I am sure I am not the first or even in the first 10000000 to notice that the short form content we are consuming now a days is decaying our abilities to do almost all things we as humans are supposed to be good at. Yet, we tend to ignore this and keep scrolling. Hence today's blog...
It starts innocently enough—you open your phone to check a quick notification, and before you know it, you’re 37 minutes deep into a black hole of clips that seem to provide valuable information but do they? Have you ever felt that the short you are watching right now is giving you a list of life changing steps yet you cant seem to remember and apply any of it. We’ve all been there. Social media’s short-form video content—be it Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok—has redefined how we consume information and entertainment. But is it really consumption when we don't even remember what we just watched?
The Omnipresent Scroll
Gone are the days when people just waited in queues, stared at walls in washrooms and red the funny one liners that made us all laugh, or absentmindedly stirred their cooking. Now, every moment of silence is an opportunity to scroll. Remember the graffiti in the washroom doors? Now even the backbencher do not have time for that.
Let’s break down some common scrolling scenarios:
- Queues/malls and even Signals: Why people watch when you can watch people's personal life?
- Washrooms: Nature’s original thinking spot is now a social media binge zone. (Let's not discuss phone hygiene.)
- Office hours: That "quick break" turns into a deep dive into conspiracy theories about why pigeons are government spies.
- Cooking: Because why should you focus on not burning your food when you can watch someone else make a 5-minute gourmet meal you'll never try?
What’s Happening to Our Brains?
Short-form videos are like digital junk food—addictive, instantly gratifying, and nutritionally empty. Each quick hit of entertainment triggers dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, keeping us craving more. But just like junk food leaves us feeling sluggish, endless scrolling leaves us mentally exhausted and oddly unfulfilled.
- Reduced Attention Span: We now expect everything to be under 60 seconds. If a video dares to be two minutes long, we sigh dramatically. How many of you watch a video on its normal speed?
- Impaired Deep Thinking: Instead of letting our minds wander creatively, we fill every gap with more content.
- Instant Gratification Loop: We get used to quick dopamine bursts, making real-life patience (like reading a book or learning a skill) feel painfully slow.
- Polarized Views: Unlike books that we carefully choose, YouTube and social media algorithms decide what to feed us. This often creates echo chambers where we are served increasingly extreme or one-sided perspectives, reinforcing our existing beliefs rather than challenging them.
The Great Alternative: Ebooks & Mindful Learning
If the problem is mindless consumption, the solution is mindful learning. Instead of scrolling, we need to try reading an ebook. It has all the benefits of traditional books (minus the need for extra shelf space) and actually engages your brain in a way that scrolling never can.
Videos vs. Books: The Learning Battle
Short videos are great for entertainment and quick tutorials (e.g., "how to chop onions without crying"), but for deep learning, books still reign supreme. I even feel that if you choose a particular video and watch it with the purpose of learning, that still is better as you are focused and mindful rather than endlessly consuming what the algorithm serves you.
If we can learn to enjoy reading ebooks in our break time, that would really save us.
The Art of Doing Nothing (Yes, Really)
Sometimes, the best thing to do isn’t replacing scrolling with another activity—it’s embracing the boredom.
- Observe the world: Look at people’s expressions, eavesdrop (discreetly) on conversations, or just be present.
- Let your mind wander: Some of the best ideas are born when the brain isn’t overstimulated.
- Enjoy real interactions: Maybe strike up a conversation instead of pretending to be deeply engaged in your phone.
- The Forgotten Social Skill: In a world of digital disconnect, if two people stop scrolling at the same time, they might just talk to each other out of sheer boredom. Imagine that!
The Screen-Time Dilemma: Eyes & Health
Endless screen consumption isn’t just frying our brains—it’s also affecting our eyes. Staring at screens all day can lead to digital eye strain, headaches, and disrupted sleep cycles. While ebooks offer a more mindful alternative to scrolling, even they can cause strain if read on regular screens. E-readers, however, use e-ink technology, which is much easier on the eyes.
The Impact on Children
Children, the most impressionable of all, are growing up in a world where entertainment is instant and attention spans are shrinking. Overexposure to short-form videos can limit their ability to focus, reduce patience, and create unrealistic expectations for constant stimulation. Encouraging them to read books, play outside, and engage in offline activities is more important than ever.
Conclusion: Take Back Your Time
Social media scrolling isn’t evil, but when it starts hijacking every free moment, it’s time to rethink its place in our lives. Instead of feeding the endless dopamine loop, we can choose activities that truly enrich our minds—reading, observing, learning, or simply doing nothing.
Instead of scrolling, watch a movie ( Still better than the aimless content. Movies tend to have a goal to end.) or go in the balcony and watch the snow. What do you think?
So, the next time I find myself reaching for my phone while waiting in line, I am going to say: maybe, just maybe, it's okay to simply exist without scrolling. But if I do choose to scroll, at least I will make sure it’s something worthwhile—like reading this blog post ;)
