The Bane of Social Media I looked up 'social media' in the questions, but didn't find an answer precise enough for my inquiry. Basically, I came to the conclusion that 1) social media fragments attention drastically by multitasking and unawareness, and 2) it is extremely addictive, perhaps for that precise reason. 

Thus, I ask what is likely cause, effect, and remedy linked with social media. What fuels social media use? What effects does its use have? What are the best ways to deal with this addictive medium? And finally, is it possible to tackle this addiction without alleviating it with the natural drive to socialize?

Thank you.
What fuels social media use? What effects does its use have?

I suppose it's fairly benign or minor to start with.


Curiosity: "What is this 'Facebook' which other people talk about?"
Utility: "I have a question about my work, I can ask people online."


I've read people say it's fueled by small rewards. You get a little chemical 'hit' from smoking a cigarette or taking a drug; or from winning on a slot machine; similarly you get a little (mental) reward when you get a 'Like' or a reply on social media.

And Stack Exchange for example encourages people to "pay it forward" (e.g. if you're helped by someone's answer, you're invited to try to help someone else by contributing another answer elsewhere), which (the feeling of altruism) is some kind of reward in itself.

See also "operant conditioning".

As for effect, it is time-consuming; and (like other addictions) can or will fragment attention. It also results in social bubbles (less connected with "real" people around you).

People have a similar problem with smart phones and email/messages (the thought occurs, "let's check my phone to see if there's another message"); or with Twitter and news sites ("has anyone posted anything new?").

It's easy (relatively effortless) to do (it's easy to read a web page, for example) so I'm inclined to do it instead of doing something more difficult (e.g. work): "It's time to start work now ... I'll just read a bit of social media first, which is easier, to get started ... maybe I'll feel like working after I do that."

IMO a task's being effortless is interpreted by the brain as a type of reward, something to seek (perhaps it's associated with mastery).

It's unsatisfying though (or only temporarily satisfying), hence the eventual desire to repeat the "rewarding" behaviour.

What are the best ways to deal with this addictive medium?

Sometimes if I get too disgusted by how much time I spend on a site, I block it from my computer so that I cannot access it anymore.1

It may be good (or better) to find alternative media for communication: 'phoning people, writing letters, reading books, meeting people in person.

And perhaps alternative "reward" systems (other activities that are rewarding in some way).

On the subject of "best ways", it might a topic to apply the noble eightfold way to (starting with right view, and so on).



1 This technological solution, i.e. barring one's personal access/exposure, is also used by other software developers: see 'Our minds can be hijacked': the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia, which also explains in more detail the theory of why it's addictive and takes your attention.