Social Media is Poison for the Soul

"But Scott, I use it to keep in touch with friends and support groups" 

I know, I know, I know. Such a classic argument when someone voices any type of opinion that doesn't cover every single angle of experience. 

"Okay guys! WORK OUT TIME! Let's go baby, work hard! Sweat, get it, let's goooooo all week, 7 days in a row!!"

Then Karen (so sorry to all Karens) has to voice up and say:

"And don't forget to rest everyone and take the time you need to recover."

I realize we need to get permission from people to see a wider horizon ahead but most of the time, take your own experience with you whenever you read any kind of advice from me, friends, coworkers or family. Your truth comes first and owning your own experience and needs means you're not pushed and pulled as much by others. 

Okay what what this post about? Ahhhh, social media. 

Of course I use it when necessary to share and honestly, it's such an amazing tool. I've met some sweet people through Facebook and found awesome groups where we meet in person and do some fun diddles. 

Now I'm not about to site some funky graphs and charts because that's doesn't seem to be useful in changing human behaviour. 

Guhhh, it's so hard to put into words. I just woke up to how insanely weird, strange, un-human (insert similar adjectives here) looking at a phone or screen is for hours everyday. It legit blows my mind that this is the world. 

What videos did you watch yesterday? What about last week? 

When I ask this to kids, they can remember maybe 2-5%. Meanwhile we scroll through countless videos to embrace a moment of fun to only forget 95% of it. 

And don't get me wrong here, this isn't out of of anger but almost out of humour and curiosity. When I look at my phone a bunch and jump at it when it pings I'm like "lmfaooo holy shit this is some powerful tech"

Imagine aliens were looking down at our species right now and they see people looking down at these rectangles all day. They show the rectangle to their friends. They sleep beside the rectangle. They take the rectangle into the bathroom. They get really anxious when they don't have the rectangle with them. 

MY FRONT JEAN POCKET IS TOO LOOSE!! MY PHHOOOOONE, NOOOOOOO!!!

Did you watch Aziz Ansari's stand up? The dude went to team flip! Now, there are plenty of reasons why it's easier for someone as affluent as Aziz to get a flip phone and not me and you, but he did it for a good reason. 

The fog of the internet and constant information clouds our mind. 

We have to ask ourselves a very important question:

"Who would I be without all of this?"

And by all of this, I mean this. The blog you clicked on, the screen you're looking at right now, the step counter, the instagram scrolling, the Tik Tok dances. Who would you be? Would it be someone better? Would it be someone worse? 

The question is yours to ask yourself. 

I can only speak from my own experience in saying that I will never, ever, be on social media as much as I was before. Not only social media but I will never, ever, be on a screen as much as I was before. 

Once my mind had been lifted from the fog of information and need for connectivity and checking, I just can't go back. 

Digital kickback may be a real thing that's coming. I think people know the limit to their data and privacy and when they feel like enough is enough screen time. 

It's all about balance and I'm happy to announce that I've found that a few drops of poison from social media a week just makes me stronger. But if I go hard into that shit, damn I feel dirty. 

I hope you continue to find balance and if you have already, bring your buddies into the 'only a drop of poison' club. 

Thanks for reading my friend. 

Scott