My radical idea is to delete all my social media accounts.
In the age of endless scrolling, where perfectly curated lives dominate our feeds, a silent movement is brewing. People are quitting social media despite its appeal and the fear of FOMO (fear of missing out). Thousands of people are coming to realize the true harmful effects of social media.
Social media has truly changed society at large, but for the better and for the worse.
I never had the complete set; even though this sounds funny, I call it a complete set when some have all the different accounts. (Facebook, Twitter, WeChat, TikTok, Instagram…)
For me, it was always simple. I had social media sites like Viber and WhatsApp to communicate with people, but in regard to social media, where you can upload photos and content, I had Facebook and Instagram.
“Get off the treadmill of consumption, replication, and mediocrity. Begin lifting the weights of creativity, originality, and success.”
― Ryan Lilly
The right word is content, because I never used those social media sites to create content, only to consume it.
Right now, I am 19, and over the course of my teen years, I have had a number of accounts and used a variety of social media platforms.
Over time, I deleted all of them, and, without a doubt, TikTok was the easiest to go. I realized just how much time I was wasting, hours of endless scrolling — time that will never come back.
While the hardest was Instagram, obviously it had the same effect as TikTok, but still, I found it extremely hard to get rid of it. I was always on Instagram, consuming content, talking to people, and interacting with them.
As I became more self-aware and aware of my time, I truly realized that Instagram was useless for me.
By the end of this article, I want to touch up on three more things: FOMO, the Instagram test, and only social media that I actively promote.
1. FOMO (fear of missing out)
Social media, a platform designed for connection and sharing, has ironically become a breeding ground for anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out). The carefully curated feeds, overflowing with picture-perfect vacations, flawless selfies, and seemingly effortless achievements, create a distorted reality that can leave us feeling inadequate and excluded.
Social media algorithms are designed to keep us engaged, and what keeps us glued to our screens? Dopamine hits triggered by positive reinforcement, often in the form of likes, comments, and shares. However, this very system becomes a breeding ground for envy and comparison.
People still ask me why you don’t have Instagram, and my answer is always the same.
Why do you have Instagram?
Most people don’t have a general response, they just start listing random things that they use Instagram for.
And always, among the first thing they say is, What if someone posts something?
What if my friend…
There is always a “what if.”
MY ADVICE: Breaking Free from the Cycle
2. The Instagram test
This is a simple exercise that I did:
I deactivated my Instagram for 30 days. And after the 30-day period, I wanted to check on three things.
- How many people have messaged me on Instagram about my inactivity?
- How many people reach out through other social media to check up on me and see what happens to my Instagram?
- Was there a situation in which I really needed Instagram and nothing else could help?
The social media that I actively promote.
Gone are the days of endless scrolling reels. I want to focus on creating content, not consuming it. Through that, I use LinkedIn, a platform that allows for the sharing of experiences and business stories.
I invite you all to follow me on LinkedIn, where I post regularly.
