Have you given yourself that moment, alone, with your own thoughts?
Is it confusing?

Some days I feel like I’m glued to my phone. This hand sized object, always stashed away in my pocket or in my bag. This rectangle that must come with me where ever I may go. This black mirror showing my reflection between notifications. We are dependent on these mini computers for social interaction, emotional support, and entertainment or our next hit of dopamine. We are the consumer. Consumer of content. People have what marketers want: time.

Each little app on your phone wants someone’s time, to be interacting. These companies hold meetings looking for ways to “keep people engaged” with their content because the more we pay attention, the more money they make. Isn’t it already enough that we give our time to big bosses so that we can make rent, leaving what’s left of our energy to do dishes and taxes. Time is the most valuable thing to humans, because we only have so much of it for ourselves until we die. It’s not something you can physically give away.

Though people might pay you for your time.
They might give you something in return for your time.
We sometimes feel like we are wasting our time.

We can’t actually transfer the time we have on this Earth to someone else.

So when we are nose deep in social media apps, companies are taking our time away from us. They put ads ,that last seconds so we think it’s not so bad, sprinkled between the content (that has been perfectly selected for you by their algorithm). Content has been sponsored by companies and “Creators” influence (ironic) your decision to buy-in to certain products and ideas/trends.

I’m not sure how much control we have anymore in our own choice making. They say where there is capitalism, there is “no ethical consumption”.

What happens when we put the phone down? The influence and pressure of the content seem to linger. Social media content can even plant the seeds for disorders, perfectionism, or addiction. Social media was created to keep us connected, but the addiction is wide spread to check for messages, likes, or notifications. These little moments that trigger our brain to make dopamine without us actually accomplishing anything. Companies take advantage of that. They know we are in our phones and target ads to users who are open and susceptible to their marketing gimmicks. Ad campaigns use similar formats that Content Creators use which can be confusing, and slip by us. We are walking around with a device that is designed to keep us looking, for as long as they can hold us there, in hopes we buy something or watch an ad. In hopes we make them money.

The more I’m off the internet, the crazier it seems that we all just.. allow this? We have very little time alone. People can reach us at any moments notice, and the pressure to respond urgently (simply because we can) can be debilitating.

I’ve been attempting to reduce my content consumption time, it will take time. But it’s worth it.

Ways to reduce the phone appeal

• turn your phone screen to black and white mode in the accessibility settings

• set boundaries for yourself ( “ If ____ then I will _____”)

• Set app usage timers
  
  

Good luck out there,
Allison

STUFF I WROTE