why is this page called algorithm hater?
Because i feel "the algorithm" and emphasis on short-form media is an effort by tech companies to profit off of us at every moment of the day, and to further divide people into echo-chambers where they dont have to confront ideas outside their worldview or face discomfort.(conformity is very profitable)
I also believe that silence and boredom are a crucial aspect of the creative process, and brain health. Intaking a constant stream of information doesn't allow your brain to process, analyze and integrate what you are putting into it, resulting in a lot of half-baked ideas or completely forgetting the info a moment later. For instance you may watch a very interesting and informative tik tok that introduces a new idea to you, but an hour later you have watched dozens more and may not even remember a single detail from any of what you watched. Excessive passive screen time (content that asks nothing of your brain but to watch/requires no thought) also degrades your brain structure and negatively impacts sleep, mood, and possibly mental health outcomes (there is of course a correlation vs. causation problem with measuring mental health outcomes; those who struggle mentally may just be more likely to engage in excessive use as a form of escapism). I also think that a lot of us are very overstimulated, and the constant information stream contributes to this general sense of overwhelm. (The political situation in the US is likely a much greater source of overwhelm, but this doesnt exactly help with that).
To be very clear i do not wish to attach morality to screen time. I have a lot of empathy for those who struggle with the infinte scroll, and struggle with it myself at times. I also acknowledge that there is a greater system encouraging this behavior, and that the odds are stacked against us in terms of reducing screentime. I am also not anti-social media, anti-internet, anti-shortform content or anti-tech. I love the internet, i love social media and i love the meme culture that springs from it. As a physically disabled person the internet allows me to interact with the world and other people when i am stuck in the house/in bed, and allows me to have fun/enrichment time when my brain isnt working well enough for more demanding thoughtful or creative pursuits. I believe that there can be positive effects/outcomes of internet use/social media use/screen time. I just think the dominance of short-form content in our informational diets is causing a kind of intellectual/spiritual malnutrition.
sources:
here are some tips for forming a healthier relationship with the internet:
- shoot for progress over perfection
- add extra steps:
- delete the apps from your phone and only use social media in your phone browser or on the computer
- use apps like opal or screen zen to add a pop up that forces you to wait x seconds, before using an app. you can also set it up so every x minutes you have to pause and the amount of time you wait before continuing your scroll increases with each pop up
- make a list of replacement activities:
- listen to music
- learn something new
- try a new hobby
- clean or organize your space a bit
- socialize
- have a treat :3
- spend time outside
- make something!
- read a book
- join that book club/art club/class you've been meaning to join
- exercise
- dance to music
- have sex or masturbate
- sit in sunlight
- have a treat again :3
- hang out with your funniest friend (laughter is a big endorphin boost!)
- emphasize connection, education, and exploration in your internet use instead of distraction, disconnection, escapism, and endless entertainment ( active vs. passive screen time)
instead of deleting all your social medias and setting immediate and extreme limits on your screen time, reduce things slowly over time. one thing i learned from being an alcoholic is that sometimes cold turkey makes a relapse more likely to happen. maybe yesterday you scrolled tik tok for 8 hours, but today you only scrolled for 6. thats still a win! slow incremental progress can stick a lot more than extreme declarations and actions.
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sometimes adding extra steps to an action can give you a moment to reflect on the action you are about to take, or it can just annoy you so much that you desire it less. some ways to add extra steps include:
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when you reach for your phone or puter, what emotional need are you filling?
is it the need for dopamine? (the reward and novelty chemical) or maybe the need for endorphins? (the stress and pain relief chemical)
here is a list of replacement activities which can provide these chemicals in a healthier form:
dopamine
endorphins
however you structure it, making a list or menu of activities to do instead of mindlessly scroll can help you redirect your behavior without the extra energy of having to think of something to do!
interact with friends and strangers, explore new ideas, find book recommendations, watch a documentary, take notes on something you watched + analyze it, find new music, ask questions about the world and find their answers thru a research rabbithole, go on neocities and explore!! **steer the ship instead of just being a passenger!!**