Living off-line

“When I grow up, I’m gonna look up from my phone and see my life.” ~Phoebe Bridgers

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day holiday. Three sunny months of summer stretch ahead of us, giving us the perfect opportunity to set aside our phones and laptops while we gather with friends and experience the beauty of the world outside.

A growing body of research shows that being more connected online is actually making us lonelier — despite all those Facebook friends and Instagram followers.

For instance, the American Medical Association examined several studies on internet use and psychological well-being. Overall, increased internet use was associated with “a decline in users’ in-person communication with family members, a decrease in their social circle, and an increase in depression and loneliness.” 

Socializing online makes us lazier. We trick ourselves into thinking that we’ve engaged with others — when we’ve only typed a few short messages or “liked” a few images. Texts, emails, and Instagram posts can’t replace face-to-face communication. Worse yet, additional studies show that spending hours viewing social media posts makes us feel less satisfied with our own lives afterward.

The power to change that is in our own hands. ~CL