I’m too old to be reactive in my use of media. As my birthdays stack up, the rational understanding that this lifetime is limited is being replaced by visceral certainty. With that realization comes a certain existential dread, but also an urgency to work on what matters, and an increasing unwillingness to live my life reactively.
A live of reactivity precludes a life of reflection and creativity.
The always-on lifestyle takes reactivity to the extreme. When each notification requires a quick check-in, when you’re compelled to refresh your various social media feeds every time you’re bored or distracted or facing an even slightly difficult or uncomfortable task, reactivity has won. You’re Pavlov’s dog to an animated screen. Pavlov’s dog to a bunch of folks who sell your data and your attention to the highest bidder.
Thank you, but I’d rather be in control of my own attention. I’d rather channel it into creating my own content instead of consuming what an algorithm “thinks” I should see. I’d rather spend focused time to master a skill or work on a project than fragmenting my attention with inconsequential clickbait. It’s a bit like eating candy: It may be rewarding in the moment, but it provides no sustenance and ultimately does more harm than good. Empty calories for the mind and a sure set-up for regret.
It’s not just social media. The 24-hour news cycle is another time sink. Emotionalized, sensationalized, and increasingly polarized, it adds no value to my life. On the contrary. I don’t need to hear about the latest murder and mayhem that I have absolutely no power or genuine drive (voicing outrage on social media doesn’t count) to change or rectify. It would only drag me down and make me lose what faith in humanity I have. Therefore I choose my news sources very carefully. I stay away from the shrill undertones of righteousness and fear-mongering and opt for thoroughly researched, nuanced reporting instead (hat tip to the excellent journalism of The Economist). For the latest gossip and the outrage of the day, I’ll have to rely on friends and family to keep me up to speed. And if I miss an installment — even better.
Of course I’m exaggerating the drawbacks wildly. The news media collectively fulfills an invaluable public information and oversight role. Social media has built communities where they didn’t exist before and has made connecting with others easier than ever.
In the end, both kinds of media are tools. Flawed tools, considering the biases the algorithms introduce, but tools nonetheless. Like axes or knives, their use and their utility is an expression of their wielders’ qualities.
For better or worse, they’re a feature of our modern societies. How and if we use them, though, should be a matter of conscious decision. A matter of deliberate action instead of mindless reaction.