Yes they are…… and I hate how youtube has the ‘shorts’ automatically on every feed and you cant get rid of them… Its hard to study for long periods of time without getting the urge to take a break and scroll for a couple minutes
Same. Made me think back to when my husband and I first started going to concerts in 2009 and I only had a crappy camera so I didn’t bother taking it with me or we weren’t allowed back then. I got maybe one or two photos on the world’s worst flip phone camera lol. But we were there to enjoy the moment. Now we go to a concert and I record 90% of it - for what reason? Am I ever gonna watch it again?
exactly! that's the same as what i am feeling and i always prefer to facetime my friend or talk to them face to face for sharing cuz that feel way much better than mechanically texting that I used to do
Yeah. I remember the days before phones and GPS, I would use real maps if I got lost. Nowadays I feel unsafe if I do not have my phone with me at all times.. Can't be good.
@@torielle7812 my grades are really bad but it's because of social media I'm deleting all my social media on Sunday And ill start focusing on God , school and myself I really wanna pick my grades
Two weeks without social media after trying several times. I have more time and energy to study, read, and go deeper into things I really enjoy like journaling, drawing, meditating and even teaching my husband my native language. This time I really want it to be a permanent thing and not just a detox. I am 24 and feel really bad looking back on the last 4 years and how much I missed because I was too distracted, too overstimulated, and too confused to focus on what really mattered to me.
Meu celular foi roubado e minha produtividade melhorou SIGNIFICAMENTE. Voltei a usar o Instagram, piorou. Desativei, melhorou. Melhor coisa evitar redes sociais, e em principal, redes como Instagram. Pra mim, Facebook pode ser útil (grupos+páginas de notícias), TH-cam é muito útil (não consumo vlogs ou entretenimento vazio), e por aí vai
@@thiagogregory1 Concordo totalmente! Instagram virou muita bagunça, um app que faz literalmente de tudo pra te manter preso ali. Minha meta é continuar fora dessa rede social e ir aprendendo a usar outras com mais consciencia, autonomia e liberdade.
We need to bring back those simpler times with no social media; I love the idea of personal blogs or web pages - but today we are oversaturated with content, it’s endless and addicting. Loved the video and great vibes, keep it up!
right? its almost as if internet is the one consuming us rather than us consuming it. even having as little as 2 hours of doom scrolling just means that we turned our brain off for that amount of time. as if i escaped living for 2 hours. its a scary thing.
I would definitely suggest looking into neocities if you're into that kind of thing, it's been so fun to create a personal blog and learn html at the same time :)
When I was going into University nearly a decade ago, I got asked for my Facebook details for a group project. When I apologised and said that I didn't have any social media accounts, I got met with a round of glares and I swear to god, an "oh, you're one of THOSE". I'm so glad that people are more understanding now, these days I'm usually met with things like "what a mood" 😂😂
To preface, I have never had social media. I am 21, same gradeyear as you. I just wanted to mention that I totally have "satellite friends" and one of my favorite hobbies is scrolling through my contacts and just calling people and saying hi even if I haven't talked to them in a long time. You'll never lose a connection that's worth having by going off social media imo.
That is *very* old school. At least as a mid-30s millennial. My generation does everything possible to NOT talk to people on the phone. It’s a shame because i know it’s had an effect on me, too. I didn’t grow up this way. Yeah, we had AIM and Yahoo Messenger, but you had to be, you know, at the keyboard. On the computer. In your house. On dialup internet. So we used the phone a lot. Now, my generation is full of anxious neurotic weirdos who can’t call someone on the phone without having a panic attack. I know, I’m one of them. I like your way so much better.
I deleted tik tok on my phone 2 years ago but found myself missing some creators whose content I genuinely enjoyed. Now I watch them on my laptop because it’s harder to scroll the fyp. I recommend doing this if ur scared of completely deleted tik tok. Also I just deleted Instagram after watching this!!!
same this is an underrated hack. ive always had social media detox periods since 2020 and sometimes if im missing smth too much or urgently wanna open it i do it with my laptop so its less easy to get sucked in
I did the same with instagram and it helped so much! I deleted the app and now only check it once a day via the browser to catch stories insteadt of scrolling mindlessly
12:28 i don't care how controversial this sounds but it's facts. social media has increased social anxiety by a MASSIVE percentage. many kids/teenagers/adults who are lonely, never learned to be social at all because they grew up in this world of phones, video games!, twitter! the place where you can chat to people with words at the comfort of ur own home!! aka meaning that you don't leave ur comfort zone at all. and are left socially awkward. we truly need to disconnect and socialize.
Going in the outside world to talk to people sounds great if you're someone the outside world is willing to accept and allow into their spaces. I grew up on the internet because I didn't get bullied there like I was getting bullied at school for years. Real life taught me I'm not welcome there. So I stay where I belong. If I didn't have internet I'd be significantly lonelier. The few friends I did make at school are all out of contact with me now... but my internet friends stuck by me. And I'm not about to abandon them after all they've done for me.
@@Justinhulk Any tips on affording a plane ticket across an entire ocean to then pay for food and accommodation while I visit those friends, who are also broke and wouldn't be able to chip in?
@@sapiescent you said "Real life taught me I'm not welcome there. So I stay where I belong" but its bullshit. it literally quite is bullshit. because yes theres shit people but theres alot of good people too. find them. and getting a job is how u deal with traveling. and guess what getting a job = potentionally being friends with coworkers
@@Justinhulk Hey fun fact an employer's first impressions of you - including whether they judge you to be conventionally attractive and neurotypical - influences your ability to get and keep a job. I am not wanted. The few jobs that do have decent employers I'd rather let someone else who deserves them more keep, since they're in limited supply.
i am a freshman and my phone broke by late february. i felt too ashamed to ask for my parents to get it fixed because we were a bit short on money so from then on i haven't had a phone for a little more than a month now. i spent significantly less time on social media even if i could access it through my laptop (i got super lazy logging into my accounts). it's funny because the way my phone broke was so ridiculous it's as if it was divine intervention for my abysmal screen time. also! the biggest thing that i learned is being mindful. the absence of a phone to distract me from making well thought out decisions is making more space in my brain for things that actually matter. already so much change within a small amount of time.
i had the exact experience/perspective except my phone was stolen in February. I have access to my social media via laptop but I don't use it a lot, I have been so productive
when i quit social media the pro was that i felt more present in my life and looked forward to something everyday, the only con i would say is that sometimes it would make you feel lonely without it and maybe thats just me feeling the need to share what is going on in my life. i had a friend tell me she needed it because she felt that she was more alone than ever and really i didn’t know what advice to give her
Lack of social media never made me feel lonely. Maybe it's because I'm an older guy. Most of my friends are my coworkers now and they give me a lot to look forward to.
Yeah. The smartphone craze really just happened overnight. It really seemed like 2012 hit and there were some people smartphones here and there. Then, over summer vacation going into the fall, everyone had one. And in 2013 everyone had one including grandparents. So when people say smartphones were some gradual shift, its just not the case. At least from my experience. Growing up in the midwest it might be different. I was born in 1997, so my entire childhood was smartphone and social media free. Myspace and chatrooms existed, but no kids were going on that. We wanted to play the flash games on certain websites.
ya this is so true now that you say that. I was a HS freshman in 2012, phones were common, but not like an essential thing needed. but sophomore year everyone had a smartphone now that i think of it.
We're the same age, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about when you say everything kind of shifted around those years. I got my first phone as a freshman and it was a Samsung Exclaim (Still the coolest phone I ever had), then my family switched carriers and I got an iPhone 4 for the rest of HS. I remember going to class one day September 2013 and a kid got the brand new iPhone 5C literally next day which was insane to me. Earlier that week everyone's iPod Touch/iPhones switched to iOS 7 and it was like a whole event. Personally I mark the iOS 7 update as the end of an era, like that was the beginning of the end. The main social media site I was using around that time was tumblr, and if you used tumblr back then you know quality of life updates were sparse so we relied on Desktop extensions like XKit to add features. Mutuals on tumblr went from "the app is so bad I'm never using it" to "I wish the app wasn't so bad", to finally just switching to a social media site that was more app friendly like twitter. That's when I knew we were cooked. Now I use a dumbphone and an iPod and do all of my social media stuff on desktop. Going outside and seeing the normalized addiction to social media makes me feel like a boomer I can't lie. I've been yapping but, ironically, tech literacy seems to have reached peak shambles. You say kids weren't on MySpace, but at 13 (when I shouldn't have been on that site admittedly) I was figuring out custom HTML & CSS to have a custom glitter cursor on my page, then I was one of those people who gave out tumblr CSS profiles, which led me to start self-learning actual web dev, which ended up in me being a CS grad. Now I feel like if you want to learn to code as kid you have to purposely go out of your way to learn. It's not even code anymore bro like it's simple things like emails. TL;DR across all generations we are all becoming ipad babies no thoughts just tiktok and chatgpt
I have a generally different experience (partially due to my age, as I was a child around the time you're referring to) but smartphones WERE a gradual shift (around my area, at least). they were introduced in 2007 with the induction of the iPhone and then once more started hitting the market and they became less of a luxury item (with the advent of cheaper android phones), people started to catch on. But even that was slow because I can still recall seeing a good amount of people using flip phones/dumb phones in 2013-2014. I dont think it was until like 2016 or 2017 where pretty much everyone had a smartphone
I was born in 98. I feel so fortunate to have a childhood before the smart phone/social media craze. If it’s so hard for someone like me, who was never really into social media besides TH-cam, to not overstimulate themselves at times it must be almost impossible for children born with smart phones. If I ever am a parent, I will certainly be hesitant to give a smart phone to my child when their young. I want them to be able to practice some self control when their older and not let their devices do all their thinking for them.
this is such a nice thing to see. i’m 16 and it’s refreshing to see people embracing this lifestyle. i’ve deleted tiktok, snapchat, twitter, facebook, etc and very close to deleting instagram (i removed all my followers) it’s way harder to make friends, but i put my worries in the hands of God. i hope all is well for you chris and thank you for this informative video!! 😁
I can't IMAGINE having that much stuff to keep track of. I was on Facebook but I got locked out of it from a password reset issue. So now I'm only on youtube. That's really all I need, because I do like to post a little content every now and then.
The trickiest part of getting a generation to slowly stop using social media is you can't really convey it without being on social media. It's not a trend that can spread, it's like trying to make negative space catch on. I hope it happens though.
I quit in 2020, best thing I ever did. TH-cam is the only thing I use and a lot of my videos in my queue are educational or thought-provoking. I feel like a tool telling people they should quit, like some kind of Social Media Vegan, so I try to be low key about it but it's so evident anecdotally and statistically that it's nothing but detrimental for mental health. Since quitting social media I also quit my day job, started a business with my gf, started hitting the gym, got way better at guitar, etc. ,etc. It's life changing. Love this video, love your vibe, keep experiencing the adventure of real life!!
i've been off social media since january for a grad school class project. honestly don't wanna redownload it bc my mind is so much clearer... i also fell back in love with reading!!
I have zero social media accounts. I just never bought into the whole thing. I only have TH-cam and even then I don't "watch" the video...I put my phone down, turn it so the screen faces down, and will listen to the video instead. This helps me think more deeply about what I am listening to and helps me to avoid image overload. Our 15 year old son hates social media. When his father took him to his first rock concert to see KISS he refused to take his phone with him. He said he wanted to have a living memory of the experience and he couldn't do thst if he was busy filming it.
Just my 2 cents. I'm 23 and I had a similar experience while growing up. Used Snapchat, Instagram, and FB. Screen time and doom scrolling increased after 2020. Taking pics for the sake of public image and "awesomeness" instead of living to live. Your story is great man. Hearing someone frame their story as "Here's what I did and here's what I found out," instead of the formulaic "Pros & Cons" is refreshing. It's the most authentic you can get. Currently reading and implementing Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (which I would highly recommend) and I'm slowly regaining my mental clarity and focus. When you mentioned how it made you feel young again, this made so much sense since we didn't experience the boom until middle school. "There's beauty in normalcy." Definitely a gem considering how social media is just a highlight reel. --- TLDR: I agree. I love your story. I recommend the book "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport. I wish you the best.
Hey bro, Im 26 and deleted social media when I was a freshman in college (except TH-cam). The longer you go without it the more problems you see it causes. The biggest downside is that people interact with you less often, so it’s on you to reach out to people. But it’s still so worth it. Proud of you man!
Recently, I've started to think that what I do in my life I do just to put it on my social media. These are not my real desires, they are just desires to show it to others. Thanks a lot for the video.
Something I've realized is how much social media was contributing to a lack of personality in society. I found myself consuming content and picking up things I liked about different people, and thinking I want to keep that in mind for myself i.e. an outfit or a phrase. It was a lot of mental work to constantly collect different things and plan to apply them someday, and I was just constantly wanting to be other people in a way. So I compared myself a lot, hindered my creativity, and lost myself ? from relying on what I consumed and always thinking about the things I see online. As you shared, it's better to live in the present and learn things about people directly from conversing and experiencing with them. That way, you can also spend more time being yourself, which should feel fun and good. Social media has definitely impacted my confidence and ability to be present
i have been off TikTok and Instagram for half a year now and it's just so relieving but the only downside for me is that all of my friends are still spending up to 8 hours a day on social media and for some reason it disgusts me when they're in a social situation or at school just sitting and consuming the empty short-form content that gives no real value
same especially when we're sitting in class or senior lounge and everyone subconsciously goes on their phone, thankfully though me and my friends are pretty good at entertaining each other so it's not as bad as other people in our batch
my closest friend does not have social media and I don't think that makes our friendship any worse, maybe it even makes it better! i always keep her up to date either through irl or texting. what I've noticed about my other friends who have social media, is that they will often go on social media if they are bored while we are hanging out. It always feels sort of disrespectful for me because if we are hanging out, that means I am setting aside time for you; yet I am so uninteresting that you must see what has recently been posted? with my friend who does not have social media, we do sometimes have quiet moments when hanging out, I know that if I want to tell her something, she would have my full attention.
friends who go on their phone just to scroll mindlessly while we’re hanging out are rude ://// like, if i’m bored or have my socially battery drained on a hangout, i’ll thank them for the day and then just politely excuse myself. or try find something else to talk about or do w them. as you said, hanging out means setting time aside for each other, which is special. you can scroll to your heart’s extent any other time
I haven't even watched the video yet, but I just want to say that your videos have earnt a very special place in my heart. I cannot tell you how many times I've re-watched your 'Downgrading' video, it's almost my comfort YT video at this point. It was that video that pushed me to delete most social media accounts for good, and I've been much more fulfilled ever since. Thank you for your content. It is severely appreciated by all your viewers.
This is why I make TH-cam videos. This comment really means a lot, I'm honored that my videos can have such an impact in helping people's decisions. I'm super happy to hear that you're getting a little more out of life now :)
I love this!! its actually been my goal this year to stop using my phone so much bc tiktok and other short form media has destroyed my attention span. we’re the same age but sometimes I kinda envy my parents bc I wish we didn’t grow up with social media at all. The internet has it pros but god I think life would be simpler without all of us caring abt insta, sc, tiktok
This was a wonderful video to come across. I'm also in a very similar position with you, currently 23 years old finishing up the last year of my college. I have been on a loop of deleting instagram and going back onto it. It is almost demanded of me to have social media to exist as an artist. Yet, I have explored life and career paths enough to know I can make my way in life without tying myself to social media. My only concern is the "staying informed" part. Especially with what is happening in Gaza right now I do not trust mass corporate news outlets as my main source of information. I feel like mass media succeeds in pushing narratives and straying our attention away from taking action in directions that matter to us. TH-cam and instagram have proven to be amazing platforms on getting on the ground news. That's probably why I still am on social media, but I truly want to make this shift. Thank you for making this video, you seem like super chill dude.
it’s truly an addiction, and hearing your experience has been very eye opening for me and lots of others alike. i deleted tik tok in december of 2022, and i immediately just changed my drug of choice, i moved to youtube shorts and reels. it feels impossible to escape this short form content that is allowing me to fail health wise and academically. but it is possible 🙌
I really love how you said “I do things in extreme”. Especially with something like social media, there’s really not meant to be a balance, that’s been proven. I always felt a little crazy for wanting to delete everything but I realized that sometimes that’s the only way to really quit something. Thanks for this video!
it’s just a waste of time and it’s unless scrolling. i’m 23 years old and i just graduated college. i have no idea what i want to do with my life. i’m just trying to focus on myself and do things that i like.
I'm 42 and most of what I've wanted to do in my life I've done. I mostly want to make youtube videos about math now. But I ain't quitting my day job I'll tell you that. Video making doesn't pay the bills. Plus it's hard to think of math topics to post about. So many people post so much good stuff.
I’ve been off social media for 5 months now and I relate to so much of what you said! Def more time for hobbies, reading more, journaling, better grades, etc.
I deleted social media last december to focus on exams and I wasn’t planning on quitting forever but when I finished I no longer felt the need to go back. So I just stayed away!! I started reading again, enjoyed trips much more and YES I also started being so much more interested in my friends. I used to never want to hang out cuz I was socially burned and kinda asphyxiated by uni but now I have so much time I’ve reconnected with high school friends :))) Definitely the way to go
Reading is great. I read 5 books this year and I think I loved maybe 3 of them. But that's a pretty good ratio. I would say normally 10% of the books I read I don't like, 70% are okay, 15% are REAL good - good enough to make it worth reading the other 80% to find them, and 5% are LIFE CHANGING. So yeah, you won't always hit a home run with reading, but the more you do it, the more it will change your life. Some of my favorites are The Neverending Story and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Both were lifechanging for me.
Also a soon-to-graduate senior (at Case Western). Dropped my phone screen time by 57% last week; looking at a few flip phones. Decisions, decisions. Hope all's well, and I know I'm early, but best of luck on finals, man. Keep up the good work.
i've had a social media break for 6 months ago and was infinitely happier, this has inspired me to finally invest in a flip phone and say goodbye for good. i love your point on feeling like a child again and this is actually a goal of mine haha! time felt so magical and slow as a child. thank you so much for your good vibe and spreading this message on youtube!
I'm 38 and since 1997 I'm a social media consumer. I begun with mIRC and used every one of them one after another: ICQ, Fotolog, MySpace, Virtualia, Messenger, Tumblr, Vine, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, ... It has been 27 years, for Christ sake! A few years ago I quit Facebook, last year I quit Twitter and 2 months ago I quit Instagram. Enough, you know? For sure I miss the way things were before, but we all know how they are now. There are wisdom and truth in your words, Chris! I think it has been the most honest and genuine reflexion I've seen on TH-cam. Thanks for this.
This is incredible. I’ve struggled a lot with social media and screen time ever since I got a phone. I’m currently doing research on the reality of getting a flip phone. Finding your channel has helped me feel more confident in taking this step. Thank you!!
I think whats been making it so hard to delete social media is purely because I want to keep the photos I have there as a record... I mean I could keep it in my albums, but there's something nice about letting others know "Oh hey, I really like this what do you think of it?" But then, it has also brought me into some very scary situations... I also have friends on there and thats mostly whats holding me back... I should ask for their contacts...
hey if u have insta i highly recommend getting your info downloaded, u just request a backup through the meta accounts center and they send you an email when it's done downloading. i saved all my data and deactivated my account, i feel so free now AND i get to keep my posts and archives.
If you want to keep the record, you don't have to delete your account; you can just abandon it. If you worry about losing online friends, you could put a line in your Instagram bio (or whatever equivalent) saying like "Account inactive; contact at '...'", and set up a second email or something for online friends to continue communication with you. (I actually don't know if that's a great idea; it was just what came to mind)
Hey, have you considered getting a Papershoot camera for photos? I know there are a lot of ads for them, but my sister has one and they are actually legit. Wayyyy thinner and lighter than a traditional digital camera, can easily be slipped into your pocket, and they don't have a digital interface (so it's kinda like the old Polaroids in the sense that you don't really know how good the picture you got is, so it's exciting!). I've been off socials for a while and am fixing to get rid of my smart phone as well, though I have the same fears as you in regards to taking photos. Not sure if this'll help but might be something to look into! As for contacts, that's what I did when I left Instagram. I put out a story that basically said I was deleting my account in two days, and if people wanted to stay in touch to send me their phone number which I returned with mine. Only a few did tho
pure in it's essence, the editing and your rawness. Thank you ✨ I take a digital detox day once a week and every once in a while i completely go offline. I find myself finding more clarity, breathing better which soinds crazy and being more fulfilled. appreciate the perspective. such a great video.
9:32 I think removing social media doesn't just give you more time for hobbies, but gives you a clearer and more "open-to-new-things" headspace that makes you motivated to actually WANT to participate and be engaged in other things in life
You seem like such a great guy to be around. Loved every bit of this video! I also love that you mention the lack of nuance some creators have in viewing this conversation. Really a breadth of fresh air to relate to everything you’ve mentioned. Especially as a uni student.
After struggling with the start of my school year, I deleted all social media apps and games off my phone back in September, and have started leaving my phone at home while I am at school. Really helped with focusing in class, and even thought it is still an issue that my brain has been turned into literal toothpaste, working back from that has been a very beneficial process.
Thanks for sharing your experience! What you said about how deleting your socials won't solve all your problems, but rather give you mental space to put an effort and solve them, that is so true! I've been off instagram for 3 months now and honestly it's so much easier to just heal and get your shit together when you don't have that nauseous distraction. txs for sharing once again!
The feeling like a child again is so real!! I give up social media every summer, and I always feel like I’m a kid again!! So interesting to hear other people feel that as well
I’m only 24 but I think you’re very smart for realizing this! I’ve had my share of indulging in social media too. I couldn’t limit myself and cutting it out completely has helped so much to opening my eyes .Thank you for sharing!
the most relatable part of this is the ‘being more excited to post it than to actually experience it’ thing. for months i didn’t even care about events, i was just excited to see what all of my friends would think. for over a year i’ve been without any social media and it’s been freeing, i’ve been to concerts, events, fun outings, and i’m able to just live without taking so many photos and thinking of a post for them.
As someone who has been off of social media for about 8 months now, let me tell you - IT IS WORTH IT. Thank you for putting this video out. For me, it’s reaching my YT feed at a pertinent time ~ I’m in the process of really getting to know myself again, and that means deeply re-evaluating my habits and making sure they align with my core values. Everything you’ve mentioned - the doom-scrolling, the concerts, the hobbies - it couldn’t be more accurate! I started getting back into puzzles, reading, dancing, journaling. I’m so grateful that everyone who found this video feels similarly ~ it reignites my hope that if I keep true to my values, I will meet the people who are right for me. It might be a lonely path when you start out, but you will truly get back in touch with yourself - and that’s something more precious than anyone could ask for xx
14:00 such good point! stereotypes caused by social media accounts is one of the major reasons why we are anxious to meet new people. There's much more than what they want to display. Whether good or bad it's not that bad to find out by yourself. Talking to people allows you to keep up with the fact that human beings are complex! In a world that is trying to make everyone look the same and think the same...
you are at the beginning wave of waking up and realizing how our country works. You broke the barrier! I have been without social media for 6 years now and it is eye opening! Also btw, as a community college student, I get asked about snap or insta. Once I tell them that I don't have any, I just get called a nerd. It doesn't bother me. A side note: Try to not focus so much on productivity. You have time. Don't take life so seriously. Relax, enjoy life, spread love, and remember to breathe! :D
I’m a similar age to you and it is definitely strange remembering life before social media really set in. I remember in around 2012 I got given a second hand iPhone 3G and I was one of the first people in my school to get a smartphone - I literally had a crowd form around me the first day I brought it in and people were instantly mesmerised by it. What I didn’t know then was that fixation with the phone was here to stay and it spread rapidly over the next few months until by the time I left school in 2016 it was not uncommon to see groups of people sitting at lunch in absolute silence for up to 30 mins, all just fixated on their phone and in a social media coma - the same people that just 4 years earlier would socialise normally with no concept of what smartphones would mean for the world
I felt everything you said. I'm 18 and did the same thing. I only use TH-cam and Linkedin for educational/professional purposes. My life has improved in every possible aspect and I feel like I have more time to do what I really want (hobbies, projects, socializing, studying, ...). Thank you for making this video, I hope it reaches more people.
What I've been doing this past week is not completely erasing my social media usage (among other habits), but instead repurposing it into something more fulfilling. For example, here on TH-cam I used to consume a lot of short-form, super flashy content, but now I'm doing the opposite. I'm 20 and I also witnessed social media become a trend in my middle school years and even back then I was very skeptical of new tech that had nothing to do with the video games I played, so I never jumped on that bandwagon. Doing things this way made all of the little things appear bigger and the important things better for me.
Love this for you! I deleted social media during my sophomore year of high school until senior year. Those 3 years offline completely changed my life. Im a freshman in college now and have a healthy relationship with social media now (I barely go on it, except TH-cam) and I’m able to have it while still living well! 10/10 completely recommend deleting it, even if it’s just for a while. There’s something amazing about living a private life. You become more grateful for the smaller things in life and really live!! Guys, please don’t scroll your life away! You live ONCE! You can do it, just delete it for at least 1 day.
Its the day I completed 1 month away from social media.I always felt overwhelming and less energetic and I decided to give it a go."The decision " - It's totally worth it!
Hi Chris, Thanks for the insightful video. Growing up without the internet, I have a different perspective. My son faced teasing for not having social media, and though he eventually got a phone at 15, we held off on social media until he was nearly 17. Witnessing the pressure he faced to be online was incredibly disheartening. His time is now consumed by scrolling, and it's so sad to see him lose interest in his previous passions like reading, playing drums and writing. I'm grateful for the shifting attitudes toward social media among Gen-Z, and regretful that it was ever introduced to our society. I think it has caused more harm than good. As a parent, it is incredibly difficult to figure out what is best and what I should control versus what I need to let my teen figure out for himself. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! It gives me hope. :)
I totally relate to what you said about having genuine interest in learning about what others are up to! When you get someone's Instagram before you really get to know them, not only can that create preconceived notions about that person (social media is NOT an accurate representation of someone or their life!) but it can also make conversations less organic and intriguing because now you already know some things about them before you even got the chance to ask! Also I love the conversational tone of your video! Very minimal cuts and seeing you bring up another point when something popped up in your head - it is so cool to see how you process and explain everything without heavy distracting editing. I have had Snapchat and Tiktok deleted for years, and I just deleted Instagram about a week ago. I am so excited about my decision and coming across your video really assures me that I made the right choice. Thank you!
one thing that stands out to me is the rawness, honesty and excitement coming from this video. maybe it's the fact it's unedited. really appreciate it!
Don’t go on social media. Get 8 hours of regular sleep. Do something active. Eat whole instead of processed food. And do something selfless for someone else. That’s a good day.
I loved this video soo much ! Thanks you for this ! Also the no-editing is so nice and refreshing, you've really comforted me in the idea of getting rid of social media !
completlety agree abt “more interaction” with my friends part, i deleted insta for half year and i always tell my friends I’ll prefer we can call each others or hangout to catch up! I’ll be so keen to listen to ur story and tea not the dry text or “aesthetic pic” online……the conver r so genuinely like u said. totally feel that! hope this video reach to more ppl, might be great to have more ppl like this around!
I'm not hoping to quit, but I seriously need to detach myself. I find a lot of benefits in social media, it lets me see things about my family back in my home country or my friends I've moved to a different state from. It lets me see beautiful art and discuss it with complete strangers, I truly think that's a wonderful thing that brightens my day. But social media also makes me cry, nearly every day, about how people see me. Every comment I see making fun of someone's looks or being violent towards someone's sheer existence feels like it's being targeted directly at me- even though it very much isn't. Well anyway, great video! I think even if most of us won't quit, something like this which encourages us to be more skeptical about our reliance on internet platforms is always a good thing :)
i can relate with everything that you're saying. I am just like you. like we are exactly the same you just put my entire life into words which makes me realise how similar everyone in our generation is
I've deleted social Media since may 2024 and I got better in school and i could handle my life better. Without any weird influence u can show up your own opinion much better.
really appreciated the college life perspective because ive been stressing about going into my 1st year after having been off of social media for a year , i dont feel like going back at all but some of my friends have told me that id be the weird one out for not having it in college so heres to hoping my college peeps are just as cool with it as yours were
I want to switch to a flip phone so badly but I need Whatsapp for classes as it's the main form of communication in South Asia. I'll consider deleting social media apps. Thank you for this video, it was inspiring!
There's flip phones that do WhatsApp, either out the box (Like the Samsung Folder) or through downloading the WhatsApp APK from a PC to the phone then installing from the phone, since many recent flips run android
I think the best thing that comes out after cutting social media off is the free time. We all know that we have million things to do yet we choose scrolling over them 'cause of the dopamine. I can study for like 2 hours straight. I feel more productive even though it has only been like a week😅😅😅😅. I can visualize my long term goals and the steps that I need to take to fulfill them. And seriously the pressure has been reducing so much as now I don't compare myself to others and been focusing on myself. Loved the video new sub here.
BROOO, this is splendid, and well done on your commitment! I got off of my iPhone and have transitioned into an e-ink type of one (Light Phone II)... This is a great reminder to keep going, thanks man
With social media, life so easily becomes content farming for your online persona. Big props to you for seeing through it and finding a different way forward!
I used to be completely addicted to Twitter & Insta, my highest screen time in a day was 14 hours. I quit in December 2020 & was doing great for a while, then got sucked into TikTok last year. Sad part is I spend so much time on these apps, but they provide so little happiness or benefit for me. You've inspired me to really get off my phone & start living again. I'm always worried I'll be boring if I'm not into trends or what's going on online, but you seem really cool & unique doing your own thing, that's really refreshing to see. Keep doing what you're doing, you've inspired me to get my life together & you've earned a sub :)
Thank you for making this video!! For me, I’ve slowly chipped down my social media usage by deleting pretty much every other app than youtube, but I have noticed a problem with this cause now instead of scrolling mindlessly on Instagram, I just do it here :( This video gave me the inspiration to delete it for good from my phone and I’m really wishing that the boredom isn’t going to be too harsh, but also it’s going to be pretty exciting, I have so much I can (and have to..) do! Deleting this now, thank you so much for sharing your experience! It’s gonna help many people
i felt that way too, with wanting to post about things, more than actually living things in my life. It really has been a validation force, showing how "cool" i am - or just wanting to get approval
Love your vibe and your kindness! For me, it was quitting game/redpillism, which has a lot of tremendous parallels to the experiences you talked about here. I was introduced to game/pick-up artistry when I was 15, and it really distorted my perception of people, for like 5-8 years. I'm slowly starting to shed my maladaptive beliefs about people, etc. and can see the beauty in people and connect with them, instead of having a head full of assumptions and mistrust. It ties into the Buddhist idea of compassion - which in their definition, is sort of expanding your awareness to understand and see the world through everyone's eyes. Anyway, I experience a lot of parallels to what you talk about. Feeling like a kid again, accessing the same compassion or experience of time of life. As kids, we don't know anything about the world. It's a trip. And now too, I feel like I'm returning to that.
Recently I’ve been trying to consciously consume the media I engage with. I’ve been leaving thoughtful comments, reflecting on the videos I’ve watched, and using short-form social media less. So thank you for making this video, it took me 2 days to watch it. And I’m glad it did, I’ve gotten back into reading because of this video. You speak your thoughts in a way that resonates with my sense of adventure, I feel inspired almost. ❤
I swapped to a flip phone a couple months ago and I honestly love it. I still have my laptop so I can check social media but I never really feel the need. The only thing i find dificult is QR codes being everywhere which i cant use.
I’m looking forward to more content from this channel because this video was very nice :) I get stuck doomscrolling for hours even though I only have Instagram. I initially had no social media cuz I knew the risks but I got it to keep in touch with friends and post memories. I kind of have a fear of forgetting all the happy memories in my life cuz my best friend since middle school talks about all these memories and details about me during middle and high school that I just have absolutely no memory of for some reason. The recollection is just very vague. So that’s probably a big contributor to continuing posting and keeping Instagram for me. I try to keep a healthy mindset about it, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job, but it’s just the doomscrolling that gets me every time.
I've already deleted every social media on my phone, and you confirmed all my thoughts around the core cause of my everyday problems. You even low-key made me excited to be even less on my phone. This video really found me on the right moment. :) My screen time already went down from 8-10 hours a day to around 5-3 which isn't perfect but it's already a big step towards my goal.
the truth is that short form contents not only consume energy but also reduce our patience level and focus level thats why todays youth have less focus attention to any activities.....
I really really really appreciate you for making this video. It’s so hard to find someone who has a flip phone instead of an iphone for example. I have been heavily considering switching to a flip phone for some time now bc of how distracting and accessible touch screens are. Even though i have worked my way through getting rid of the horrible addiction of consuming fast content, i still have an issue with binge watching youtube or even netflix. I just want to be able to maximize my productivity and feel more fulfilled doing things I actually love. I can remember as a child being eager to write and read books but once I got my first touch screen I completely lost track of myself.
Once I had my smartphone, I only had WhatsApp, then I downloaded Telegram. Honestly, I am very comfortable with my life now, and I don't get very sad or concerned about the bad news happening around the world (which it is a problem for me). I think I'm living in the true moments. But I'm planning to switch to a flip phone after I complete my master's degree 😍. Note: My mom and dad have Nokia cell phones, and I'm very proud of them ❤
The worst thing about social media is those short-form videos, they hypnotise you and suck the attention right out of you.
Yes they are…… and I hate how youtube has the ‘shorts’ automatically on every feed and you cant get rid of them… Its hard to study for long periods of time without getting the urge to take a break and scroll for a couple minutes
@jenna3226 there's actually a TH-cam tutorial on how to get rid of TH-cam shorts. You have to do it through computer though
I think reclaiming my attention span was one of the biggest wins for sure
@@onlyonelove5628Hi, do you r
know what keyword to type to find it
this is so trueeeeeeeeee i am currently a victim
the fact that this video is unedited is very refreshing
His positivity also.
Yes, really!
yeahhh this seems real
yeahh but there are cut's in between.. I think.?
@@ArpitRai-s3f umm not filled with transitions and sound effects .....
when you talked about feeling more excited to post an event then to actually live it that really hits
Same. Made me think back to when my husband and I first started going to concerts in 2009 and I only had a crappy camera so I didn’t bother taking it with me or we weren’t allowed back then. I got maybe one or two photos on the world’s worst flip phone camera lol. But we were there to enjoy the moment. Now we go to a concert and I record 90% of it - for what reason? Am I ever gonna watch it again?
exactly! that's the same as what i am feeling and i always prefer to facetime my friend or talk to them face to face for sharing cuz that feel way much better than mechanically texting that I used to do
REAL
It’s kinda scary knowing most people haven’t gone more than 24hrs without a smartphone since they have owned one.
This commented needs to be pinned. Underrated imo
ugh so true
Yeah. I remember the days before phones and GPS, I would use real maps if I got lost. Nowadays I feel unsafe if I do not have my phone with me at all times.. Can't be good.
Fr. I’m one of them
@@hoangthuan307 I am too don’t worry😂
deleting social media helped me better my grades and my relationship with my family/friends its a new world
A nonvirtual world!
This is so true. I’ve never had straight A’s before. Since disconnecting for 6 months, I’ve maintained straight A’s in all of my classes.
@@torielle7812 my grades are really bad but it's because of social media
I'm deleting all my social media on Sunday
And ill start focusing on God , school and myself
I really wanna pick my grades
@@lilbby1580sameee, wish u the best in this new journey of yours 💗
@@lilbby1580hows it going
Two weeks without social media after trying several times. I have more time and energy to study, read, and go deeper into things I really enjoy like journaling, drawing, meditating and even teaching my husband my native language. This time I really want it to be a permanent thing and not just a detox. I am 24 and feel really bad looking back on the last 4 years and how much I missed because I was too distracted, too overstimulated, and too confused to focus on what really mattered to me.
You're reclaiming your life, I'm wishing you the best!!
Amen, I'm on the same vibe
Meu celular foi roubado e minha produtividade melhorou SIGNIFICAMENTE. Voltei a usar o Instagram, piorou. Desativei, melhorou. Melhor coisa evitar redes sociais, e em principal, redes como Instagram. Pra mim, Facebook pode ser útil (grupos+páginas de notícias), TH-cam é muito útil (não consumo vlogs ou entretenimento vazio), e por aí vai
@@thiagogregory1 Concordo totalmente! Instagram virou muita bagunça, um app que faz literalmente de tudo pra te manter preso ali. Minha meta é continuar fora dessa rede social e ir aprendendo a usar outras com mais consciencia, autonomia e liberdade.
Try being 34 and you’ve spent over half your life playing world of Warcraft and doom scrolling lol. 🫠
"There's beauty in the mediocre days"
WORD
I think i needed to hear that
Honestly I’m seeing that too
Watch the movie Perfect Days by Wim Wenders. 2+ hours of beauty in the mundane. It’ll test your attention span too.
We need to bring back those simpler times with no social media; I love the idea of personal blogs or web pages - but today we are oversaturated with content, it’s endless and addicting.
Loved the video and great vibes, keep it up!
Thank you!!!
right? its almost as if internet is the one consuming us rather than us consuming it. even having as little as 2 hours of doom scrolling just means that we turned our brain off for that amount of time. as if i escaped living for 2 hours. its a scary thing.
I would definitely suggest looking into neocities if you're into that kind of thing, it's been so fun to create a personal blog and learn html at the same time :)
Let’s just only use TH-cam honestly everyone here is way nicer
Not in my experience. But I like the math videos on youtube.
I definitely wouldn't say we are nicer...
Read more
Not me though
@pinchpeak5203 oh you tricked me!
@@pinchpeak5203urgh omg😭🤣🤣
Just from your vibe and excitement to share your experience, makes me wanna really consider quitting social media
Yup!!
If you’re afraid of committing to it long term, just try to stay clear from it on weekends and see how it feels.
Ist the best thing to do
I like how you didn’t make any edits to the video! Was nice to just watch it through
You guys get my unedited stream of consciousness. I personally hate when videos constantly jumpcut around haha
When I was going into University nearly a decade ago, I got asked for my Facebook details for a group project. When I apologised and said that I didn't have any social media accounts, I got met with a round of glares and I swear to god, an "oh, you're one of THOSE". I'm so glad that people are more understanding now, these days I'm usually met with things like "what a mood" 😂😂
Shifting perspectives!!!
To preface, I have never had social media. I am 21, same gradeyear as you. I just wanted to mention that I totally have "satellite friends" and one of my favorite hobbies is scrolling through my contacts and just calling people and saying hi even if I haven't talked to them in a long time. You'll never lose a connection that's worth having by going off social media imo.
I love this!!!
so adorable
That is *very* old school. At least as a mid-30s millennial. My generation does everything possible to NOT talk to people on the phone. It’s a shame because i know it’s had an effect on me, too.
I didn’t grow up this way. Yeah, we had AIM and Yahoo Messenger, but you had to be, you know, at the keyboard. On the computer. In your house. On dialup internet. So we used the phone a lot. Now, my generation is full of anxious neurotic weirdos who can’t call someone on the phone without having a panic attack. I know, I’m one of them.
I like your way so much better.
I want such friend
Can we be friends
I deleted tik tok on my phone 2 years ago but found myself missing some creators whose content I genuinely enjoyed. Now I watch them on my laptop because it’s harder to scroll the fyp. I recommend doing this if ur scared of completely deleted tik tok. Also I just deleted Instagram after watching this!!!
I just deleted Tiktok! Small wins
I do that to. Do you still have an account on tiktok or u just go on tiktok without an account ?
I never downloaded tik tok ever because of the security issues. But i still watch youtube shorts which Are the same thing
same this is an underrated hack. ive always had social media detox periods since 2020 and sometimes if im missing smth too much or urgently wanna open it i do it with my laptop so its less easy to get sucked in
I did the same with instagram and it helped so much! I deleted the app and now only check it once a day via the browser to catch stories insteadt of scrolling mindlessly
Being off of social media basically makes you more alert and competent when facing difficult obstacles.
12:28 i don't care how controversial this sounds but it's facts. social media has increased social anxiety by a MASSIVE percentage. many kids/teenagers/adults who are lonely, never learned to be social at all because they grew up in this world of phones, video games!, twitter! the place where you can chat to people with words at the comfort of ur own home!! aka meaning that you don't leave ur comfort zone at all. and are left socially awkward. we truly need to disconnect and socialize.
Going in the outside world to talk to people sounds great if you're someone the outside world is willing to accept and allow into their spaces. I grew up on the internet because I didn't get bullied there like I was getting bullied at school for years. Real life taught me I'm not welcome there. So I stay where I belong. If I didn't have internet I'd be significantly lonelier. The few friends I did make at school are all out of contact with me now... but my internet friends stuck by me. And I'm not about to abandon them after all they've done for me.
@@sapiescent now the best step would be turning those online friends into irl friends by visiting them
@@Justinhulk Any tips on affording a plane ticket across an entire ocean to then pay for food and accommodation while I visit those friends, who are also broke and wouldn't be able to chip in?
@@sapiescent you said "Real life taught me I'm not welcome there. So I stay where I belong" but its bullshit. it literally quite is bullshit. because yes theres shit people but theres alot of good people too. find them. and getting a job is how u deal with traveling. and guess what getting a job = potentionally being friends with coworkers
@@Justinhulk Hey fun fact an employer's first impressions of you - including whether they judge you to be conventionally attractive and neurotypical - influences your ability to get and keep a job. I am not wanted. The few jobs that do have decent employers I'd rather let someone else who deserves them more keep, since they're in limited supply.
i am a freshman and my phone broke by late february. i felt too ashamed to ask for my parents to get it fixed because we were a bit short on money so from then on i haven't had a phone for a little more than a month now. i spent significantly less time on social media even if i could access it through my laptop (i got super lazy logging into my accounts). it's funny because the way my phone broke was so ridiculous it's as if it was divine intervention for my abysmal screen time.
also! the biggest thing that i learned is being mindful. the absence of a phone to distract me from making well thought out decisions is making more space in my brain for things that actually matter. already so much change within a small amount of time.
It's all mindset.
i had the exact experience/perspective except my phone was stolen in February. I have access to my social media via laptop but I don't use it a lot, I have been so productive
when i quit social media the pro was that i felt more present in my life and looked forward to something everyday, the only con i would say is that sometimes it would make you feel lonely without it and maybe thats just me feeling the need to share what is going on in my life. i had a friend tell me she needed it because she felt that she was more alone than ever and really i didn’t know what advice to give her
If she's feeling alone, I'd probably say just to be a friend to her, and show her that social media isn't really a solution to her loneliness.
I still feel alone using socal media to be honest
@@mesekkai same, actually
i really understand that
Lack of social media never made me feel lonely. Maybe it's because I'm an older guy. Most of my friends are my coworkers now and they give me a lot to look forward to.
Yeah. The smartphone craze really just happened overnight. It really seemed like 2012 hit and there were some people smartphones here and there. Then, over summer vacation going into the fall, everyone had one. And in 2013 everyone had one including grandparents. So when people say smartphones were some gradual shift, its just not the case. At least from my experience. Growing up in the midwest it might be different.
I was born in 1997, so my entire childhood was smartphone and social media free. Myspace and chatrooms existed, but no kids were going on that. We wanted to play the flash games on certain websites.
ya this is so true now that you say that. I was a HS freshman in 2012, phones were common, but not like an essential thing needed. but sophomore year everyone had a smartphone now that i think of it.
We're the same age, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about when you say everything kind of shifted around those years. I got my first phone as a freshman and it was a Samsung Exclaim (Still the coolest phone I ever had), then my family switched carriers and I got an iPhone 4 for the rest of HS. I remember going to class one day September 2013 and a kid got the brand new iPhone 5C literally next day which was insane to me. Earlier that week everyone's iPod Touch/iPhones switched to iOS 7 and it was like a whole event.
Personally I mark the iOS 7 update as the end of an era, like that was the beginning of the end. The main social media site I was using around that time was tumblr, and if you used tumblr back then you know quality of life updates were sparse so we relied on Desktop extensions like XKit to add features. Mutuals on tumblr went from "the app is so bad I'm never using it" to "I wish the app wasn't so bad", to finally just switching to a social media site that was more app friendly like twitter. That's when I knew we were cooked.
Now I use a dumbphone and an iPod and do all of my social media stuff on desktop. Going outside and seeing the normalized addiction to social media makes me feel like a boomer I can't lie. I've been yapping but, ironically, tech literacy seems to have reached peak shambles. You say kids weren't on MySpace, but at 13 (when I shouldn't have been on that site admittedly) I was figuring out custom HTML & CSS to have a custom glitter cursor on my page, then I was one of those people who gave out tumblr CSS profiles, which led me to start self-learning actual web dev, which ended up in me being a CS grad. Now I feel like if you want to learn to code as kid you have to purposely go out of your way to learn. It's not even code anymore bro like it's simple things like emails.
TL;DR across all generations we are all becoming ipad babies no thoughts just tiktok and chatgpt
I have a generally different experience (partially due to my age, as I was a child around the time you're referring to) but smartphones WERE a gradual shift (around my area, at least). they were introduced in 2007 with the induction of the iPhone and then once more started hitting the market and they became less of a luxury item (with the advent of cheaper android phones), people started to catch on. But even that was slow because I can still recall seeing a good amount of people using flip phones/dumb phones in 2013-2014. I dont think it was until like 2016 or 2017 where pretty much everyone had a smartphone
I was born in 98. I feel so fortunate to have a childhood before the smart phone/social media craze. If it’s so hard for someone like me, who was never really into social media besides TH-cam, to not overstimulate themselves at times it must be almost impossible for children born with smart phones. If I ever am a parent, I will certainly be hesitant to give a smart phone to my child when their young. I want them to be able to practice some self control when their older and not let their devices do all their thinking for them.
@@jacobharris5894 Same, bro.
this is such a nice thing to see. i’m 16 and it’s refreshing to see people embracing this lifestyle. i’ve deleted tiktok, snapchat, twitter, facebook, etc and very close to deleting instagram (i removed all my followers) it’s way harder to make friends, but i put my worries in the hands of God. i hope all is well for you chris and thank you for this informative video!! 😁
The friends will come as long as you're genuine
I can't IMAGINE having that much stuff to keep track of. I was on Facebook but I got locked out of it from a password reset issue. So now I'm only on youtube. That's really all I need, because I do like to post a little content every now and then.
The trickiest part of getting a generation to slowly stop using social media is you can't really convey it without being on social media. It's not a trend that can spread, it's like trying to make negative space catch on. I hope it happens though.
the dopamine detox is a trend right now
Well it could trend in the way that this guy could inspire some of his friends who could inspire some others of their friends and so on and so on
@@Theolddaysaregone True. But the people who need to see this trend don't have friends.
@@danielthealien107 Hahaha, that is a good point as well.
I think this is a false dichotomy. You absolutely can use social media to convey this message.
I quit in 2020, best thing I ever did. TH-cam is the only thing I use and a lot of my videos in my queue are educational or thought-provoking. I feel like a tool telling people they should quit, like some kind of Social Media Vegan, so I try to be low key about it but it's so evident anecdotally and statistically that it's nothing but detrimental for mental health. Since quitting social media I also quit my day job, started a business with my gf, started hitting the gym, got way better at guitar, etc. ,etc. It's life changing. Love this video, love your vibe, keep experiencing the adventure of real life!!
Yeah, I only really bring it up if prompted haha. It's cool that people are starting to realize how bad social media is for us, though
you quit during covid?? you're so strong
i've been off social media since january for a grad school class project. honestly don't wanna redownload it bc my mind is so much clearer... i also fell back in love with reading!!
Sick! What was the class on?
@@christ0fu substance abuse & addictions--we all had to give up a bad habit to understand difficulties that go along w that
I have zero social media accounts. I just never bought into the whole thing. I only have TH-cam and even then I don't "watch" the video...I put my phone down, turn it so the screen faces down, and will listen to the video instead. This helps me think more deeply about what I am listening to and helps me to avoid image overload. Our 15 year old son hates social media. When his father took him to his first rock concert to see KISS he refused to take his phone with him. He said he wanted to have a living memory of the experience and he couldn't do thst if he was busy filming it.
Just my 2 cents.
I'm 23 and I had a similar experience while growing up. Used Snapchat, Instagram, and FB. Screen time and doom scrolling increased after 2020. Taking pics for the sake of public image and "awesomeness" instead of living to live.
Your story is great man. Hearing someone frame their story as "Here's what I did and here's what I found out," instead of the formulaic "Pros & Cons" is refreshing. It's the most authentic you can get.
Currently reading and implementing Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (which I would highly recommend) and I'm slowly regaining my mental clarity and focus.
When you mentioned how it made you feel young again, this made so much sense since we didn't experience the boom until middle school.
"There's beauty in normalcy." Definitely a gem considering how social media is just a highlight reel.
---
TLDR: I agree. I love your story. I recommend the book "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport. I wish you the best.
I'll check out the book! Thanks for the rec and the kind words.
Thanks for mentioning the book. I got to know about it through your comment now I wanna read it
Hey bro, Im 26 and deleted social media when I was a freshman in college (except TH-cam). The longer you go without it the more problems you see it causes. The biggest downside is that people interact with you less often, so it’s on you to reach out to people. But it’s still so worth it. Proud of you man!
I wasn't even getting interaction on there either anyway 😂
Recently, I've started to think that what I do in my life I do just to put it on my social media. These are not my real desires, they are just desires to show it to others.
Thanks a lot for the video.
Something I've realized is how much social media was contributing to a lack of personality in society. I found myself consuming content and picking up things I liked about different people, and thinking I want to keep that in mind for myself i.e. an outfit or a phrase. It was a lot of mental work to constantly collect different things and plan to apply them someday, and I was just constantly wanting to be other people in a way. So I compared myself a lot, hindered my creativity, and lost myself ? from relying on what I consumed and always thinking about the things I see online. As you shared, it's better to live in the present and learn things about people directly from conversing and experiencing with them. That way, you can also spend more time being yourself, which should feel fun and good. Social media has definitely impacted my confidence and ability to be present
i have been off TikTok and Instagram for half a year now and it's just so relieving but the only downside for me is that all of my friends are still spending up to 8 hours a day on social media and for some reason it disgusts me when they're in a social situation or at school just sitting and consuming the empty short-form content that gives no real value
same especially when we're sitting in class or senior lounge and everyone subconsciously goes on their phone, thankfully though me and my friends are pretty good at entertaining each other so it's not as bad as other people in our batch
it really is disgusting
my closest friend does not have social media and I don't think that makes our friendship any worse, maybe it even makes it better! i always keep her up to date either through irl or texting. what I've noticed about my other friends who have social media, is that they will often go on social media if they are bored while we are hanging out. It always feels sort of disrespectful for me because if we are hanging out, that means I am setting aside time for you; yet I am so uninteresting that you must see what has recently been posted? with my friend who does not have social media, we do sometimes have quiet moments when hanging out, I know that if I want to tell her something, she would have my full attention.
friends who go on their phone just to scroll mindlessly while we’re hanging out are rude ://// like, if i’m bored or have my socially battery drained on a hangout, i’ll thank them for the day and then just politely excuse myself. or try find something else to talk about or do w them.
as you said, hanging out means setting time aside for each other, which is special. you can scroll to your heart’s extent any other time
this was so sweet
I haven't even watched the video yet, but I just want to say that your videos have earnt a very special place in my heart. I cannot tell you how many times I've re-watched your 'Downgrading' video, it's almost my comfort YT video at this point. It was that video that pushed me to delete most social media accounts for good, and I've been much more fulfilled ever since.
Thank you for your content. It is severely appreciated by all your viewers.
This is why I make TH-cam videos. This comment really means a lot, I'm honored that my videos can have such an impact in helping people's decisions. I'm super happy to hear that you're getting a little more out of life now :)
I love this!! its actually been my goal this year to stop using my phone so much bc tiktok and other short form media has destroyed my attention span. we’re the same age but sometimes I kinda envy my parents bc I wish we didn’t grow up with social media at all. The internet has it pros but god I think life would be simpler without all of us caring abt insta, sc, tiktok
This young man is going places. This experience will forever change your life.
This was a wonderful video to come across. I'm also in a very similar position with you, currently 23 years old finishing up the last year of my college. I have been on a loop of deleting instagram and going back onto it. It is almost demanded of me to have social media to exist as an artist. Yet, I have explored life and career paths enough to know I can make my way in life without tying myself to social media.
My only concern is the "staying informed" part. Especially with what is happening in Gaza right now I do not trust mass corporate news outlets as my main source of information. I feel like mass media succeeds in pushing narratives and straying our attention away from taking action in directions that matter to us. TH-cam and instagram have proven to be amazing platforms on getting on the ground news. That's probably why I still am on social media, but I truly want to make this shift.
Thank you for making this video, you seem like super chill dude.
Super valid points, it's definitely a process getting trustworthy news in the digital age.
it’s truly an addiction, and hearing your experience has been very eye opening for me and lots of others alike. i deleted tik tok in december of 2022, and i immediately just changed my drug of choice, i moved to youtube shorts and reels. it feels impossible to escape this short form content that is allowing me to fail health wise and academically. but it is possible 🙌
I really love how you said “I do things in extreme”. Especially with something like social media, there’s really not meant to be a balance, that’s been proven. I always felt a little crazy for wanting to delete everything but I realized that sometimes that’s the only way to really quit something. Thanks for this video!
it’s just a waste of time and it’s unless scrolling. i’m 23 years old and i just graduated college. i have no idea what i want to do with my life. i’m just trying to focus on myself and do things that i like.
I'm 42 and most of what I've wanted to do in my life I've done. I mostly want to make youtube videos about math now. But I ain't quitting my day job I'll tell you that. Video making doesn't pay the bills. Plus it's hard to think of math topics to post about. So many people post so much good stuff.
@@theboombody Most people started by posting pretty shitty normal stuff and grew from there. Be courageous over how easy the competition can be.
@@JUSSHUSS Yeah but I don't particularly want to make youtube videos for a living. I'm happy doing it as a hobby.
I’ve been off social media for 5 months now and I relate to so much of what you said! Def more time for hobbies, reading more, journaling, better grades, etc.
big wins!
My god ! Even the room's "décor" looks like the good old days ! And You look so in peace brother ! Congrats for escaping
I deleted social media last december to focus on exams and I wasn’t planning on quitting forever but when I finished I no longer felt the need to go back. So I just stayed away!! I started reading again, enjoyed trips much more and YES I also started being so much more interested in my friends. I used to never want to hang out cuz I was socially burned and kinda asphyxiated by uni but now I have so much time I’ve reconnected with high school friends :)))
Definitely the way to go
Reading is great. I read 5 books this year and I think I loved maybe 3 of them. But that's a pretty good ratio. I would say normally 10% of the books I read I don't like, 70% are okay, 15% are REAL good - good enough to make it worth reading the other 80% to find them, and 5% are LIFE CHANGING. So yeah, you won't always hit a home run with reading, but the more you do it, the more it will change your life. Some of my favorites are The Neverending Story and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Both were lifechanging for me.
thanks to you brother , i too bought a flip phone and cured my internet addition , i am very grateful for you videos keep it up
This means a lot, I'm glad we're reclaiming our lives.
I just love how this is not edited in the sense of cuts
Also a soon-to-graduate senior (at Case Western). Dropped my phone screen time by 57% last week; looking at a few flip phones. Decisions, decisions.
Hope all's well, and I know I'm early, but best of luck on finals, man. Keep up the good work.
yeah cwru💪 also how do you plan to duo mobile with a flip phone? that's the thing holding me back most
you can make duo mobile send a text message!
@@christ0fu Duuuude, you're a lifesaver. Just saw this and set it up; thanks so much!
i've had a social media break for 6 months ago and was infinitely happier, this has inspired me to finally invest in a flip phone and say goodbye for good. i love your point on feeling like a child again and this is actually a goal of mine haha! time felt so magical and slow as a child. thank you so much for your good vibe and spreading this message on youtube!
I'm 38 and since 1997 I'm a social media consumer. I begun with mIRC and used every one of them one after another: ICQ, Fotolog, MySpace, Virtualia, Messenger, Tumblr, Vine, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, ... It has been 27 years, for Christ sake! A few years ago I quit Facebook, last year I quit Twitter and 2 months ago I quit Instagram. Enough, you know? For sure I miss the way things were before, but we all know how they are now.
There are wisdom and truth in your words, Chris! I think it has been the most honest and genuine reflexion I've seen on TH-cam. Thanks for this.
This is incredible. I’ve struggled a lot with social media and screen time ever since I got a phone. I’m currently doing research on the reality of getting a flip phone. Finding your channel has helped me feel more confident in taking this step. Thank you!!
I think whats been making it so hard to delete social media is purely because I want to keep the photos I have there as a record... I mean I could keep it in my albums, but there's something nice about letting others know "Oh hey, I really like this what do you think of it?" But then, it has also brought me into some very scary situations... I also have friends on there and thats mostly whats holding me back... I should ask for their contacts...
Super valid, I usually keep a small digital camera on me, which can definitely get burdensome at times
hey if u have insta i highly recommend getting your info downloaded, u just request a backup through the meta accounts center and they send you an email when it's done downloading. i saved all my data and deactivated my account, i feel so free now AND i get to keep my posts and archives.
If you want to keep the record, you don't have to delete your account; you can just abandon it. If you worry about losing online friends, you could put a line in your Instagram bio (or whatever equivalent) saying like "Account inactive; contact at '...'", and set up a second email or something for online friends to continue communication with you. (I actually don't know if that's a great idea; it was just what came to mind)
Hey, have you considered getting a Papershoot camera for photos? I know there are a lot of ads for them, but my sister has one and they are actually legit. Wayyyy thinner and lighter than a traditional digital camera, can easily be slipped into your pocket, and they don't have a digital interface (so it's kinda like the old Polaroids in the sense that you don't really know how good the picture you got is, so it's exciting!). I've been off socials for a while and am fixing to get rid of my smart phone as well, though I have the same fears as you in regards to taking photos. Not sure if this'll help but might be something to look into!
As for contacts, that's what I did when I left Instagram. I put out a story that basically said I was deleting my account in two days, and if people wanted to stay in touch to send me their phone number which I returned with mine. Only a few did tho
@@memorybook5961 Thank you for the advice! I'll consider it. Thanks :)
pure in it's essence, the editing and your rawness. Thank you ✨
I take a digital detox day once a week and every once in a while i completely go offline. I find myself finding more clarity, breathing better which soinds crazy and being more fulfilled. appreciate the perspective. such a great video.
crazy how sometimes to see things in HD, you gotta turn the screen off.
9:32 I think removing social media doesn't just give you more time for hobbies, but gives you a clearer and more "open-to-new-things" headspace that makes you motivated to actually WANT to participate and be engaged in other things in life
You seem like such a great guy to be around. Loved every bit of this video! I also love that you mention the lack of nuance some creators have in viewing this conversation. Really a breadth of fresh air to relate to everything you’ve mentioned. Especially as a uni student.
I try to just be myself, glad I give off a good vibe haha
After struggling with the start of my school year, I deleted all social media apps and games off my phone back in September, and have started leaving my phone at home while I am at school. Really helped with focusing in class, and even thought it is still an issue that my brain has been turned into literal toothpaste, working back from that has been a very beneficial process.
Thanks for sharing your experience! What you said about how deleting your socials won't solve all your problems, but rather give you mental space to put an effort and solve them, that is so true! I've been off instagram for 3 months now and honestly it's so much easier to just heal and get your shit together when you don't have that nauseous distraction. txs for sharing once again!
The feeling like a child again is so real!! I give up social media every summer, and I always feel like I’m a kid again!! So interesting to hear other people feel that as well
these are the channels im trying to find more of. just raw unedited genuinity of people who have reached the goals im striving to achieve !!
I’m only 24 but I think you’re very smart for realizing this! I’ve had my share of indulging in social media too. I couldn’t limit myself and cutting it out completely has helped so much to opening my eyes .Thank you for sharing!
i’m also 22 and a senior in college. been on the same journey myself. feels good to live in the moment
That’s good
the most relatable part of this is the ‘being more excited to post it than to actually experience it’ thing. for months i didn’t even care about events, i was just excited to see what all of my friends would think. for over a year i’ve been without any social media and it’s been freeing, i’ve been to concerts, events, fun outings, and i’m able to just live without taking so many photos and thinking of a post for them.
As someone who has been off of social media for about 8 months now, let me tell you - IT IS WORTH IT. Thank you for putting this video out. For me, it’s reaching my YT feed at a pertinent time ~ I’m in the process of really getting to know myself again, and that means deeply re-evaluating my habits and making sure they align with my core values. Everything you’ve mentioned - the doom-scrolling, the concerts, the hobbies - it couldn’t be more accurate! I started getting back into puzzles, reading, dancing, journaling. I’m so grateful that everyone who found this video feels similarly ~ it reignites my hope that if I keep true to my values, I will meet the people who are right for me. It might be a lonely path when you start out, but you will truly get back in touch with yourself - and that’s something more precious than anyone could ask for xx
14:00 such good point! stereotypes caused by social media accounts is one of the major reasons why we are anxious to meet new people. There's much more than what they want to display. Whether good or bad it's not that bad to find out by yourself. Talking to people allows you to keep up with the fact that human beings are complex! In a world that is trying to make everyone look the same and think the same...
Wow, yes. 🙌🏻
you are at the beginning wave of waking up and realizing how our country works. You broke the barrier! I have been without social media for 6 years now and it is eye opening! Also btw, as a community college student, I get asked about snap or insta. Once I tell them that I don't have any, I just get called a nerd. It doesn't bother me.
A side note: Try to not focus so much on productivity. You have time. Don't take life so seriously. Relax, enjoy life, spread love, and remember to breathe! :D
Watching Alexander Technique videos relaxes me and helps me to enjoy life.
what you said about thinking about others perceiving you less is sooo true!! i find myself so much more vain whenever I have social media
I’m a similar age to you and it is definitely strange remembering life before social media really set in. I remember in around 2012 I got given a second hand iPhone 3G and I was one of the first people in my school to get a smartphone - I literally had a crowd form around me the first day I brought it in and people were instantly mesmerised by it. What I didn’t know then was that fixation with the phone was here to stay and it spread rapidly over the next few months until by the time I left school in 2016 it was not uncommon to see groups of people sitting at lunch in absolute silence for up to 30 mins, all just fixated on their phone and in a social media coma - the same people that just 4 years earlier would socialise normally with no concept of what smartphones would mean for the world
A transitionary time in history for sure... we have the power to reverse it though
I felt everything you said. I'm 18 and did the same thing. I only use TH-cam and Linkedin for educational/professional purposes. My life has improved in every possible aspect and I feel like I have more time to do what I really want (hobbies, projects, socializing, studying, ...). Thank you for making this video, I hope it reaches more people.
here's to taking back our lives.
What I've been doing this past week is not completely erasing my social media usage (among other habits), but instead repurposing it into something more fulfilling. For example, here on TH-cam I used to consume a lot of short-form, super flashy content, but now I'm doing the opposite.
I'm 20 and I also witnessed social media become a trend in my middle school years and even back then I was very skeptical of new tech that had nothing to do with the video games I played, so I never jumped on that bandwagon.
Doing things this way made all of the little things appear bigger and the important things better for me.
Love this for you! I deleted social media during my sophomore year of high school until senior year. Those 3 years offline completely changed my life.
Im a freshman in college now and have a healthy relationship with social media now (I barely go on it, except TH-cam) and I’m able to have it while still living well!
10/10 completely recommend deleting it, even if it’s just for a while. There’s something amazing about living a private life. You become more grateful for the smaller things in life and really live!! Guys, please don’t scroll your life away! You live ONCE! You can do it, just delete it for at least 1 day.
Its the day I completed 1 month away from social media.I always felt overwhelming and less energetic and I decided to give it a go."The decision " - It's totally worth it!
Hi Chris, Thanks for the insightful video. Growing up without the internet, I have a different perspective. My son faced teasing for not having social media, and though he eventually got a phone at 15, we held off on social media until he was nearly 17. Witnessing the pressure he faced to be online was incredibly disheartening. His time is now consumed by scrolling, and it's so sad to see him lose interest in his previous passions like reading, playing drums and writing. I'm grateful for the shifting attitudes toward social media among Gen-Z, and regretful that it was ever introduced to our society. I think it has caused more harm than good. As a parent, it is incredibly difficult to figure out what is best and what I should control versus what I need to let my teen figure out for himself. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! It gives me hope. :)
I totally relate to what you said about having genuine interest in learning about what others are up to! When you get someone's Instagram before you really get to know them, not only can that create preconceived notions about that person (social media is NOT an accurate representation of someone or their life!) but it can also make conversations less organic and intriguing because now you already know some things about them before you even got the chance to ask!
Also I love the conversational tone of your video! Very minimal cuts and seeing you bring up another point when something popped up in your head - it is so cool to see how you process and explain everything without heavy distracting editing. I have had Snapchat and Tiktok deleted for years, and I just deleted Instagram about a week ago. I am so excited about my decision and coming across your video really assures me that I made the right choice. Thank you!
I just try to keep my videos like those organic conversations in life! Glad you appreciate it.
one thing that stands out to me is the rawness, honesty and excitement coming from this video. maybe it's the fact it's unedited. really appreciate it!
glad you enjoyed my stream of consciousness :)
Don’t go on social media. Get 8 hours of regular sleep. Do something active. Eat whole instead of processed food. And do something selfless for someone else. That’s a good day.
Love this, thank you for sharing your experience! It's really inspiring me to take a break from social media as well.
Glad you enjoyed! Good luck on the journey
heyy i'm a student at ucsd and i'm glad to see a college student talk about what i've been thinking about for more than a yr now! def quitting now
you LOVE to see a like-minded UC student
I loved this video soo much ! Thanks you for this ! Also the no-editing is so nice and refreshing, you've really comforted me in the idea of getting rid of social media !
completlety agree abt “more interaction” with my friends part, i deleted insta for half year and i always tell my friends I’ll prefer we can call each others or hangout to catch up! I’ll be so keen to listen to ur story and tea not the dry text or “aesthetic pic” online……the conver r so genuinely like u said. totally feel that! hope this video reach to more ppl, might be great to have more ppl like this around!
I'm not hoping to quit, but I seriously need to detach myself. I find a lot of benefits in social media, it lets me see things about my family back in my home country or my friends I've moved to a different state from. It lets me see beautiful art and discuss it with complete strangers, I truly think that's a wonderful thing that brightens my day. But social media also makes me cry, nearly every day, about how people see me. Every comment I see making fun of someone's looks or being violent towards someone's sheer existence feels like it's being targeted directly at me- even though it very much isn't. Well anyway, great video! I think even if most of us won't quit, something like this which encourages us to be more skeptical about our reliance on internet platforms is always a good thing :)
i can relate with everything that you're saying. I am just like you. like we are exactly the same you just put my entire life into words which makes me realise how similar everyone in our generation is
I've deleted social Media since may 2024 and I got better in school and i could handle my life better. Without any weird influence u can show up your own opinion much better.
Great work man!
really appreciated the college life perspective because ive been stressing about going into my 1st year after having been off of social media for a year , i dont feel like going back at all but some of my friends have told me that id be the weird one out for not having it in college so heres to hoping my college peeps are just as cool with it as yours were
I want to switch to a flip phone so badly but I need Whatsapp for classes as it's the main form of communication in South Asia. I'll consider deleting social media apps. Thank you for this video, it was inspiring!
There's flip phones that do WhatsApp, either out the box (Like the Samsung Folder) or through downloading the WhatsApp APK from a PC to the phone then installing from the phone, since many recent flips run android
it felt like a chat with my best friend
I think the best thing that comes out after cutting social media off is the free time. We all know that we have million things to do yet we choose scrolling over them 'cause of the dopamine. I can study for like 2 hours straight. I feel more productive even though it has only been like a week😅😅😅😅. I can visualize my long term goals and the steps that I need to take to fulfill them. And seriously the pressure has been reducing so much as now I don't compare myself to others and been focusing on myself. Loved the video new sub here.
BROOO, this is splendid, and well done on your commitment! I got off of my iPhone and have transitioned into an e-ink type of one (Light Phone II)... This is a great reminder to keep going, thanks man
Well done to you as well!
With social media, life so easily becomes content farming for your online persona.
Big props to you for seeing through it and finding a different way forward!
I went to University with only Facebook and TH-cam. No Snapchat, No Instagram, nothing else. It's totally doable and helps you focus on your studies.
I used to be completely addicted to Twitter & Insta, my highest screen time in a day was 14 hours. I quit in December 2020 & was doing great for a while, then got sucked into TikTok last year. Sad part is I spend so much time on these apps, but they provide so little happiness or benefit for me. You've inspired me to really get off my phone & start living again. I'm always worried I'll be boring if I'm not into trends or what's going on online, but you seem really cool & unique doing your own thing, that's really refreshing to see. Keep doing what you're doing, you've inspired me to get my life together & you've earned a sub :)
Good luck!💗
Thank you for making this video!! For me, I’ve slowly chipped down my social media usage by deleting pretty much every other app than youtube, but I have noticed a problem with this cause now instead of scrolling mindlessly on Instagram, I just do it here :(
This video gave me the inspiration to delete it for good from my phone and I’m really wishing that the boredom isn’t going to be too harsh, but also it’s going to be pretty exciting, I have so much I can (and have to..) do!
Deleting this now, thank you so much for sharing your experience! It’s gonna help many people
Woo! Good luck!!!
i felt that way too, with wanting to post about things, more than actually living things in my life. It really has been a validation force, showing how "cool" i am - or just wanting to get approval
Love your vibe and your kindness!
For me, it was quitting game/redpillism, which has a lot of tremendous parallels to the experiences you talked about here. I was introduced to game/pick-up artistry when I was 15, and it really distorted my perception of people, for like 5-8 years. I'm slowly starting to shed my maladaptive beliefs about people, etc. and can see the beauty in people and connect with them, instead of having a head full of assumptions and mistrust. It ties into the Buddhist idea of compassion - which in their definition, is sort of expanding your awareness to understand and see the world through everyone's eyes.
Anyway, I experience a lot of parallels to what you talk about. Feeling like a kid again, accessing the same compassion or experience of time of life. As kids, we don't know anything about the world. It's a trip. And now too, I feel like I'm returning to that.
This was beautiful, I appreciate you sharing your story
@@christ0fu Thank you my dude
Recently I’ve been trying to consciously consume the media I engage with. I’ve been leaving thoughtful comments, reflecting on the videos I’ve watched, and using short-form social media less. So thank you for making this video, it took me 2 days to watch it. And I’m glad it did, I’ve gotten back into reading because of this video. You speak your thoughts in a way that resonates with my sense of adventure, I feel inspired almost. ❤
I swapped to a flip phone a couple months ago and I honestly love it. I still have my laptop so I can check social media but I never really feel the need. The only thing i find dificult is QR codes being everywhere which i cant use.
Don't get me started on QR codes...
Thanks man, everything you said made me delete my social media and encouraged me to focus more on the things that really matters.
I love this and applaud you!! My kids are your age and I hope they do the same. You're doing life right!!
Yesss I’ve been wanting to do a flip phone summer this year so this was so fun to watch seeing others try this out
I’m looking forward to more content from this channel because this video was very nice :)
I get stuck doomscrolling for hours even though I only have Instagram. I initially had no social media cuz I knew the risks but I got it to keep in touch with friends and post memories.
I kind of have a fear of forgetting all the happy memories in my life cuz my best friend since middle school talks about all these memories and details about me during middle and high school that I just have absolutely no memory of for some reason. The recollection is just very vague. So that’s probably a big contributor to continuing posting and keeping Instagram for me. I try to keep a healthy mindset about it, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job, but it’s just the doomscrolling that gets me every time.
I've already deleted every social media on my phone, and you confirmed all my thoughts around the core cause of my everyday problems. You even low-key made me excited to be even less on my phone. This video really found me on the right moment. :) My screen time already went down from 8-10 hours a day to around 5-3 which isn't perfect but it's already a big step towards my goal.
So raw and honest experience. Just wanna say been here before 100k.
Hopefully keeping it 100 will get me to 100k someday haha
Lez goo!!!
the truth is that short form contents not only consume energy but also reduce our patience level and focus level
thats why todays youth have less focus attention to any activities.....
Thank you for your honesty and I really like the no cuts format, I think it's very efficient and feels like a conversation in real life
I really really really appreciate you for making this video. It’s so hard to find someone who has a flip phone instead of an iphone for example. I have been heavily considering switching to a flip phone for some time now bc of how distracting and accessible touch screens are. Even though i have worked my way through getting rid of the horrible addiction of consuming fast content, i still have an issue with binge watching youtube or even netflix. I just want to be able to maximize my productivity and feel more fulfilled doing things I actually love. I can remember as a child being eager to write and read books but once I got my first touch screen I completely lost track of myself.
Once I had my smartphone, I only had WhatsApp, then I downloaded Telegram. Honestly, I am very comfortable with my life now, and I don't get very sad or concerned about the bad news happening around the world (which it is a problem for me). I think I'm living in the true moments.
But I'm planning to switch to a flip phone after I complete my master's degree 😍.
Note: My mom and dad have Nokia cell phones, and I'm very proud of them ❤
Bro, that sounds cool asfff