Scrolling Is the New Smoking | The Minimalists | TEDxFargo

Key Concepts

• Digital Clutter: Unnecessary or overwhelming digital content from devices like phones, televisions, laptops, and smartwatches.
• Digital Consumerism: The ideology that acquiring more digital engagement (views, likes, followers) will lead to happiness, mirroring traditional consumerism.
• Digital Minimalism: A philosophy that advocates for intentional and mindful use of technology, particularly social media, to maximize well-being and minimize distractions.
• 30-Day Digital Declutter: A proposed period of abstaining from social media to assess its impact.
• Eye-tracking Data: Technology used by social media platforms to monitor user interaction with content, influencing algorithmic recommendations.
• Obligation, Overconsumption, Discontent: The three main problems identified with social media use.
• Content Consumption, Creativity, Connection: The three "legs" of social media use that can be approached mindfully.
• Casino Rule: A strategy for social media use involving setting strict time limits before engaging.
• Replace Scrolling with Searching: A method to make online activity more intentional by actively seeking information rather than passively scrolling.
• Make Your Phone Boring (Grayscale): A technique to reduce phone addiction by removing color, making it less visually stimulating.
• Declutter the Apps: The practice of removing unused or unnecessary applications from devices.
• Entryway Rule: Placing the phone at the entryway of the home to create a barrier to immediate access.

The Minimalists' Journey with Social Media

The YouTube video transcript details the journey of The Minimalists (Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua Fields Milbour, and TK Coleman) as they grapple with the paradox of their own success in promoting "less" while achieving massive reach through social media. They highlight the irony of reaching half a billion people and gaining millions of followers in 2023, yet feeling compelled to constantly seek "more" – more followers, more views, more likes. This pursuit is identified as a form of "digital consumerism," where the ideology of acquiring more digital engagement is believed to bring happiness, a cycle that "never works."

The Influence of Cal Newport and Digital Minimalism

The turning point for The Minimalists came with a conversation with Cal Newport, author of "Digital Minimalism" and a non-user of social media. Newport helped them understand the detrimental effects of social media, citing statistics:

• Average person spends nearly two hours a day on social media.
• Users spending over two hours daily are nearly three times more likely to be diagnosed with depression.
• Social media use is linked to a 40% higher risk of sleep problems.
• 46% of adolescents feel worse about their body image due to social media.
• 60% of users report negative impacts on self-esteem.

Comedian Hannah Jones's humorous clip further illustrates the problem, describing her five to seven hours daily spent on advertiser-funded short-form video content that provokes emotional responses, leading to an inability to nurture real-life relationships and a state akin to "type 2 ADHD." This raises the question of what users are truly seeking: trauma, pain, suffering, anxiety, or anger, all of which social media excels at generating.

The Year-Long Social Media Experiment

Inspired by Newport's suggestion of a 30-day digital declutter, The Minimalists decided to undertake a more significant challenge: abstaining from social media for an entire year at the peak of their reach and success. They questioned whether this would bring peace, ruin their business, or prove that success is possible without it.

Observations During the Digital Abstinence

During their year away from social media, The Minimalists observed several key changes:

• Reduced Digital Clutter and Anxiety: They stopped the habitual phone-checking in lines and felt anxiety drain from their bodies.
• Deeper Relationships: After three months, their glowing screens stopped following them into the bathroom, and they primed friends and family to call or text, deepening relationships beyond superficial online interactions.
• Widespread Desire for Change: A consistent response from people they told about leaving social media was, "Oh, that sounds amazing. I wish I could leave social media, too." This reinforced their belief that if they could minimize social media at their peak, others could too if it made them miserable.

The Cost of Social Media and Key Questions

The process of letting go of social media prompted several critical questions:

• "How might my life be more with less?" (Echoing their material possessions philosophy)
• "How costly is social media?" (Beyond monetary cost, it costs time, energy, and attention, trading peace for dopamine.)
• "Will I become irrelevant or lose a piece of my identity?" (The feeling of being defined by one's last post.)
• "Will I be misunderstood? Will people think I'm selfish?" (Concerns about abandoning connections or appearing irresponsible.)
• "Will I become a bad citizen because I'm less informed?" (The perceived need to stay updated on current events.)
• "How much of my unhappiness is a direct result of social media?" (This question highlights the core problems.)

The Three Main Problems with Social Media

The transcript identifies three primary issues stemming from social media use:

1. Obligation: The feeling of needing to keep up with every headline, hot take, and discussion, exemplified by the overwhelming content generated by events like the Will Smith/Chris Rock incident. This pressure extends to serious topics like politics, economics, and war.
2. Overconsumption: The noble-sounding justifications for prolonged use (staying informed, connected) often mask a messier reality of addiction to content like "bar fights and proposal fails and videos of influencers in the wild." Scrolling is likened to "the new smoking" – stimulating, soothing, addictive, and irritating to others when done in their presence.
3. Discontent: While searching for specific information can be intentional, social media platforms are designed to replace searching with scrolling. Algorithms serve up increasingly engaging content, creating a cycle of constant stimulation without necessarily leading to satisfaction or deep connection. Neil Postman's quote, "we are amusing ourselves to death," encapsulates this.

The Return to Social Media: Mindful Engagement

After a year away, The Minimalists decided to return to social media, not to dogmatically renounce it, but with an open mind and a goal to discern what is truly worth engaging with. They encountered difficulties, including a 21% decrease in revenue and a plummet in reach from half a billion to zero. However, they also experienced unexpected upsides:

• Increased attendance at live events, signifying a shift from width to depth.
• Freed-up resources for creative pursuits like a new documentary and writing.
• An increased sense of calm and awareness by reducing external stimulation.
• Idea incubation through pondering thoughts without immediate online sharing.

They liken social media to a "giant table" that can be an obstacle if placed randomly but a space for community when used intentionally. This intentionality is built on three "legs":

1. Content Consumption: Information is nourishment, but like food, it can lead to fatigue and addiction. The solution isn't renunciation but learning to engage in ways that are replenishing.
2. Creativity: Digital minimalists don't renounce technology but seek to redeem it. By aligning social media use with desired life outcomes, skills, and ways of showing up, users can redefine their engagement.
3. Connection: Tools like hammers and baseball bats become weapons when misused. Similarly, technology is helpful only when used with purpose and generosity. The principle "love people, use things" applies, and social media can be a tool for love.

Guidelines for Mindful Social Media Use

Upon their return, The Minimalists implemented several guidelines to maintain simplicity and intentionality:

• The Casino Rule: Decide on a time limit before engaging and stick to it, resisting distractions.
• Replace Scrolling with Searching: Be intentional about online activities, actively seeking information rather than passively consuming.
• Make Your Phone Boring (Grayscale): Turning the phone to grayscale reduces its visual appeal, making it less like a "slot machine for the eyes."
• Declutter the Apps: Remove apps that haven't been used in six months to eliminate digital clutter.
• The Entryway Rule: Place the phone at the entryway to create a physical barrier, requiring effort to access and reducing its power to follow users from room to room.

These strategies aim to set boundaries without renunciation, embrace restraint while remaining open to possibility, and approach social media with playfulness rather than duty.

Conclusion and Unexpected Success

Ironically, after leaving social media and then returning with these mindful practices, The Minimalists found their content being seen by more people and shared more frequently than during their "best year ever." The most crucial takeaway is the permission they give themselves to walk away if social media interferes with their happiness and health. The video ends with a lighthearted apology to Sydney Sweeney, acknowledging her continued presence in their algorithms despite their efforts.