Episode 6: Its not you its me

If you've been following along from "Episode 1," then you may remember that I have a very on-again, off-again relationship with social media. 

Well, remember the Knowledge sharing/ tracking assignment? It made me very "on" again on Instagram (one of the tools I used for the assignment), and I realized that I do not have the willpower to resist doomscrolling.

What started as an effort to better understand the app's features turned into a four-hour catch-up session. Since this was an account I had mostly followed other "foodies" on, you would think I was engaging with communities that reflected my own food page. 

NOPE! I found myself scrolling through multiple posts from various comedians, one creator who has 10 kids, and apparently a bunch of content I don't even remember. 

Also, I think it's important to add that I am not engaging with any of the content to avoid "feeding" the algorithm. So no likes, comments, shares, or reposts. Just a watch and scroll. 

I have set up a time limit for social media on my phone. Sidenote: If you have an iPhone, you can add limits for apps or categories you want to restrict, or create a time allowance. The problem is, I sometimes tend to ignore that limit.

So, before I'm in too deep, I am thinking about what I actually want to use my Instagram account for. Is it to engage with food content creators for inspiration and learn about new cooking techniques, or is it for entertainment? That's where I am with it. How do I ensure my time is dedicated to using it as a tool rather than just a source of entertainment? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Episode 1: The potato and Reddit

Image
Is this a safe space? Because I have a confession. I have no idea how to actually use Reddit.  Honestly, I'm convinced that Reddit is the dark web, or at least an entry point to it. I have stumbled across some bizarre things on Reddit that have me wondering if I should delete the app afterward. Is there a user guide for Reddit? I fear I missed a tutorial video or orientation class on how to use Reddit effectively.  I have joined one community since downloading the app. I use it mostly to keep up with what's going on in Tallahassee and for the weekly events. I really like it for the cooking subreddits, which I have been exploring more over the past few weeks. This week alone, I explored several of the cultural cuisine subreddits. I'm mostly an observer, choosing not to comment but to sit on the sidelines, taking it all in. Sometimes it can be overwhelming because there are so many people contributing, and it's difficult to find exactly what I'm actually looking for. ...
Read more

Pilot: A Potato Story

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'...
Read more

Is Social Media Addictive?

Image
 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 ...
Read more