Charlie Kirk. Negative jobs reports. Geopolitical escalation.
The boiling point of news last week has left many of us overwhelmed, including me. A few sleepless nights made me realize world events are seeping into my consciousness. I know I’m not alone in my hyper-concern about the state of the world. Our social media feeds bombard us with breaking news, assassination clips that harm our wellbeing and fake videos where we can’t decipher what is true (e.g., POTUS at the U.S. Open).
Sadly, there’s nothing to indicate this will change.
Social media and user-generated content have democratized access in positive ways and bombards us with information both accurate and false. Big tech companies benefit and profit from chaos, viral videos and polarization. As a tech watcher, I am clear Silicon Valley can do more to create guardrails up to protect society and our children. The explosion of AI will only accelerate the influence technology companies play in society’s political, social and mental health undercurrent.
Tech companies are driven by profit and scale. They peddle products that are proven to negatively impact the mental health of users of all ages, from sleep disruption, depression, anxiety and more, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Companies like Meta, Snapchat and X have been inconsistent and less willing to play a role in managing content. In fact, Instagram and Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has reduced efforts to fact check.
This means the burden is increasingly on ordinary citizens like us to protect our wellbeing and take control over how we interact with information inflows.
We must individually balance the need to be aware of events that impact the world while protecting our wellbeing. What the balance is, is individualized. While we do this, I also believe it is also the time to double down on local activism and values-based acts that reinforce human connections. When society’s consciousness is drawn to fear, anxiety and stress, our actions, words and energy manifests this.
Annie Margaret, from the Independent, writes:
Protecting your attention is a form of care. Liberating your attention from harmful content is not withdrawal. It is reclaiming your most powerful creative force: your consciousness.
While systemic solutions are complex or unknown, one thing we can do is grab hold of our consciousness to create alignment that reflects our inner worlds – not the outer world. If we let it, the outer world will drag us into anxiety and fear. Creating good hygiene with technology and taking steps to reconnect with community and nature anchor us in empowerment rather than feeling paralyzed.
Being intentional with news and and social media:
Timers and tool to limit your screen time – use Apple or Google-based limits to set a timer on time spent online. Instagram allows you to set limits, too. I have removed Instagram from my home screen, requiring me to take a few steps to access it. It makes it harder for me to mindlessly scroll.
Seek out trusted sites – visit only vetted and trusted news websites, which have strict standards and a balanced viewpoint on issues. Scroll past political or fear mongering clips on social media. Support journalistic outlets that support your values through website visits. Pay for content and subscriptions to financially support these organizations and ensure survival.
Create routines for consumption – Create designated windows to check news and avoid it otherwise. For example, during lunch everyday could be a natural time to scroll.
Avoid early morning and late night scrolling – Our consciousness for the day and for our sleep are set through our attention and actions at these times. Grabbing your phone upon waking and at bedtime impacts your consciousness at potent periods. Seize control of what goes into your mind by putting fruitful thoughts and practices you want into your life rather than content on your phone.
Remove alerts – minimize or remove screen and email alerts which amp up your fight or flight by luring you with clickbait. Clean up your phone interface to reduce the number of popups that create urgency and feed anxiety.
Avoid sites that trigger – this takes constant, mindful work. X, for example, is anxiety provoking for me. On one hand, I learn from accessing wider points of views than those I follow. On the other hand, the platform supports and even encourages vitriolic dialogue and misinformation. This site was the reason I was sleepless last week. Know what agitates you and limit or avoid it. If you need help, block the site using web settings.
Doubling down on human connectedness
“I would encourage people to log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community,” Utah Gov.Cox said after the Kirk shooting.
Steering our consciousness to good through the right relationship with technology is just one part of our call to action. The other, I believe, is to be more present within ourselves, with others and with nature. With our consciousness anchored through our good habits, we can act in a way that promotes understanding and good faith. It is not helpful to keep our inner alignment to ourselves. Instead we must interact with it, spread it and share it with others. That is the counterbalance to the hate and discontent that blares across social media.
There are many ways to do this:
Spend time in nature – by interacting with nature, we are naturally calmed and reminded of natural order in the world. We feel smaller yet in sync with the grand order of the universe. Through habits like gardening, we give back to the ecosystem that supports every aspect of life.
Connect with others – Rather than texting, try calling a friend. Say hello to strangers on your walk. Our sense of connectedness and community has shifted in our digital worlds. Build bridges to others through daily interactions, even the most mundane. Try once a day to smile at someone you don’t know.
Act in your community – We need each other now more than ever. There are infinite causes that need support. Find one that calls to you. Donate. Volunteer your time and effort to something greater than yourself – your church, your school or a cause of your choice. It is not enough to support the world through likes. We are being called to act, in community.
These are just a handful of ideas that have been swirling through my head in response to the events of the last week. Yes, technology can make us feel closer, yet it also pitting us against one another. We must counterbalance the force with intention. First align your consciousness, then focus acting in alignment with it by double downing on positive acts in our community and for others. Our relationship with technology can refocus us on the goodness of life, rather than just the likes, if we steer it that way.
