Brendan & Lori O'Gara

I have been off social media for 266 days. That is 266 days of no mindless scrolling. There are three exceptions to my social media fast.

When someone says “Hey did you see I posted…?” I have gone to look at particular posts. Almost all of them from my family with a few, very few exceptions. Mostly photos of the family. When I look if it is in any way negative, political, or controversial. I don’t read it.

Second, I have my blog here set to cross-post on our author’s social media sites. So technically that is social media use, if indirectly.

Lastly, my husband sends me dog videos on IG and my friends text me memes relevant to our shared interests.

Not participating on social media is hard, y’all.

It reminds me when I hear that someone doesn’t drive. It is not impossible to survive without a car or not driving. Humans are not trees. They are mobile. They can walk, ride a bike, or ask a friend for a ride. Better still they can use an app to order a ride and pay for it. It is expensive.

I have inadvertently conducted an unofficial study into the general use of social media. Most people I have spoken to have said that they prefer social media to actual interactions with others. Yes, most people prefer the filter of a screen between them and other humans as a general rule except the one or two humans in their family. This is the saddest thing.

I can survive without social media. The humans in my life can survive without it as well. It seems that they do not want to. I hear things like, “I would love to cut the time down that I am on (insert social media here), but I would miss (insert whatever excuse seems to fit.”

There is hope.

I have also recently read studies and heard two speakers at meetings say that people are looking for a purpose. Purpose in their careers and lives in general. They are looking for ways to give back to the community that surrounds them.

Maybe this is a sign that online communities are not satisfying the need for connection that is innately in a human soul. Maybe this is a sign of hope.

Once I get to day 365, I plan to decrease my use of other digital apps. I plan to stop any online shopping other than Amazon for household items and work necessities. Social media will be relegated to business purposes only.

This will be harder still. It will be like selling the car.

For those who know, I will be like our friend I will call CC Our friend CC had a flip phone until last year. He has a smartphone now because his job basically demands he get one for work. He still has zero apps. He doesn’t even use DoorDash y’all. He goes to the restaurant and picks up carry-out orders. When was the last time you picked up food?

I can do this. You can do this. I challenge you to join the cause.

#beappfreelikecc

We can do hard things.

Light & Love, Lori