When your thoughts are not your own
Social media is rotting my brain. Specifically, Facebook, but also YouTube.
It’s partly why I started this blog. Originally I had intended to name it ‘anti-social media’.
The irony is that social media is anything but. It’s just thousands of people I don’t know, shouting into the void. I rarely ever connect with my friends through Facebook, or my niche interests on YouTube.
Instead it’s a firehose of algorithmically curated ‘content’ that preys on curiosity and novelty.
How can I be in charge of my destiny if I allow my attention to be directed by someone else?
Yes I said ‘someone else’ - whilst the algorithm is the executor, it’s the tech companies that set it’s goals.
Are these goals likely to be in my best interest? No way.
It seems everyone is aware of this, but we carry on regardless, consuming the poison.
I’ve noticed recently that my friends and I often seem to be experiencing the same media. Recently there was an influx of Chernobyl clips and so it came up in conversation.
As a result, individuality is lost, as our life experience and opinions are homogenised.
I’ve noticed that I lose my sense of self. My narrative for my life becomes disjointed. Where am I going? Where have I come from?
The problem is, it’s so easy, so comfortable, to blow around like a green leaf on the wind. Sadly though, I will one day dry and wither, and despair over where the time has gone.
I managed to quit Facebook for about a month. Then it snuck back in. Facebook has replaced most forums these days, so much of the useful content for my niche interests is within its platform.
I wish I could simply remove it from my life, but occasionally I’ll need to refer to it.
I’ve tried various technological methods for blocking my own access but ultimately I can bypass them so it’s not effective.
What does work is changing the paradigm, so this journal is a reminder to myself what is at stake:
Everything.