Facebook; how ridiculous is that? During the COVID lockdown, I was fed up with being unable to see my friends and family and scrolling aimlessly through Facebook. I came across a picture of loads of people on Brighton Beach. This wasn’t against the rules, and whilst it was busy, everyone was out in the fresh air and enjoying their beach day.
Someone commented on how stupid the British people were. This person didn’t live in the UK, and I let rip. Anyway, my point is that this row didn’t make me feel better; it made me feel worse as we batted rude comments back and forth for about an hour. Eventually, I gave up, realising the stress my stupidity was causing me.
Using apps like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram activates the brain’s reward centre by releasing dopamine, “the feel-good chemical.” But the feel-good is temporary, and the reality is that social media is designed to get us addicted.
Take Snapchat, for example. Snap streaks are the way to measure “success” on Snapchat. On Instagram, it’s about likes; on Snapchat, it’s about the streak. A snap streak is when you’ve sent snaps directly to a person for a prolonged time. To get the streak, you must do it each day. If you miss a day, you lose the streak. For some teens, snap streaks can measure how much you care about someone or how much they care for you.
It’s awful that social media apps are designed to mess with our brains. Not only do they shorten our ability to concentrate, but with the younger generations can lead to placing self-worth on the number of likes, followers, or snaps they receive. How terrible is that? There will always be people who don’t like us, and it doesn’t matter; it really doesn’t! That’s life, so accept it.
I know I’m old, but my message to the younger generations and anyone who spends too much time staring into their phone is this. Invest that time in yourself rather than spending time on social media. Invest in your growth; invest in achieving your dreams. Your true asset is your knowledge and your experience, so don’t let social media screw that up. A short attention span will, without doubt, hinder your ability to live a happy, fulfilling, successful life.
On that note, I’ll stop lecturing and wish you a happy Christmas. Don’t spend too much time on social media; you’ll open up YouTube to watch a 3-minute music video, and 5 hours later, you’re watching a tutorial on how to talk to giraffes.
Thank you for supporting my blog to raise awareness of autoimmune disease. Until next year, xxxxx
Living-your-best-life 