I’m going to make the argument that scrolling on social media sucks the life out of us and sinks us into a great abyss. It’s pretty simple, you started scrolling, thinking you would look at a few photos or watch a few videos. The next thing you know, an hour has gone by. This is a big problem.
One night a while back, I went to get into bed. I found myself sitting on the side of my bed looking at my phone before I laid down. Somehow I was sucked into a short video then started scrolling through one after another. I’m going to try to be honest about this. I saw lots of cool videos, car crashes, near-miss accidents, tricks, and amazing acrobatic feats. But I also saw racy videos, suggestive videos, sex advice videos, f-bomb videos, vulgar videos, rude and crude videos, and so many other things. I may have even witnessed a few people die in those videos.
I realized at 2 AM that I had spent almost 2 hours mindlessly scrolling through video after video on my phone. I was 100% not in control of the content I was seeing. I just kept watching whatever it was feeding me. I don’t watch rated-R movies and I had just voluntarily subjected myself to more F-bombs, innuendo, racy, crude, explicit content than I would have voluntarily watched in movies or on TV.
I admit there is something in my mind and body that finds scrolling stimulating. It is addictive.
I admitted long ago that I have an addict’s mind. I know and understand I am an addict and that I can become addicted to things if I am not careful. Drugs, smoking, pornography, food, caffeine, video games, the internet, and even scrolling on my phone. I think the key is being able to recognize it and avoid it. If I fall into the trap, change my behavior.
I feel my addictions right now are my phone and food. All of the fasting I have been doing has been helping me gain control over my appetite. I have also recognized my addiction to my phone and scrolling on my phone. I have avoided much by eliminating most social media apps on my phone. But I still have Facebook and YouTube and they both have traps on them. They are easy traps to fall into if I am not careful.
IS SCROLLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA BAD?
I’m going to make the argument that scrolling is bad for you. Anything that causes you to lose control of your choice is not healthy. The second half of that is the content you are exposed to. I have scrolled. The feed is not full of quotes from scripture and prophets. Many things in these feeds contradict the commandments of God. They are intended to reduce or trivialize the importance of moral truths. They are intended to stimulate the human appetite and therefore produce clicks and views
Consider why drugs are bad? You lose your ability to choose. When you scroll, you give up your ability to choose. You are basically saying, show me whatever you want and I will consume it. You have no control.
I get there are algorithms that will show you more of what you look at. But, not everything shown to you is based on your viewing algorithm. It is also based on popularity, but also what they want to be popular. And what they feel will keep you scrolling. I consider it to be similar to the news. They feed you what they want you to hear and see.
DOOMSCROLLING
I did a little searching online after deciding to write on this. I was surprised how many studies have been done that show scrolling on your phone leads to anxiety and depression. Did you know there is a term for it? Doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is the act of scrolling endlessly through social media and it is bad.
It’s funny, the world doesn’t focus on the morality of what you see when you doomscroll. But the bad content can be as spiritually damaging as the bad effects of the scrolling itself. The scrolling itself can have negative effects on your mental health, sleep deprivation, attention span, fatigue, work performance, mood, and more.
Although I know there are good things on Social Media, the bad far outweighs the good. Those intent on doing bad far outweigh those who are doing good.
Here is a video on the effects of scrolling.
The Psychology of Your Scrolling Addiction (hbr.org)
What happens to your brain when you Mindlessly Scroll? | by Jonathan Sauvé | Medium
SEEK FOR BETTER THINGS
The 13th Article of Faith
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul— “We believe all things, we hope all things,” we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.
Honestly, if we desire to be faithful to Jesus Christ we would not consume bad things. By consuming them, you give support and lead to the production of additional bad things. Instead, our hearts and our minds ought to be focused on doing good.
D&C 64:34
Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.