Social Media: A #1 Ingredient For Brain Soup
Brain-Soup: When your head hurts so much from overstimulation & a solution to an underlying problem of social media dependency.
Do you know that feeling — a burning sensation, dry eyes, irritated by a state of emptiness? You’ve practically spent the entire day working (procrastinating) in front of a screen, and in between breaks, you’ve clicked on a million tabs and notifications on your computer. You’re distracted by the consumption of images and voices of a multitude. Has this become a habit, a cycle of unintentionally getting sucked into the digital world? It’s almost like we are in “an attention crisis,” says behavioral scientist and YouTuber Vanessa Hill, in her documentary, “the Attention Wars”. While “addiction” glued together with “technology” is a strong assertion that many behavioral scientists would rather dismiss, we as a society — one in which thrives through technological efficiency, often takes for granted the problems that emerge as a result of dependency on our smart devices. While addiction or short attention spans may definitely be major existing issues, I am convinced that the more prevalent problem is rooted in identity, how we — frequent SNS users — view ourselves, concerning our social circles.
While identity issues, regarding SNS is a well-known problem, a 2017 survey on the topic of “Technology and Mobile Phone Addiction” — admitted that over 2.5k adults tested for internet and phone addiction. The conclusion of this survey indicated that 2% of males and 0.6% of females were indeed addicted to their screens, and the percentages are increasing among children and adolescents. Although I should know that everything is best kept in moderation and intention, I can’t help but wonder that the increase in screen time is a means to a better end, the end being the benefits of the infinite-seeming access to information. Simultaneously, awareness for how we manage our time and what we make of our current resources is an integral aspect towards expanding our pool of knowledge and making advancements in as many areas as possible.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
— Arthur C. Clarke
Seeking social validation though is an issue rooted in a constant need for “rewards”, yet these rewards never add up to the value we desire. So very often, we believe in a lie that through other people’s feedback, we can learn more about ourselves. Through text messages, likes, or comments, through the acknowledgment that you exist, we believe that this feedback is a direct representation of our accomplishments. Even if you don’t post something as bold as a good-looking-selfie, the content you create and post is often labeled, by ourselves, as a value-indicator. This is a dead-end. People’s validation and reactions to whatever we do or say, through SNS or in person, will never be able to fully define who we are as individuals.
Knowing that many pros and cons exist within the opposite views, suggests that the solution to this need for validation is not a black or white answer. Rather, different aspects of how we use our social devices should be compartmentalized and scrutinized. Social media platforms like Instagram, Discord, or Tik-Tok, etc have rapidly increased in universal popularity. The benefits of using these platforms are vast, and as technology advances, the benefits will increase.
Engaging in various forms of social media is a routine activity that research has shown to benefit children and adolescents by enhancing communication, social connection, and even technical skills.
Says a pediatric doctor in an extensive research report. Never in history has there been a time where self-expression was valued as it is today.
For many young people, the ability to engage with media and technology in an intense, autonomous, and interest-driven way is a unique feature of the media environment of our current historical moment. Particularly for kids with newer technology and high-speed Internet at home, the Internet can provide access to an immense amount of information related to their particular interests, and it can support various forms of geeking out.
However, while many of these platforms have drastically helped people in different ways, the effects of social-media-overuse are detrimental. Several studies conducted on university-aged students have gathered data that positively associate depression, anxiety, and insomnia with SNS addiction as well as a decrease in subjective well-being, vigor, and overall satisfaction of one’s circumstances.
When I read up on research conducted around the topic of identity with social media usage, I was reminded of how strikingly sad it is that people equate themselves and their work with the attention they receive. However, through reflection, I noticed in myself the sheer amount of value I was pursuing whenever I clicked “post”.
A Call to Action
When I think of solutions to more internal problems, I think of four essential things: Reflection, Awareness, Intention, and Application.
- Reflection is a thought, idea, or opinion formed or a remark made as a result of meditation. When we think of a reflection, we often think of the return of light waves onto a surface, resulting in the production of an image. Taking the time to look at ourselves for who we really are, and what we truly do, calls for introspection and empathy — to ourselves. A quote I read somewhere online went something like this:
“Learn to acknowledge and listen to how you feel. All too often, we are so busy chasing what we think we want, only to later realize our deepest desires have been within our reach the whole time.”
In other words, we shouldn’t base our self-worth solely on the “validation” we receive from other individuals because as individuals with unique potential, our focus should be on producing things that we find purposeful.
2. Self-awareness is knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists within the realm of self-hood, a singular agent who maps out or comprehends personal “perceivable” and “abstract” concepts. When you reflect, you become aware, and this awareness is essential to prompting conviction. Conviction is the motivator for change or the maintenance of an established principle.
3. Intentions are determinations or resolves to act in a certain way, despite challenges or changes that may spin your world in an opposite direction. It’s important to remind yourself that no matter what, other people can only meet you at a level in which they’ve met themselves. Learning to appreciate the simple, honest moments with those you’ve invested time and energy into is what defines an important aspect of your identity. Even so, these important people or things are not yourself.
4. Application is the action, the force you exert into the internal and external world. The next time you hit “post” or say something out loud, or publish an article on Medium, ask yourself “Who is this for and how can it help them?” Sometimes unselfishly, the dedicated person is oneself, for the sole reason of authentic self-expression, self-empathy, and renewal. Sometimes, it’s for others in a helpful way.
Social media is addictive, and it can be dangerous if you allow it to be. However, SNS can also be a great thing. It depends on how and what you use it for.
