Embracing a Simple Life Without Social Media
As of the end of this month, I will no longer have a personal Facebook or Instagram account 🙅🏽♀️. On this September Sunday, I want to talk about something so unassuming and underrated, yet the very reason I came to this bittersweet decision - simplicity.
As our world plows forward, in spite of the re-emerging coronavirus that is ravaging our global health, we’re becoming increasingly dependent on the digital world. We look to our phones and social media for entertainment, connection, productivity, and often, meaning 📱. Yet, unsurprisingly, though we gain small doses of all of those things, I’ve found that more often than not, we’re left for want. And, as I mentioned in my Instagram post announcing my departure from the platform, “I crave depth, context, nuance, meaning, and impact in the relationships and connections I make, as well as with the content I create and curate. For me, personally, social media, Instagram in particular, has failed to do that.”
Believe me, the decision to leave a platform which everyone on the face of the Earth seems to be hanging out on hasn’t come with its fair share of internal struggle. At a time when we’re, again, on the brink of lockdown, increased social distancing measures, and further isolation, why subject myself to even more loneliness, regardless of what form it takes? Why not just create other measures by which I could curb my usage or reform my behaviours? After all, it’s not the tool that’s the problem, but my interaction with the tool.
The problem is, that’s not entirely true. Although I’d been grappling with the idea of leaving social media, Instagram in particular, for quite some time, the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, confirmed what I’ve already known, and felt for a while. Facebook and Instagram aren’t neutral tools, like a bicycle, simply waiting to be used at the whim of its user 🛠. No, they’re smart tools, with an agenda of their own, engineered to promote their own interests. Namely, monitoring your online behavioural, then leveraging it against you to keep you on the apps longer, become addicted, and ultimately, sell your usage data to advertisers. Because, “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product”. Do I understand? Of course! I’m an entrepreneur - I get what it means to have this kind of business model. Do I think it’s right? No.
But, ultimately, this isn’t even the primary reason I came to the decision that I did. Truthfully, it’s because I was tired of keeping up with it all 😰. I was tired of feeling like if I wasn’t posting on social media, that I’d become obsolete. I was tired of constantly feeling the urge to reach for my phone when I was bored. I was tired of scouring my brain for things to post about, rather than just simply living my life 🥳. And, I’m not even among the worst of offenders when it comes to this. But, I was finding myself thumbing through what felt like an infinite scroll of useless information that wasn’t serving me in any positive way. In fact, I was becoming numb to it, often forgetting instantly what I’d just seen - mindless, muscle memory 😕.
So, rather than dance around the idea for too long, I pulled the trigger, and let the chips fall where they may. I know this is the right decision, because for what it’s worth, it was my decision. And, that’s the beauty of it - I get to choose. Too many times in life, we passively engage with something because that’s “just the way it is”. Or, because “everyone else is doing it”. And, when that thing isn’t working for us, we play victim to that which is pulling us away from what we really need and want. And, for me, what I really need, and really want, is simplicity.
As it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands”. That is the goal - to put my head down, do my work, enjoy my life with those I love, and hopefully, by the grace of God, impact lives along the way 💓. Of course, this requires intentionality, passion, and the connection that only comes from opening up and sharing with others. But, I know that my presence on Instagram wasn’t accomplishing that to the extent of my conviction. Everything felt shallow and fickle. One minute a follower could be reading your heartfelt post about something meaningful in your life. The next, they’re watching a TikTok of some teenager dancing to ‘Savage’ . And, though that works for many, it most definitely doesn’t work for me.
Instead, I’ve chosen the blog posts and photography published on this website as the key avenue from which to share my life and connect with those who care to engage with it. Thoughtful, well-crafted creations that seek to inspire and serve a purpose. No more randomized, algorithm-driven content. No more hopping from one app to the next, wondering how many ‘likes’ a post got, or who commented on it. No more endless scrolling through TikToks reposted on Instagram (but, why? 🤔).
So, I’m keeping it simple - just as I’ve wanted things to be on Sundays, like today. Except in this case, this goes beyond just a weekend - it’s for good. This website is the one platform where you’ll be able to reach me, stay connected to what I’m up to, what I’m working on, and hopefully share a bit of your own life with me in the comments, as well. I understand that this might feel like a one-way conversation. But, trust me, I’ll be working to ensure that it won’t feel that way. Because, that was never the intent of this blog. I’d love to hear from you! I’m excited to learn more about you, and connect in a deeper way than I otherwise could have on Facebook or Instagram. How is your current experience with social media? Are you able to manage your usage? What is its affect on your life - positive, negative, neutral? Comment below and let’s chat! 👋🏽
Until next time…cheers! 🍻
Octavia
