Wednesday, January 10th, 2024
I am grateful for Doom Scrolling, and here’s why.
Awhile ago, I came across the term “Doom Scrolling.” I think it’s usually written as one word, but that sets off the Substack auto-correct, so I’m going to write it as two words, not one.
The implied meaning of the term is generally negative, with the Cleveland Clinic explaining it in this way: “Doomscrolling” is a bleak-sounding name that perfectly captures the habit of taking in a torrent of bad news while scanning social media or surfing the web.
I disagree on the assumptions presented by this “in the box narrative,” on two categorical counts.
Category One: definitions and personality differences. What is “bad news?” To answer this question, we’d need to identify (1) what content triggers (2) which people, and (3) confirm that it releases stress chemicals. For example, (1) a video about what happened in Israel on October 7th, 2023 (2) may be a trigger for “Susan” that (3) results in the release of the stress hormone “cortisol.” That sounds reasonable, but (1) the same video, (2) watched by me, (3) will trigger curiosity, satiate my desire for more information, highlight details not previously accessed, and cause me to feel more confident because I am becoming more informed. Take two people, have them scroll through “bad news” for a few hours on their social media, and the results could be utterly different.
Category Two: the effect of algorithms. This, I have found fascinating for awhile. Imagine what you can learn about a person by scrolling through their social media? Not scrolling through their comments, but looking at what comes up on their feed. It’s determined by algorithms, and they reflect what the person pays the greatest attention to, from liking to clicking on links to watching the longest to sharing with others — if you engage, the algorithms notice. In a way, our feeds are a mirror of ourselves and our interests.
Here’s a great excerpt from an article that’s probably worth your time. “Eyal used a term for how social media apps tend to form bad habits and become obsessed. He called it the infinite scroll. (I prefer the phrase doom scroll.)” Check out the article here: “How to Avoid the Doom Scroll on Social Media.”
So — why do I appreciate the “infinite” or “doom” scroll experience?
I think it’s because I am a happy person. I engage with content that makes me feel good. I am drawn toward the feelings of positivity. I am not attracted to or interested in social media posts triggering my stress hormones. In fact, unlike a plethora of articles on the topic, I feel happy, I smile and laugh, and I experience a sense of calm, contentment, and educational enthusiasm when I scroll through my feed. Do you?
Today, I’m going to share some “cream of the crop” videos that I found especially enjoyable as I was scrolling along for a couple hours. Why? Because they made me feel good, for one reason or another, and maybe you’ll enjoy them, too?
In this video, I love the musical creativity and I agree with much of the sentiment expressed.
In this video, I appreciate the goal of journalistic integrity and I’m grateful to all the people who are following up on early concerns that Western Media was using content created by “supposed” journalists “embedded” within Hamas.
This video filled me with gratitude, as I am so relieved this woman (and others) are beginning to speak up, so we can have a diverse and thorough conversation over time.
After enjoying the entire video, I sent this link to my son, because he loves physics.
All issues related to Covid are ongoing, evolving, and deserve our attention. This video made it possible for me to catch some important details.
Because I am a strong, Informed Consent Advocate, I deeply appreciate every person willing to endure the trials and tribulations of becoming a Whistle Blower.
Because this song, and these kids, are awesome!
This one, because the point is brilliantly illustrated, and we need more of that!
As you can see, I’ve been giving the “algorithm” plenty of reasons to provide me with additional content related to October 7th. By paying close attention, over months, I am picking up on more and more dots. I am actually very grateful for the opportunity to escape the casual, auto-bigotry toward Israel that is almost impossible to escape in the U.S.A. Everyday people from so many different walks of life have been called to speak up, clarify, and explain more fully. I appreciate them, and this video!
And now, I’ll leave you with a SUPER FUNNY VIDEO that will surely have you laughing in seconds!