Quit Social Media — summary of TEDeX presentation by dr Cal Newport

February 2^nd, 2017

link to YouTube video

Research shows that people who use social media more often feel isolated and loneny. Their attention throughout the day is more fragmented, which makes it harder for them to keep focused for long hours. In the modern economy, the skill to remain focused is exactly what employers value the most. Moreover, constant exposure to carefully curated portreyals of your friends' lifes makes you feel inadequate and may lead to depression. Small dosages of dopamine reward is not what our brains evolved to handle. Checking your social media account causes serious anexiety disorders.

People use different arguments to justify why they cannot quit Facebook or other social media: they are afraid of being backward. Not using Facebook would be like denying yourself basic achievements of civilisation, like riding a horse to work instead of taking a bus. Other argument is that you will not be able to be successful professionally because people will not know that you make valuabe contributions to your field, people will not be able to find you etc. Third cathegory of justification is that social media are actually harmless or funny, or that a person uses it sporadically. All of these are not true. There are better ways to effectively communicate with others, if your countributions are valuable, people will know about it, and, as mentioned above, they are by no means harmless.

Social Media are desined by people who are "attention engineers" with the purpose to make these media as addictive as possible. However, you need to be able to focus in order to produce things that are rare and valuable. Facebook, which induces lower concentration, promotes content that is very shallow and easily digestable, easy to replicate and therefore produces small amount of value. Any 6 year old with a phone can share videos, but it creates little value. Things that are valued are hard. If you want to build a complicated algorhithm, analize huge chunk of data, write a serious legal argument or captivating novel you need to focus your attention and effort over extended periods of time.

Dr Newport is an author of a book titled "Deep Work". It's devoted to the problem of focusing and creating value.

What happens when you leave social media?

Intensive focus makes you use your day more productively.

Outside of work life is more peaceful.

What to talk about with people if you don't use social media?

this is not included in the video:

How to keep interest in people after you leave Facebook?

Keeping professional contacts and ties stronger.

Ask people in your area about important upcoming events, celebrations.

Ask them about their achievements, things that they are proud of and that they would like to share with you, published article.

Ask them to send you a photo of something important.

Ask about new jobs, finished projects, received certificates etc.

Ask what inspired them, what fascinated them in the course of the last month or so. What movie, book or article they would recommend for you. The next time you talk to them, you can make references to these.