The Social Rabbit Hole

The power of words; cannot be fathomed, as it is now a need for humans, often used to communicate with each other. Social Media acts as a bridge for words and communication- digging deeper into our lives, too late to realize the impact and its control over us. Social media has brought about a massive change in the social aspect. The question lingering here is for the good or the better? 

With Instagram being the new photo-album, Twitter- a newspaper, Pinterest a dose of positivity, and Facebook- a new shopping mall, people have lost the true essence of life. Studies reveal that a millennial has a maximum attention span of EIGHT seconds before they switch to another form of social media. Mere EIGHT seconds and you fall down the rabbit hole. The importance of writing has shifted from traditional to digital without realizing the impact this has on shaping personality and mindset. People of olden times often stressed the importance of writing to bring out creativity and sharpen intellectual skills. Funny me, stressing on the significance of writing while here, I am using the laptop to write out this article. Funny me talking about the social rabbit hole when I would be using social media to bring this article to the readers. Ironic isn’t it!

Science and beliefs have their importance and logic. Logic- millennials defy as they are looking for a WHY behind everything that does not make sense to them. Logic, when elucidated, is also perceived differently due to the preconceived notions and ideologies that one has made up by reading and watching a beautiful world painted on social media. What even is the real world? 

Social media has had long-lasting impacts on our minds and health. It is not just you or me or others. It is everyone who has fallen prey to this. But, have we for once thought, are we the ones who gave them the power to control our lives? You may be nodding your head in opposition. Let me explain to you a simple trail- you get a notification on your screen, you open it and like the post. In the next 10 seconds, you go search for similar profiles and, before you know it, you are reading an article on Buzzfeed, which is already waiting with other suggestions to read. One leads to another and the trail continues, and very soon- well, not soon enough, you realize your screen time rising to 6-8 hours. In 2019, Netflix launched an estimated 2,769 hours of original movies, TV shows, and other productions. It would take you 60,000 years of non-stop watching to watch every video on YouTube. That is how deep this Rabbit Hole truly is. Productivity- ZERO. Lethargy-1000. 

Do you realize the equation has changed from more time with “virtual” people and less time with “real” people? Problems of stress, anxiety, lethargy, health problems, mental health, fake hopes, fake beliefs, running away from reality, and more have taken the forefront. They often say too much of anything is not good. How about we take a moment to weigh out the negatives from the positives? Why are we allowing the negatives to outweigh the positives? I do not deny the positive impact that social media has had on our lives. It has helped bloom businesses, provided motivation to many, and given people the gift of connectivity easily without the hassles of technology, time, and distance, but its negative impacts have aggravated. People are misusing social media only because WE are allowing it. Cybercrimes, falling prey to fake scams, avoiding socializing in person, I mean aren’t we doing enough on social media, is the statement that emerges. It has taken over our lives so much so that having a simple conversation at a dinner table is difficult as everyone is on their phones. The need to maintain a “social” image has become paramount even if it is a mere facade. 

Teens and even adults are getting stuck in this loop. A mere comment on social media gets one to think, assess, and reassess themselves, making one feel uncomfortable in their skin. A rise in stress has caused people to judge themselves based on likes and followers on social media. Filters. Filters are another thing that have emerged as a trend causing people to disregard their natural beauty. Are we subjecting ourselves to the atrocities of social media knowingly? The allure of social media can be combated in various ways- for instance, more family time and less screen time. Use the feature of the app lock for its benefits. 

What would happen if there were no social media? Would we forget how to live? Are we living in a fake reality? Do we live a life that would shine on social media? Do we keep track of time wasted versus time spent doing something productive? Would we be handicapped without social media? In the end, times are changing. Just like radio, television, steam engines, and newspapers have had an impact on society, social media have taken over. While recognizing the changes, the impact of social media, we should be wary of the downsides of it. The rabbit hole is getting deeper. The choice is yours. Do you wish to dig in or dig out? 

Yours Truly, 

Vocal Every Pal 

( Do share your valuable comments below. Hope this blog was insightful and caused you to reflect upon little things that have a huge impact.)