3 ms·

This piece has the same tone as a recovering alcoholic talking about the dangers of just one drink. It is true that social media can be damaging and should pro

This piece has the same tone as a recovering alcoholic talking about the dangers of just one drink. It is true that social media can be damaging and should probably be used minimally. It is also true that lots of people get value from social media and then step away because they for whatever reason are better able to balance the situation. My own minimal use of social media has allowed me to keep up with old friends, to share unusual online experiences, and to learn about many things like detailed product evaluations, specialized cutlery, and several forms of dance that I had never before even imagined. There are many dangers with social media, but also great value. Anyone recommending to turn it all off because of the damage that may be done is probably missing out on a lot and propagating that blind spot with their well intended advice.

rcoder 5y ago
“…a recovering alcoholic talking about the dangers of just one drink.” So, one of the things you learn pretty early in recovery is that there is no “normal” when it comes to addiction. However, there are _patterns_ of denial and implicit social construction around risky behaviors that most people only believe matter for “alcoholics” and other obvious “losers”. Something can be both toxic (booze, cigarettes, online fake conspiracy echo chambers) and relatively benign in small amounts. That doesn’t mean that foregoing them is bad in absolute terms. OTOH recognizing that toxicity instead of ignoring it can help to avoid the “only happens to other, weaker people” trap. Said trap lets many people slide much further into self-destructive behavior than they could otherwise with a bit more self-awareness and compassion.