Today’s generation has grown up with social media, from downloading Snapchat and Instagram in middle school to TikTok further down the line. Social media dictates the upcoming trends and top celebrities. It can lift up businesses, bringing in more sales than ever before, and it can destroy them so they go bankrupt. Common people’s opinions have never had as much of an influence as they do today.
According to Mss Media, Gen Z spends an average of four and a half hours daily on social media sites (1). While social media was originally designed to connect people online, it has turned into a massive profit-making scheme. Because of ad revenue and features like TikTok Shop, these companies make more money the longer they keep users on the app. By maximizing the time users spend on their app, they maximize profit as well.
Facebook’s founding president and billionaire Sean Parker said in an interview that making the apps this way was intentional. The goal, as he described it, was, “How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?” Their solution to this was creating the “like” and “comment” buttons which give users a hit of dopamine every time they receive one. This is also why notifications are becoming more persistent.
“It’s a social-validation feedback loop,” Parker told Mike Allen of AXIOS (2). “Exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.” He said this in a 2017 interview, but the message is still clear today. More apps are popping up that drag users in more than the last one.
Every app is using this tactic. Mobile games send notifications multiple times a day, and other apps have unnecessary like and comment features. But how does someone begin to step outside this loop? Putting your phone down can be easier said than done.
Since community and social interaction is what social media’s original use was, it’s probably a good idea to start there. Living in a city has so many perks, especially when it comes to meeting new people. People from every walk of life live in Boston, and they aren’t difficult to find, especially on a college campus.
Try looking at new clubs on campus. Maybe there is a group that you’ve always wanted to join, but never had the chance to. UMBeInvolved is a great resource for finding new groups on campus. If campus isn’t easily accessible for you, meetup.com showcases hundreds of clubs located in and around Boston for people to join. Try reaching out to a member in a club and see what the club is like before you join (3). You might even make a new friend out of it.
On the day to day, starting a new hobby or project might make more sense. Tap into your creative side and try sewing. You can create new clothes or alter ones you already have to make them more your style. Sewing machines can be less expensive than people think: Facebook Marketplace has used machines for as low as $20. People also sell thread and fabric for inexpensive prices there too. For those who don’t know where to start with sewing, garbie.com sells four online “zines” for $5 that detail how to start sewing and how to upcycle clothes (4).
Another hobby that can replace social media is some form of exercise. Boston has a few rock-climbing gyms, cycling bars or yoga studios around the city that can provide a fun alternative form to traditional gym exercise. Rock Spot Climbing is a rock climbing gym with locations in South Boston, Malden, Brookline and more. Rock climbing is truly a must-try for those who haven’t. They also run student promos from time to time, and they are currently running one at their Lincoln location where students can climb for $5 after 5 p.m. Besides rock climbing, Boston also has several outdoor trails around the city that people can use.
Social media shouldn’t take over anyone’s life like their founders want it to. Please take time to step away from social media, and connect to people in person.
Sources:
- https://info.mssmedia.com/blog/social-media-habits-of-college-students
- https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/sean-parker-unloads-on-facebook-god-only-knows-what-its-doing-to-our-childrens-brains-1513306792
- https://www.meetup.com/cities/us/02118/?pageToken=default%7c100&country=us&zipstatecity=02118&radius=25&_gl=1*atejou*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTY4MjEwNjIyLjE3MDkyNjEwOTc.*_ga_NP82XMKW0P*MTcwOTI2MTA5Ni4xLjAuMTcwOTI2MTA5Ni4wLjAuMA
- https://garbie.com/products/digital-zine-bundle
- https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2021/12/13/tiktok/
