[MrGinkgo]

I feel the trouble with comparing social media to cigarettes is that cigarettes are kind of their own self-contained "thing". For instance, while you can smoke a cigarette on your own and focus your entire attention towards it, it's kind of technically impossible to use social media alone, even if there's no one else in the room with you. The "content" isn't pre-packaged and finite, it's constant and living, fueled by other people. That's the big trouble with leaving social media for a lot of people. It's a kind of prisoner's dillemma where the only meaningful way to stop it is to organize with your friends to quit it/explore alternatives as well. More than just insecure feelings of FOMO, the trouble with quitting social media is that you become really out of the loop with your friends' activities, since its benefit has always been being able to efficiently update your friends. It seems like unless you have some way of staying in contact with them, you may as well be invisible.

I do love the analogy of a donut which becomes heavier as you reach closer to overconsumption, though. A while back I got tired of all the noise on youtube and installed an extension called "unhook tube" which makes all the recommended videos in the sidebar just disappear. I wonder if there'd be a way to impliment an extension for instagram/facebook and the other 'scrollers', where the longer you use it, the more difficult it becomes to scroll, and the longer it takes for posts to load. It'd be like the benefit of having a fickle water heater, in that it keeps you from staying in the shower too long once the water gets too cold. In terms of facilitating moderation, this seems like the easiest solution.

[tocs3]

The more casually social media is used the more packaged it is. That is why you use a tool to mute the youtube content. I think youtube is amazing. There are incredible gems entertaining, practical, etc. The trouble is you have to wade through lots less amazing content to get to the gems. The trouble is real life is just as packaged by corporations. Entertainment is Disney/Hollywood. Practical things Homedepot (I have a very dim view of homedepot). Sports, buy fancy shiny equipment and join expensive gyms. Pro sports, gamble (online). Real life is often just as empty. Why abandon your phone? Tech companies have hit on a real moneymaker. Provide cheap entertainment without the brick and mortar.

I am lucky that I have mostly made a living doing things in the real world and in "virtual spaces". I have the resources to do the things I enjoy without much commercial involvement. It is getting harder to do this in real life. When I need some bolts to build something Homedepot (I have a very dim view of homedepot) prices are insane. The nearest good fastener store is over and hour away. Online sources are amazing but now I have to wade through online empty calories to deal with real life shit.

More options in every area would be helpful but we cannot expect corporations or government to help. They make money making real life difficult and selling us online content when we are to tired to do anything else. I despair sometimes but the real world is incredible and ... well whatever. Maybe one day ...