Imagine showing up to a party – and just not liking the vibe. The music is way too loud, the space is cramped shoulder to shoulder, your lover’s ex is in the corner giving you the death stare and gossiping about you, and the food is making you sick. But, not only do you stay all night – you come back to the same party next week. And the week after that. And the week after that. Sounds insane, right?
Well, sometimes we do the same exact thing with social media. We open our timelines and absorb a regular, daily stream of things we know aren’t good for us. From nasty comments to depressing news to hateful exchanges. It's like a horrible party, and we keep walking right back into the door. If we’re not careful, showing up to that same “party” can seriously mess with our heads and hearts.
How so? Well, for starters, too much of anything is a bad deal; especially when it doesn’t come from a good place. The pervasive presence of hateful and negative content on our social media timelines can have profound and far-reaching consequences. It's like a dark cloud hovering over our digital world, casting shadows of toxicity and division. And all this is going to do is fuel feelings of anger, resentment, and hopelessness. That’s the very opposite of the state of wellness we’re all reaching for (or should be).
I think we all go through enough in this crazy, challenging world without that added noise. Life is sincerely hard enough. The barrage of negative stimulation sweeping across our timelines is taking a toll on our mental health, leading to increased stress and anxiety.
And when we look beyond ourselves and take a snapshot of society around us, a lot of what we’re being exposed to starts to erode the fabric of empathy and compassion, fostering a culture of indifference and callousness towards each other. That’s not the future we should be hoping for.
There are options on these social platforms that can help us start weeding through the bad stuff, but, if we’re being honest, pointing these options out isn’t at the top of the “concerns list” for these social media companies. We need to start taking more advantage of the “Not Interested” type features; kicking out the negativity, and reclaiming our mental space. Decluttering our minds and making room for some good vibes.
So, let's start taking our digital hygiene more seriously, and start cleaning up our social feeds of the things that are no good for us, one click at a time. It's not just about tidying up our digital spaces; it's about taking care of ourselves and each other. So, here's to a happier, healthier…scrolling experience.
0 Comments