Social Media the new’tobacco’

[pipthomson]

I will probably be slammed for saying this but does anyone think social media is having an adverse effect on society I know it has enormous benefits but I often see families sitting around together all on their phones or tablets not having one to one interaction while the parents are busy surfing the children are missing out on normal interaction (the ebb and flow of one to one conversation often the kids are filling the gaps by surfing too when they are asked to put their phones away its like asking for the moon it seems normal cos mostly everyone is doing it including me !

I doubt you'll be slammed as this is a common opinion.

Someone posted yesterday asking about magazines for her daughter. That's what we need to get back to. Not a phone, the opinions of the whole world and doom and gloom available to us 24/7

Deleted all my social media accounts on Easter Monday. No announcement, I just left. Haven't thought of it since.

you're right, it's a load of rubbish. When I looked up from scrolling to realise

1. I couldn't even tell you what I had been viewing for the last 10,15, 20 mins
2. to see my dog sitting there, toy dropped at my feet, sad eyes wondering why I'm ingnoring her ...

....I realised it's a massive con. To steal my time and attention to make a few people even more obscenely richer than they already are and drive ✨CONSUMPTION ✨ (and sleepy stupidity of the masses) with the same aim.

It's Huxley's 'soma' and I want none of it.

I think it's a combination of peer pressure from friends, colleagues, even family, to share memes and crap online... but in a family unit, parents outsourcing actual parenting to these devices.

With regards to kids, my generation (40), were often criticised for doing this with the tv, but I think it was very different. Saturday morning cartoons were on for a few hours, and the rest of the time was the news, and stuff kids weren't interested in until about 3pm. This meant we were out with friends, playing games, reading... just doing 'something'.

Kids these days could quite happily stay on their phones all day, and parents are often happy to let them, or even join them.

No wonder highstreets, museums, and other cultural attractions, etc are all dying.

Delay giving them phones. They don’t NEED them. It’s not making them safer.

Not just SM. Phones. Notice it more and more everyday. We are becoming a zombie society

Tobacco was better -you could still do stuff with a fag in your hand

I don't know if its social media per se so much as ultra short form content.

I'm in academia and I'm sure this will make me sound old, but the increasing inability of undergraduates to read a book is really disturbing. These are bright young people with high grades, but the ability to focus and follow an in-depth argument over a period of time is rapidly disappearing. The implications for society, democracy and journalism are really concerning. And no-one is immune. I read fewer books per year than I used to, and my focus is not what it used to be. I'm actively working to get it back and put my phone away for longer and longer periods, but its a concentrated effort to do something that used to be completely natural to me.

It’s phones.

hard one for us as a family as we literally use our phones to keep ds9 alive!

sm is toxic though, it’s the being able to get hold of anyone instantly and people being able to demand your time like that. I use mine for local events and a couple of disability groups otherwise I don’t use it at all.

Totally agree. I’m a podcast lover and came across a philosophy/ religion podcast that blew my mind with how in depth it was. It also make me realise that a lot of what I read and.listen to is short form twaddle designed to get me addicted.

As others have said its a phone issue as much as SM.
I am making a conscious effort to reduce my phone time and I actually resent the power they now have over our lives. Of course they're useful and convenient but everything is geard towards them.
Like the OP I find it so sad when you see couples or families out and all they're doing is staring at a screen but you see it everywhere now. I go to a lot of gigs and often have to move because I can't see the band because I'm stuck behind a sea of screens.

You are absolutely right. Social media has also turned into a cesspit of toxity and competition. It's negatively impacting everyone's mental well-being. The support groups I find are all well and good, but outside of that I find it's no longer a tool for good.

What's the podcast please? Thanks.

I am currently on holiday in Greece it’s been quite refreshing to see families ( not sure of nationality) do what we used to do when our children were younger, playing card games, Uno etc while waiting for food to be served in a restaurant. It’s so nice to see families interacting, giggling, enjoying themselves without the distraction of mobiles.

The worst one for me is the idiots crossing the road with a child in a pushchair, looking at their phone and not where they are going.

Both are addictive but you can still interact and have fun with tobacco, as outside smokers will confirm.

Being glued to a screen is soooooo different, no social interaction.

The surprising rebirth of the belief in God. Esp series 2 episode 5 William Lane Craig in conversation with Philip Goff and Justin Brierley.

It is hosted by a Christian and has a very Christian mindset but I can’t remember the last time I heard respectful intelligent debate.

Thank you for taking time to reply.
Will be listening on a long drive this weekend.

I always get overwhelmed with the choices, so great to have a recommendation. Sounds brilliant.

You're right OP, I witnessed a couple sitting down in a coffee shop, had their meals whilst each hooked on their phones.
Not a single word uttered between them, until they got up to leave.
Sad reality.

Not on SM and haven't read the DM for 3 years now.
Not easy to wean yourself off, but so worth it.

I agree.

My DH actually said the other day that it needs to reach a point of being frowned upon like tobacco.
Its toxic and I think it’s really changing people. The people who I know who have never used it are the same, the people who I know on it are like walking trolls - no filter on what they say, stalkerish behaviours and obsessed with how things look. Everything is for the photos. It’s like people have had personality transplants.

The rapid and excruciating death is less fun though (first hand experience. Twice.)
let’s not be flippant about this very real situation.

And smoking was a social activity- sharing a puff, congregating behind the bike shed😄

But you didn't delete all your social media. You're still here.

You know it's funny - I actually added the word "traditional" before social media accounts to indicate what I meant.

then I actually typed out insta/facebook/twitter (usual suspects) but then saw the paragraph was too wordy.

in the end I just said "social media accounts" thinking no one would be petty enough to say "Well actually mumsnet...."

but turns out.. they are. 😂

I'm considering deleting mumsnet accounts too but they certainly give me more value than the nonsense did on the other platforms (particularly dog one for reading and advice). I find a forum different in the sense that I see a title and decide if I want to click in or not. A bit like reading the headlines in a newspaper and deciding if I want to read the article or not.
(vs an algorithm deciding for me serving an endless scroll of nonsense content)

Except Mumsnet. What was your rationale for keeping it? Genuinely interested. Keep thinking about deleting it all!

I've kept mumsnet as it's easier for me. You select the topics you're interested in and you don't get people's photos or videos.

It's easy to watch video after video without realising.

I guess it's weaning in some sense.

I started by deleting FB, few months later it was insta, closely followed by twitter and last to go was the DM and ticktock.

DM was another weaning process (gosh, sound like an addict), read the stories but not the comments, then only logged on for award season fashion, then nothing as found Variety & Vogue do a decent enough job.

So I didn't feel too much fomo as it was gradual.

Mumsnet is on the way out too, I initially registered for property advice and now in the process of reducing time spent on it.