Less mad

We're not quite four weeks into 2022 here, and I have been pretty consistent about my resolution to stay away from social media almost all the time. I've been peeking in on Saturday evenings after all the Saturday jobs are done, and that's about it. Here is the #1 thing I have noticed: I seem to have a lot less free-floating anger when social media is not feeding it.

I am definitely less informed. I couldn't tell you who is speculating what about which candidates to replace Justice Breyer. I am sure I would have known a lot more about that if I'd been checking Twitter regularly this week. Perhaps I would have more thoughts about the Russian-Ukrainian tensions; perhaps I don't even know what I don't know about right now. 

We get four print newspapers, so it's not as if I am living a solitary news-free life over here. But there's definitely less rage and snark in the pages of a print newspaper than there is in my Facebook and Twitter feeds. I noticed it on Saturday night, the way a wave of fury snuck up behind me after my time on Twitter and said "BOO! Everything is TERRIBLE!"

I can't assert that it's entirely the social media shift. The people who tell you that frequent vigorous exercise is mood-boosting are correct. (It's kind of a bummer that they're correct, isn't it? Wouldn't it be nicer if frequent vigorous consumption of mocha almond fudge ice cream were similarly salutary?)

I am trying to curate the content I do see on social media, making a point of searching for posts from the people I want to hear from instead of just scrolling through the stuff the algorithm spews out at me. The algorithm definitely has the rage-y snarky part down pat -- not so much, though. with the thoughtful funny content. 

Comments

[Suzanne]

This is so inspiring, and a good reminder that I need to make more of an effort to stay off social media. It really does drag me down.

[Zagorka]

I am only on Instagram, so I do not know whether my tactics would work on FB: I have an account, but do not "follow" anybody. Instead I have a (ever expanding) bookmark list of accounts. So the algorithm does not concern me, I can read which one I want in the proper timeline of their posting. Even with blogs I never subscribed, because I hate opening my private email account....with the work one I have no option ;)