There are many things I don’t learn my lesson on. Perhaps the main one is my use of social media.
Now that I spend so much time traveling, it’s hard not to spend a lot of time scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. On top of that, I am spending a lot of time talking to other people (or listening to them talk, I should say; they love to talk!).
This means a flood of outside perspectives — limiting my ability to process things on my own.
Outside perspective is great. It’s why I enjoy talking to others so much. It helps further my knowledge of life and expands my thinking. But there must also be a balance to it.
An overflow of input from others makes it difficult to come up with your own individual thoughts and conclusions on things. It pushes you further away from yourself and closer to “group think.”
The benefit of large groups of people coming together is that each unique perspective can help others think differently, leading to the best possible solution to the problems at hand. For this to be the case, however, each individual must come in with their own unique thoughts.
In today’s world, we are exposed to the thoughts of millions of people on a daily basis. Whether it’s intentional or not, these thoughts melt into one big set of ideas adopted by the masses. Now you have a large group of people believing the exact same thing, not willing to budge.
Why would they? Everybody that they know and like thinks this way. Going against that would not only be an act of betrayal but also a challenge to what they believe is right.
It’s hard to escape these thought bubbles online. No matter what platform you populate, there will be large groups of people spewing their set of ideals — hoping to attract you. Like an informal cult.
The problem with these groups is not just their inability to think on their own, but also their willingness to hate and bring others down. It is seen most in politics, but it happens in other areas, too.
Have you seen how men and women talk about each other online? “Men are trash” has been a popular sentiment for years now. But there is a balance to it, with men saying terrible things about women as well.
Spending more time online makes it more likely that you begin to adopt some of these lines of thought, becoming a “group thinker” without even realizing it. It doesn’t take long for you to abandon your critical thinking.
It’s incredibly difficult to abandon social media entirely. I’ve been trying for years and can’t quite do it. But every few months or so I look at myself and realize what this constant flow of commentary does to my mind.
It makes me want things I know I don’t want — and feel bad for not having them. It can be such a drag.
If you struggle with this, too, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the best way to release from social media’s pull. I guess I’ll try more podcasts, Netflix, and reading on my long car rides…