'Social' Media vs. Society

Want a good life?  Fun, friends, connection?  Maybe even a happier, healthier, sustainable world?

Social media is not our friend. 

But it does do a very good job of pretending. It lures us in, again and again. Billions of us. Hypnotized, powerless, like moths to a flame. 

Most people seem to believe that 'social' media is a more open, participative, even democratic form of communications. Maybe even social, do you think?

And so, we blindly entrust profiteering billionaires with all manner of personal information.  Add to that our contacts. Our creativity. Our time and energy. 

Tricked? Trapped? Addicted?

When society moved away from older forms of communication — face-to-face, telephone, e-mail — we took a big leap into a new world, without really knowing where we were going, or why. 

It's true, social media isn't all bad. For some, it's the only way they have of fleetingly connecting with friends. Also, local community groups can sometimes be very functional.

But for the most part, what appears to be good, is just an illusion. 

The instant gratification of seeing someone 'like', 'share' or even comment on your post. It's a tiny thrill, but an addictive one. Researchers have shown that all the big corporate social media — Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, WhatsApp — have been designed to hypnotize and distract you. It's possible that social media once had a positive, social goal. But at this point, it exists entirely to hypnotize and deliver you to corporate advertisers – and worse. 

They are not designed to serve you, the community, the country. Something more like exploit, divide and conquer. It's all a big trick.

Facebook harms children, sows division and undermines democracy in pursuit of breakneck growth and "astronomical profits." – PBS

The fact that these platforms are owned by billionaires with little or no interest in helping society or environment, should give us pause. Not to mention their interest in perpetual materialism, fossil fuel addiction, greed and war. 

Yet they've created something so alluring — on the surface it looks so colourful and diverse. It's hard to see it as an evil robot, manipulating elections and delivering the needy to corporate advertisers. That's the "algorithm". 

The average person now spends about 16 hours a week, passively scrolling through social media. That's about 7 years of your life. (More than 20 years if you include streaming and online video). Multiply that by billions of hypnotized, scrolling users...

Zombie. Noun. A mute and will-less body, robbed of its soul and given the semblance of life by a supernatural force, usually for manual labor or some evil purpose.  (dictionary.com)

Social Media Zombies. Noun. Plural. Billions of mute and will-less bodies, robbed of their souls and given the semblance of life by an evil billionaire, usually for evil...  (adapted)

What a waste! Could you imagine if even half that time was shifted to living life fully — participating in real communities, doing real things? Maybe even helping with social and environmental change? Many of the the world's problems could be solved. While the billionaires and dictators would lose a lot of their power. 

What can you do?

1. Minimize your social media use. Set a specific time of day, and use a timer. For example, 15 or 30 minutes, during your lunch hour.
2. If you must use social media, use it in the browser only: Chrome or Firefox (or if you really must, Edge). In any case, don't take the bait and download their app.
3. Uninstall the app from your phone. By having the app on your phone, you hand over far more privacy and other risks. Even if you're not actively using it. (If for some reason you truly need it in the future, it's all too easy to install again.)
4. Don't use the various 'messenger' features and apps. Continuing to do so is placing far too much power and data, to far too few hands.
5. Instead, always communicate by phone, e-mail, text, or in person. 
6. Get your news and information from more direct sources. Newspaper, radio, or credible online sources. Never just one source, though, that leaves you open to manipulation. How about a weekly trip to the news rack at your local library, bookstore or cafe? Learn more about media literacy, critical thinking, and our shared, vulnerable future.
7. Unplug and do it in person. Go to commmunity events, activities, courses, meetings and discussion groups.
8. Go for a walk, bike, the local cafe, fitness centre or library. Read a book. Join a real, in-person club or activity. Do some gardening or offer to help the neighbours. #ActiveLiving
9. If you need other ways to calm or focus your mind, learn mindfulness, mantra meditation, and walking. 
10. If you just can't do without digital 'socials', at least switch to some of the smaller or not-for-profit alternatives. For example, Bluesky instead of X. Jitsi, instead of Zoom. Duck, instead of Google. More... 
     

11. More on how to quit 
    'socials': Duck | Google 
     

Seven years, just clicking
and scrolling?

Your life is yours to live.  
 

Is it time to unplug? 
 

 

 

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Coming soon:

Part II 
Social Media for Nonprofits & Employers

Can you really believe that social media course, consultant, 'expert'?

Or, have they too been tricked by predatory billionaires, down the rabbit hole?

Are there better, more effective ways to spend your funding, your resources? Are there better choices that don't hurt society, undermine the mission and purpose of your organization? Can your organization get off the social media bandwagon?

 

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What about AI?

AI/LLM can be an enormously helpful tool. Unfortunately, it's being developed by for-profit corporations, and at a time when the US is sliding into violent authoritarianism. Power corrupts. We all need to think very carefully about just how much we want to hand over to the corporations and governments who own and control these systems. What would happen, for example, if a fascist government knew pretty much everything about everybody? Killer robots are no longer in the realm of fiction. 

 

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Disclaimer: The above is provided on an "As Is" basis and for general informational purposes only. People and Planet (also known as "GoodWork") is not responsible for the content, accuracy, timeliness, completeness, legality, reliability, quality or suitability of this posting. This page is intended to highlight just a few of the downsides of social media, in a world where it's spinning out of control. Of course, the pros and cons of social media in your case may be different. Please do your own research – preferrably *off* social media – to decide what is best for you. Quitting suddenly may cause withdrawal symptoms. If needed, please consult medical/professional help. 

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#digitaldetox #socialmediadetox #unplugging #loggingoff #thegreatlogoff #digitalminimalism
#screentime #screenaddiction #behavioraddiction #offlineliving
#medialiteracy #mindfultech 
#happiness #wellbeing #participation #engagement #meaningfulwork 
#corporatecorruption #accountability #democracy