Dystopian Social Media

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I have not gone two days without social media for the last ten years. Last week, however, I finally disconnected from everything except phone calls for 36 hours. It was an out of body experience; I was on an emotional roller coaster of perpetual emptiness and anxiety mixed with a sublime relaxation I had only felt before when juice fasting. After the initial shock and habitual glances at a blank phone, I generally was calm and at peace. Through the experience, I gained a new perspective on mobile phones and I now see why many people favor the dystopian view of social media usage. While I once thought that people just loved to be cynical, I see how technology is drastically warping our lives and changing human interaction. By talking face-to-face …show more content…

I relate my new clarity on the negative effects of social media on interaction and the psyche to the dystopian views in the essays by Baym and Przybylski. My eyes have been opened to the superiority of living life beyond the internet medium; furthermore, I believe my fear of missing out is ultimately the root of my social media fixation and unplugging is the best remedy. My healthy disconnect from artificial interaction gave me a positive experience that shined light on what Baym conveys about personal connection and Przybylski’s elaboration of the “fear of missing out.” By not using social media, I felt more at ease because I had no obligation hanging over me to Tweet my thoughts or report how I was doing. I also had to call my fraternity brothers or ask them in person about important announcements instead of checking Groupme. Further, I had more face-to-face interactions in my dorm elevator because I did not have my phone to distract me and relieve social tension. These real conversations, though less convenient, felt more fulfilling. I noticed, as Baym points out in “Connections,” that it was more private and personal to talk this way. The 36 hours of regular face-to-face discussions I had were deeper than the artificial ones I was used to because of

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