It has been a slow process, but I’ve really disengaged from interactions on social media. It has become a one-way transmission tool for my daily blog, and not much else. Well, other than 30 minutes of TikTok that I watch instead of TV, but that’s entertainment rather than engagement. My only social media comments tend to be responses made to my posts about my blog.
I think the disengagement started with US political news dominating everything a few years back. I got fed up watching post after post that had no real connection to me as a Canadian, but still angered and upset me. I got tired of the childish anger and upset. Then came the pandemic, and more (digital) yelling and screaming about how to handle it… with healthy doses of ignorance and bickering about the science. But this fighting isn’t between professionals and real experts, it’s between doctors/scientists and ‘armchair experts’ that demonstrates how expert they are at spewing stupidity and ignorance.
Between politics and pandemic, I’m really done engaging on social media much. That said, these topics still reach me, and I still find myself talking about them here on my blog. Now there is a Canadian election, but I tend not to discuss who I’m voting for and why. Instead, I prefer to focus on encouraging people to get out and vote. I think it’s our duty as citizens to exercise our right to vote, and even want to see tax related fines for those that don’t.
I might be disengaged from social media. I may not like the news that I see. But I believe we should all be appreciative and respectful of living in a democracy, and that we should participate in a democracy if we want to keep it. If we value having a voice, we should use it in a vote… before worrying about what that voice should be saying on social media.
Social Media is flipped with a lot of things that aren’t very good for our mental well being. In fact, I know a number of people who have disengaged from all types of social media because they don’t want to let the negativity into their lives. Yet, as you point out, there are still many people engaging online in some form.
For me, it has been a time to reflect on what I am taking in and how I am responding. I have unfollowed and muted many different people who just are not adding helping me thrive. I do t avoid the negative but I will not entertain fools. I still use my connection for learning and growth but I’m more selective especially with education. The edutainment industry has grown to be so large it overshadows and sometimes silences the lose who are genuinely questioning and searching, sharing and growing. Too many educelebrities, who are trying to profit off teachers driven to desperation by the current situation, don’t have any experience with the current situation especially given most teachers don’t really understand it right now.
Social media can be a very negative space and we need to share our stories especially given that it has become a larger space for politics. I agree we need to continue to urge people to take part in the process even if it isn’t online. We need to have discussions and, best as we can, become informed about what is happening.
Thanks for sharing!