smallpotatoes

 Let's address the elephant in the room Is social media addictive? This question stemmed from the NPR episode - Social Media is changing what "addiction" means. Now, before I get too deep in my recap of the episode, I am pausing to answer the question: Is social media addictive? The answer for me is yes. One could also argue that I have a slightly addictive personality (but just a little). If you've never heard that term before, the  Cleveland Clinic defines "Addictive Personality" as a "casual" term used to describe a person who exhibits behaviors that lead them to overindulge.  Here's another cool article from the Mayo Clinic with a few signs of addictive personality traits.  Now back to the podcast.  In short, NPR host Brittany Luse, guest Shannon Bond, and Dr. Carl Erik Fisher are breaking down allegations that tech companies intentionally design apps to be addictive for young users. I wanted to look into these cases further, so I'm ...

How did I end up here?  The description of this course made me think this is going to be just what I need for the summer. A little sun (because who doesn't love a baked potato) and a course that helps me understand social media and how it impacts the potatoes around me.  My history with social media is one of many tales, some fairytales, and others like horrors. Social media was a space for me to connect with my fellow potatoes, meet new potatoes, and learn about potato society. In most cases, I truly enjoy social media, but, just like in real life, I can be a bit of an introverted extrovert (Ambivert). I can do it, and sometimes I feel great at it, but I often need long breaks from it. I "unplugged" back in April because I felt like I had been consuming too much and engaging beyond my capacity, so I logged out of the apps and even deleted some. The desire to connect is still there, but I haven't figured out safeguards to do it in a way that protects me.  Now you'...