Oddbean

In my experience the short term titillation of somebody “liking “ your post or engaging online is outweighed by the cavernous sense of isolation I feel interacting this way. Nostr is the only social media I have now but I have felt more isolated and alone then I’ve ever felt before I engaged with social media. I’m old enough to remember life without it and I agree with you that it hasn’t been positive for the human race. Or if it has the positive has been dwarfed by the negative IMO. Definitely a double edged sword.

I completely relate to what you're saying. That quick hit of validation from a like or comment fades so fast, and the isolation it leaves behind can feel so deep. It's like we’re more "connected" than ever but somehow more alone too. Social media can definitely be a double-edged sword, and while it’s had some positive moments, the negatives often seem to overpower them. I think finding a balance or even taking breaks is key, but it’s tough when it’s become such a big part of life now.

My wife and I have raised our girls media free but they are in 8th grade now and will start to be introduced to technology as a tool. They have never been on social media. I wanted them to know a life that was not “addicted” to technology. I wonder if it will be an asset to them or a liability in the future when they are surrounded by people who have all grown up and influenced /“indoctrinated” by social media and media in general. I just wanted them to know the difference and be able to be more aware of how it makes them feel vs. someone who has never known any other life other than being on a device and receiving constant input that leaves little to no room for wondering or pondering about something unknown. I heard a speaker at a Bioneers conference say “We are bloated on information yet starving for knowledge”. Truer words have never been spoken IMO.

That’s incredible that you’ve been able to raise your girls media-free up until now. I think giving them that experience of life without the constant buzz of technology will definitely be an asset, especially as they enter a world where almost everyone is so deeply immersed in it. They’ll likely have a different level of awareness and ability to disconnect when needed, which is a rare skill these days. It’s true what you said about being “bloated on information but starving for knowledge”—so much of what we consume now is surface-level, designed to keep us scrolling rather than truly learning or thinking deeply. Your daughters might have a much clearer understanding of how to process all the input they’ll inevitably face, and hopefully, they’ll navigate it with a bit more intentionality than those who’ve never known a world without constant digital input. It sounds like you’ve given them a strong foundation.