rant about social media, in-groups, and the loneliness of quitting

 I know, I know... 

This sounds like a geriatric take, but it's something I've noticed after cutting my "big corporation" social media down to only my close friends, and my local small businesses' Instagram pages. For reference, my daily Instagram use is around 30-45 minutes. (and I'd like to cut it even shorter. One day I WILL become one with the forest) /j

Shaving my social media usage down has made me realize something about those I interact with: you can really tell who uses an excess amount of social media, particularly 'brain rot' by the way they speak and act. How they hold attention, the things they talk about, and the way they go about referencing certain topics, like spontaneity and opinions. Those who use social media have almost become a sort of clique or 'in' group, with their own jokes, sentiments, and ways of thinking. Not understanding these references has put a strain on some of my relationships, which I find quite odd. It makes it hard to truly know these people.

 So what is my definition of 'brain rot'? 

Well, when most people think of brain rot, they think of those AI generated cat memes, or Elsagate, or Mr. Beast, and I agree, but it goes deeper than that. Some other (varying amounts of controversial) things that I consider 'brain rot' are: 

• Reactionary political content, from anywhere on the political spectrum. (this has torn my family apart)

• Done-to-death video essays, particularly ones designed to get you mad or annoyed at the world.

• Haul videos, or anything focusing on rampant consumerism.

You can add more examples, or argue against any of these in the comments, I'd love to hear your opinions and debate respectfully! 

Three types of big social media users I encounter a lot:

The Trad Rot

This is the user you think of when you think of a 'brainrotted' person. They make references to memes, are always caught up on internet drama, and can't seem to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. They're the ones I consider most to be an 'in' group. They tend to use their phone as a supplement to conversation, either as a form of stimulation, or to show you a 'tasteful' meme. These people are also the people I consider the most 'addicted' to social media. It's frustrating to hang out with them sometimes if your brain moves slower than theirs.

The Political Animal 

You can tell what part of social media people have been on by the talking points they bring up about controversial topics. I used to watch a lot of "walkable living" video essays, before I carved out most of my YouTube usage, but I still like talking about the topic, because it's very important to me. Whenever I try to talk about it with others who are interested, though, we rarely get anywhere new, as it's just a cycling of talking points that I recognized from just about every second video essay I'd watched back in the day. Usually these people are averse to actually getting active in the community about the things they care about, and instead post on social media. (I'm guilty of being all talk myself, it's something I have to work on...)

The Categorizer 

This is a tricky one... because putting things into categories can be soothing or useful for people, including myself. I just notice that people that use social media tend to categorize themselves and put others into categories, via aesthetics, sexuality/gender, and political leanings, more than those who use less social media. I don't have strong opinions on these people. At best they can help people find community, but at worst, the label-obsessed can hop from microtrend to microtrend, buying a new wardrobe each time, or start petty arguments about whether a stranger on the internet's identity exists.

Once again, feel free to give your two cents in the comments! I love to learn. 

 So What Now? 

If you see yourself in these characters, that's fine. I still see myself a bit too. It's really just an observation, and is meant to help you recognize these parts of yourself. But what should we do about it? I'm not really sure... I'd hate to end an entry on a pessimistic note, so I'd suggest this: go out and find community. Spread the word about the benefits of quitting social media. Some people might say "I could never quit" and give a few reasons. Unfortunately, you can't push these people, they have to find their own reasons, but you can plant the seed in their head, and lead by example. If you haven't kicked the habit to the degree that you'd like, here's my guide! (albeit terribly unfinished). Two things to remember, though: You've gotta find your own reason, and it's gonna take time. Rome wasn't built in a day! Once more, this is simply a rant from a random guy on the net. Take from it what you will, and feel free to comment, I'll answer!

 Goodnight, and Good Luck,

    O.D.

P.S: I had lots of silly emojis in here, but SpaceHey wouldn't let me post 'em for some reason... :[