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Phones are not the problem. Social media is. Just don't install twitter or Facebook or whatever, and use the phone as normal. You do not need to use Instagram

Phones are not the problem. Social media is. Just don't install twitter or Facebook or whatever, and use the phone as normal. You do not need to use Instagram or tiktok or whatever to use a phone.

timmytokyo 4y ago
The essay addresses this issue. Social media may be the more proximate cause of social isolation, but it's the phones that make social media more available. Phones provide a behavioral “nudge”, like a pantry stocked with junk food — when your phone is right there in your pocket, it’s easier to just text a friend instead of going and hanging out, even if the latter would be less fulfilling. (I think he meant "former", not "latter".) The "just" in "Just don't install social media" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Yes, that can work. But the temptations offered by that powerful little computer in your pocket makes social media that much more difficult for many to ignore.
diordiderot 4y ago
I spend 100x more time on forums than social and I'm sure I'm not alone
- delecti 4y ago
  Forums are social media, we just didn't have the term "social media" until later.
inkcapmushroom 4y ago
I don't have social media on my phone. I just had to uninstall Youtube as I am addicted to watching it on my phone (don't watch nearly as much on the computer) and it is causing attention and relationship issues for me. I get the next argument is something like "Youtube is just like those other ones", but I've also done this same cycle with plenty of other apps which were not social media related. The screen itself is addictive to look at in a way that older devices were not.
zeroonetwothree 4y ago
Social media predates smartphones and yet the increase was specifically when smartphones became prevalent.
throwaway2037 4y ago
This overlooks the network effect. If you are between 14 and 24 there is literally _no way_ that you are not on social media. Peer pressure is immense at that age. If you weren't, you would be a social weirdo. To be clear: I agree with your comment, but I'm old, so it's OK to be a social weirdo and avoid social media. :)

Phones are not the problem. Social media is. Just don't install twitter or Facebook or whatever, and use the phone as normal. You do not need to use Instagram or tiktok or whatever to use a phone.

timmytokyo 4y ago

The essay addresses this issue. Social media may be the more proximate cause of social isolation, but it's the phones that make social media more available. Phones provide a behavioral “nudge”, like a pantry stocked with junk food — when your phone is right there in your pocket, it’s easier to just text a friend instead of going and hanging out, even if the latter would be less fulfilling. (I think he meant "former", not "latter".) The "just" in "Just don't install social media" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Yes, that can work. But the temptations offered by that powerful little computer in your pocket makes social media that much more difficult for many to ignore.

diordiderot 4y ago

I spend 100x more time on forums than social and I'm sure I'm not alone

delecti 4y ago
Forums are social media, we just didn't have the term "social media" until later.

inkcapmushroom 4y ago

I don't have social media on my phone. I just had to uninstall Youtube as I am addicted to watching it on my phone (don't watch nearly as much on the computer) and it is causing attention and relationship issues for me. I get the next argument is something like "Youtube is just like those other ones", but I've also done this same cycle with plenty of other apps which were not social media related. The screen itself is addictive to look at in a way that older devices were not.

zeroonetwothree 4y ago

Social media predates smartphones and yet the increase was specifically when smartphones became prevalent.

throwaway2037 4y ago

This overlooks the network effect. If you are between 14 and 24 there is literally _no way_ that you are not on social media. Peer pressure is immense at that age. If you weren't, you would be a social weirdo. To be clear: I agree with your comment, but I'm old, so it's OK to be a social weirdo and avoid social media. :)