We've become zombies. Sleepwalking, neck-tilted down 45 degrees to stare at our phones, aimlessly racking up hours and hours of screen time, just for us to regret but repeat it—again and again. Those staring at their phones while walking are so bewildered when they almost bump into people; "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," they say. With no sense of direction and awareness, it's practically primitive. I'm guilty of this—as we all are—but I've increasingly noticed how foolish we all look staring at our screens, scrolling, scrolling, until we find a post that makes us softly chuckle, only to scroll again aimlessly. Who would've thought having all the world's knowledge at our fingertips would make us dumber and less productive?
In the past, I've wanted to maximize the minutes I thought were spent wasted. I listened to podcasts at 1.5x speed on my daily walks to school, cramming my brain with endless information. I thought I was efficient, utilizing all that time, consuming more content, and believing I was learning. However, cramming too much information destroyed my ability to remember and deeply understand things. I stopped this overstimulation this summer and began screen-free commutes. I previously thought not using this time was wasteful and even a sign of laziness. I've realized these precious minutes when you are mentally "doing nothing" is the most vital for creativity and individual thought. How could I develop my unique self if I constantly consume other people's works and ideas?
We require a period of "mental inactivity" to think, ideate, and write. We cannot "force" creativity; amusingly, good ideas usually come when we least expect them, like in the shower or while walking—when we are mentally "doing nothing." One technique I read about is "creative incubation," where you think about "X" deeply, then forget about it; it seems counterintuitive, but ideas emerge sooner than you'd think.
The internet and social media have made consuming and sharing information effortless, but we are almost suffocating in its abundance. There are countless good ideas, but for every positive one, there's an equal and opposite [negative] one. These negative thoughts often speak louder than positive ones and are the most corrupting to our shared social fabric. One can go down an existential nihilist path where "life" has no meaning or worth. This philosophy, although a fresh counterweight at times, is predominantly depressing and futile. I believe persistent pessimism is even worse; somehow, negative and miserable people have a problem for every solution.
Anger without reason, speech without thought, movement without direction, many are hopelessly unconscious of what moves and drives them. So many are aimlessly following trends without questioning the basis of them. Social media has provided people with an outlet for their opinions and views, but it also provides an outlet for pointless arguments and hatred. Many have forgotten that you do not have to get angry at something that opposes your view; read it, attempt to understand, and then go about your day. There's no need to get frustrated because someone doesn't share your belief. The intolerance present in society today is exacerbated by political and social affiliations that spiral into a mess. Listen to Tyler the Creator, “How the fuck is cyberbullying real. Just walk away from the screen like close your eyes.”
"Fires will be kindled to testify that two and two make four. Swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer. We shall be left defending not only the incredible virtues and sanities of human life but something more incredible still, this huge impossible universe which stares us in the face. We shall fight for visible prodigies as if they were invisible. We shall look on the impossible grass and the skies with strange courage. We shall be of those who have seen and yet have believed." - G.K. Chesterton, Heretics
There's growing identity politics with the infinite amount of online identities and communities. We cannot draw attention to social and health problems like obesity, diabetes, depression, and more, as we will offend someone. And if you highlight an issue, you are misinterpreted as an elitist, racist, or ableist. Dr. Casey Means, founder of a health startup called Levels, put something I knew but never put into words. She talked about the idea of "identifying" with one's chronic illnesses, which is becoming a social trend. This trend where those with chronic [life-threatening] conditions began to feel that their conditions are a part of who they are. These conditions, with social media, form communities, making it less motivating to change and get out of such vicious cycles. It promotes the idea that it's very hard to improve, and thus you can't do anything about it. This mental and moral laxity has weakened our public health and national cohesion, corrupting our future.
One example is SSRIs. We have 43 million Americans (adults and teenagers) taking SSRIs (Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors); 1 in 8 Americans are taking Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, etc. We have a young "generation of guinea pigs" who are taking such medication to alleviate their hopelessness and anxiety. New research has emerged showing not the effectiveness of SSRIs but their placebo effect; only "15% of participants have a substantial antidepressant effect beyond a placebo effect in clinical trials." Dr. Mark Horowitz, author of "The Serotonin Theory of Depression: A Systematic Umbrella Review of the Evidence," wrote, "The drug companies convinced us that if you're sad, you should go to your doctor and seek treatment. They've made us all believe that normal aspects of the human condition are a medical illness called major depressive disorder—that normal reactions to difficult situations are a chemical brain problem that needs a medical solution. They convinced people these are very 'mild' drugs that are very easy to stop. None of this is true." (I am not qualified to speak in depth about such treatments, so I have attached the research papers below.)
Americans want a pill, some enteric-coated panacea that will solve all their problems—but it’s never that easy. We are all hopelessly unconscious of reality, but a potential remedy is to question yourself continuously and what you see. How do you see the world? What do you notice that—deep down—feels wrong or off? What are you scared of saying? How is your perspective different than everyone else's? Pondering such questions clarifies our lives and lets us stay firm and flexible with our thinking.
I've yet to refine my writing style and format, so I appreciate any honest feedback and advice you could offer. Are these essays hard to follow, etc.? Thank you for reading, and as always, I'm lost in the right direction.
The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01661-0
Response to acute monotherapy for major depressive disorder in randomized, placebo controlled trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration: individual participant data analysis https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2021-067606
Truly enjoyed this read. It was written in a way anyone can understand, yet insightful and entertaining. Can’t wait to see what you put out next.
“How could I develop my unique self if I constantly consume other people's works and ideas?”
Similar to what Anokute told me: never get caught up in content, consume less trendy music and fashion content, focus more on older content, new ideas will blossom more organically.