Tag: facebook

Social Media Grooming

I just came across this phrase today: “Social Media Grooming”.

It is a great phrase and it captures well the systematic way in which the major social media companies entice us to believe that there is a way to win the social media game. If we just tweak this, post that, and shoot a pic at this angle then we can become famous. An influencer.

The bad thing about the social media system is that it is set up for user-distraction. You are the product and you are being manipulated if you play by their rules. If you let them groom you. Grooming….creepy word that one.

There is an alternative to play by your own rules. Focus on what you create. Focus on the content and the ideas you want people to engage with and share. Who precisely do you want to engage with? – not everybody….presuming you are not a Kardashian (thank the Gods).

Be specific. Be intentional. Be free.

Ps, (I write these sorts of posts to preach mainly to myself. I fall down the Social Media rabbit hole all to easily).

Getting bored and having energy

Is getting bored a good thing?

In the age of Facebook, Netflix, Spotify and Fortnite it’s easy to let the system take control. If you allow them, these streaming, entertaining, dopamine tripping platforms will keep you glued to your seats all day. They won’t let you get bored.

This thing is, getting bored serves a function. As far as I can tell, the whole purpose and spiritual breakthrough of Yoga is to cope with boredom and through this to reflect on life. No time for that in a video game.

Some other activities where boredom is there to be overcome:

Taking a walk with no phone in hand. Just walk.

Listening to an album from start to finish. Just listen

Running for 30 minutes straight. Just run.

When were you last bored?

Social Media and Distraction

Life catches up with you. Like a night out stumbling from one bar to another, social media can have no purpose and damage your life if you don’t pay attention. Facebook updates for giggles and laughs is not a long term strategy unless you are a comedian. Chasing likes and shares, while measurable, will not get you anywhere meaningful. It will distract you from making something useful and interesting.

I have gone through peaks and troughs with social media – After becoming disgusted with my online self, I purged all my accounts …and now slowly I am trying again with more purpose. Now I have reached some sort of balance with the following social/web presence to manage:

  • a personal Facebook profile
  • a personal Instagram profile
  • a Chimpwithcans Instagram profile (public – see link)
  • a Chimpwithcans Facebook page (public feed of this blog and Instagram – see link)
  • a Chimpwithcans Twitter profile (public feed of this blog – see link)
  • this blog (public)

Less distraction, more creativity, more intentionality (big word no?).

Searching for the culture

If you are stuck browsing the internet through the bubbled lens of Twitter or Facebook. It all seems like evidence of people living the way you would like them to live, but it all seems so far away.

If this is you, it might be interesting to search for a someone near to you who is in sync with your point of view and then go and interact with that person face to face.

In terms of audiophiles, it is easy to surround yourself with the videos and images of instagram showing hugely expensive systems, all set up perfectly. However real life is a lot more messy. There are normal everyday people behind that industry, trying to make their music sound the best they can. Find a hifi store, a vinyl market, a local audio visual consultant and interact with them.

They might even need something you have to give, and away you go. You’re part of the community now, and away from the bubbles.