There is a current trend where people are either deactivating or deleting their social media accounts, and going offline. Why is this happening? Are people realising that it’s a waste of time? I have signed out of social media for a while, and I have learnt few things about myself along the way. Based on studies and research, the examples of why I left social media are some of the reasons why other people are quitting.
1. Privacy Concerns:
I don’t like everyone knowing my business. Everything you know about me is selective. You may have known me for years and still not know aspects of my life. This applies not only online but also in real life. You might think, ‘Surely not; you’re making YouTube videos and stuff.’ If you’ve been watching my videos, you’ll notice that everything is quite scripted and organised. All the content goes through an editorial process before I share it with the world. I selectively say what I want to say rather than speaking from impulse.
2. Time Wasting:
I find social media to be a waste of time. I don’t want to be that person at the end of my life who thinks, ‘Aye, it was nice; I spent it on Snapchat and Instagram.’ For the vast majority of us, we spend most of our lives either sleeping or awake, operating someone else’s business. I think the time that we have should be spent on activities that are more meaningful and practical. I don’t know, maybe go and build a business or something, or learn a new skill. Do something that will move you forward towards something greater.
3. Shallow Interactions:
I find these platforms are just full of shallow people. All these influencers, I don’t even want to start questioning what they actually influence. Everyone is trying to be like everyone else. To live and behave like another is a life wasted. Do not try to keep up with the Joneses; free yourself from conformity. Go and build meaningful connections with people and escape from those masks that you wear. Stop trying to be friends with everyone. Liking someone’s photo and commenting with an emoji is not real engagement.
4. Decline in Direct Communication:
I prefer direct communication. Maybe it’s a forgotten language, where I say hello and ask how you’re doing, and you respond by telling me about your life and what you did last weekend. I find these platforms are slowly taking away our ability to have meaningful interactions.
Conclusion:
As I stated at the beginning of the article, these are some of the reasons why people are quitting social media. On a positive note I think social media can be great if you use it for business purposes, or use it intentionally. But using it intentionally can be difficult when you aware of all the mechanics put in place to keep you addicted, so be mindful.
