Like many, I'm feeling frustrated by the almost overwhelming sensation (if not, realization) that 'social media,' for me, is becoming a near-total waste of time and energy; and, this is not a new revelation, not by any means. From my first few moments on Facebook (and other social media) I experienced a tangible joy mixed with an awakening that can only be compared to, perhaps, 'one's first naked interaction with an attractive member of their same species.' Exhilarating, a little or a lot scary, something new and exciting, something I'd only read about or heard about prior, or had only seen in pictures ... Completely thrilled to finally be faced with the all the potential and fantasy that this previously 'not having had experienced' experience had to offer. The future, and in an odd way, the power, seemed limitless, again.
Today, after having been married to social media for both personal and business reasons/growth, entertainment, and information for several years ... I am ready to file for divorce; or worse yet, to just walk away without a word, and disappear without looking back.
I'm talking about getting back to basics, which for me, include: family, friends (in-person, real, actual), productive/healthy activities and hobbies and other quality ways to spend my time, and last but not least, getting back to work. Real WORK. Basic work. Basic output, measurable and for lack of a better word, 'growable.' Purifying work, if you will, soul-strengthening, per say.
I waste so, so much time on social media, and much of it is to promote my life's work, my art, my latest and past paintings, to advertise my paintings for sale, etc ... On Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter ... and many other platforms, all taking time to do so, and lots of it ... but, I've begun to wonder, to really wonder, if social media and maybe more specifically my TIME and efforts there, haven't resulted in the exact opposite of success, and a very real lack of doing what I should of been doing all along!?
* Do my efforts to utilize social media to market my wares actually impoverish the very thing I've dedicated my life's time to exploring, creating, and ultimately sharing with the world?!
* Does MORE equal LESS in this sense?
* Does the term, 'enjoy in moderation' also apply to my time on the internet, pursuing my next sale, or the next tiny growth step for my business?
* Has the misuse of my time lead to certain circumstances and situations that actually enable me to ADD TO my stress. Am I slowly dying from this stress? Okay, that last question is really just me blowing off some steam ... but, still, it's valid, no?
* Have I been duped into, in the name of improving my lot in life (personally, and from a business standpoint), a more-than-a-little amount of self-sabotage!? Has it enabled me to slowly commit suicide? One poor decision after the next? Answer: I, at times, feel that way, right or wrong.
* Have these decisions and access to social media caused me more pain than gain!?
I've wasted a LOT of time on social media ... it's addictive, no doubt. It's fun, interesting, fascinating, enthralling, exciting, worthwhile even ... but, has my time on social media caused me to NOT do what needs to be done on a daily basis; heck, on an hourly, or minute-by-minute basis?! Short answer: YES, absolutely.
I also know that I am the one who is control of MY time, and how I decide to spend it. This is NOT about my desire to blame the internet, social media, or anything/anyone else for my perhaps having wasted time; okay, definitely having had wasted time, a lot of it, too.
I'm only asking question here, and wanting to express my take on something that has for all intents and purposes, taken over the world. It's not a bad thing, this social media ... but I think it might be within human nature to not only use it, but also, to abuse it - ike any other addictive person, place, or thing.
* Lastly, for now, has social media contributed to a decline in my personal health? Yes, sitting in a chair, for hours at-a-time, is not good for the belly ... but, I'm talking about more than the usual givens surrounding such a mentioned potential health-risk ... I'm yapping about overall 'mental' health, and more specifically, my daily mindset ... and for me, depression. Major depression. Recurrent and severe. Diagnosed depression. Treated depression. Ongoing depression.
I live and die each day on social media, self-perceptually. My 'ups and downs' have become tied to social media via the feedback, personal opinions, political and spiritual thoughts, opinions, and offerings of others ... MUCH of which I feel is out of my control to see or not to see, by design, more and more. How many times have I thought another person was a total idiot based solely on something they had just posted? I do not know these people, nor really, their intent. It's mind-boggling, and good mood-erasing, all too often, and it is not right, not anymore ...
In a nutshell, and I'll be expounding and expanding about this topic of wasting time on social media in future posts ... but, to sum up for now ... I am really beginning to think that social media, being only one part of some technologically-driven, all-enticing, productivity and aspiration-building tool kit, interestingly enough offered to improve our lives, might just be the largest and most successful FARCE that mankind has ever pulled out of it's own arse! Not that it's not useful, but I am beginning to wonder if it's not been designed, and IS being designed, to gain as much of our most valuable resource away from us ... TIME.
Let me know your thoughts!! In the mean time, I'm gonna put my money (time) where my mouth (typed word) is ... I'll be in my studio, creating painting after painting, re-becoming the 'myself' that used to exist pre-social media infatuation days.
I look forward to continuing this dialogue (or, diatribe, hehe), in the future. And, embarrassingly, I'll be doing so right here on my computer, on the internet, on my blog. It might be more difficult than my dis-illusion with it has stirred. Until then, good luck, and thanks for reading. ~jVs.
