Can you be social without social media?

A 21st century dilemma

home sweet home

Hi there,

I might take this back next week, next month, or maybe next year but I am really bored of the internet. At least parts of the internet I frequent often: Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, you name it. I guess it’s time for me to get a life.

Five things worth sharing:

1. One of the dilemmas people face when considering quitting social media is the question of how to stay connected with people without the convenient and instant access social media offers. I was off social media for three years, from mid-2017 to mid-2020 and this is how I stayed connected with people without the aid of social media.

2. I recently finished A long way gone: memories of a boy soldier. Is all pain and suffering equal? I don’t have the answer to that but we mustn’t take for granted the privileges we have living in countries where our 11-year-old sons, nephews, brothers won’t be forced to kill just to survive— Not back in 1994; not now. (To all the children of Sierra Leone who were robbed of their childhood.)

3. Don’t you just love it when you stumble upon an actual quality content on YouTube and it is on why social media is addictive? (Video is unavailable) In a nutshell, three forces— the fame lottery, infinite feeds, and our beloved echo chambers make social media highly addictive; consuming a staggering amount of our time.

4. A quote I want to share:

   All good things must begin.
   — Octavia Butler

   Whether you want to write a book, exercise often, or spend less time on your phone, you must begin.

5. Top economists study what happens when you stop using Facebook, and the findings might surprise you! People spend more time on social media than they realize, and stepping away frees up time for more rewarding offline activities, leading, in turn, to an increase in self-reported happiness and a decrease in self-reported anxiety.

That’s all for this week!

Thank you for reading, and please tell a few friends if you’d like.

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Until next time,

Mehret