Do we even have our own thoughts anymore? Or do we spend too much time consuming and not enough time thinking? In a sense, becoming thought zombies.
These are the questions I have been pondering for the past two weeks or so as I have been evaluating my own digital consumption.
In my reflection, I have found that I am on my way to becoming “socially obese” and need to take some corrective measures before it is too late. I don’t want to have to find the “social obesity” version of Dr. Nowzaradan.
What is Social Obesity?
First, I should probably explain what “social obesity” is, as it is a fairly new term for me that I learned while reading Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture. It basically boils down to a mental state caused by digital overconsumption, much like how junk food impacts physical health.
Here is Bush’s full description if you want to read more on this interesting concept:
“We are built to crave foods high in sugar, salt, and fat because they provided our ancestors with energy, vital nutrients, and stored fat to help them get through times of food shortage. It was beneficial for them to eat as much of these as they could find because they were often scarce. But the modern world has hacked the reward systems that were so beneficial in the ancient world, boosting the content of these craved compounds in the foods we eat to maximize addictiveness. Combined with the sedentary lifestyle the modern world affords, these chemicals no longer serve their original purpose, instead resulting in disease and obesity.
In similar fashion, our innate desire for validation is exploited by social media companies who tailor the algorithms of their platforms to get people as hooked as possible. Randolph Neese calls the result ‘social obesity’. We are provided with more opportunities for social approval and entertainment than our ancestors ever would have had. Digital votes of approval provide the same type of rewards that real social interaction is meant to provide. Though they are ostensibly built to foster connection, these addictions can impede social connection in real life.”
The Slippery Slope of Digital Re-Engagement
Then, I need to take you back to the beginning of Q2 2024 when I chose (as part of my quarterly ABC Model goals - you can read more on Book Brew 16) to get off of personal social media and not to read news other than health, business, and technology.
And I did well in Q2 and Q3.
Fast forward to Q4, and it all fell apart - but not all at once, just little dribs and drabs until the dam just completely broke open.
- Drip: Logging into my personal FB profile to reach out about my annual flower calendar.
- Drop: Election news crept in.
- Splash: Checking updates on family situations.
- Flood: Checking news and social media multiple times daily—doom scrolling in full force.
Not good.
Restarting the Digital Fast
Yesterday, I took steps to go on another personal social media fast by getting off of my personal FB and IG and switching from FB Messenger to Discord for chats. I will give it to FB for finding new ways to suck people in - when I initially did my social media fast back at the beginning of Q2, I was only using Messenger to keep in touch with my mom and some friends.
Then, slowly, FB started adding new features in Messenger - you could see people’s story posts, you could even see some of their timeline posts in “Highlights’, and the worst thing, I found a backdoor way to access my profile without having the app installed. So, Messenger also had to go this time.
Ironically, somehow today, I got my business FB profile suspended - I think it was because I responded to a friend’s post asking how to recover a hacked account and in my response, there was a ‘FB hacked’ link that I clicked. So, I probably inadvertently reported my account LOL. Hopefully, it will be received soon, as I use that profile for business reasons.
Reclaiming Original Thought
Meandering side road over and back to the original point of this post of original thought.
Unfortunately, I think many of us spend much more time consuming other people’s thoughts (and now even the regurgitated thoughts of AI) and not enough time working on developing our own thoughts.
It takes a lot more effort to sit with your own thoughts than it does to quickly scroll through apps and reading/listening/watching the thoughts of others, delivered to you in tiny 3-second morsel bites.
Taken over the course of the day, those tiny bites add up to a lot of mental calories, which leads to the “social obesity” and even the “bandwagon effect” that Ryan Bush talks about in his 12/14/2024 newsletter:
“The bandwagon effect refers to our tendency to come to conclusions and make decisions based on what is popular, though we often find ways to rationalize these decisions to ourselves.
We are swayed by authority and social proof.
We acquire our beliefs through dogmatic inheritance and imitation.
As a human being, you are embedded in the collective mesh of society. You are not wired to develop impeccably clear views, rational insights, and wisdom. You are built to inherit your views, values, and judgment from your tribe—to flow with the wave of your culture. We want to belong.
We want to be accepted, respected, and liked, and this desire bends our beliefs to its will.
The problem is that this desire, if unacknowledged and unchecked, can result in delusional decisions and deviation from our values.”
Reflect and Reconnect
So, I leave you with the action of reviewing your own digital consumption and then scheduling some time, at least weekly, but ideally daily, to sit and reflect on your own thoughts. Your emotional and mental health will thank you - I know mine has. And, who knows, you might be surprised by what you come up with.
Digital Fast Checklist: 5 Simple Steps
1. Set a Clear Intention
- Define your “why” (e.g., mental clarity, better focus).
- Choose a fast duration (e.g., 7 days, 30 days).
2. Audit Your Digital Use
- Identify the top distracting apps.
- Turn off non-essential notifications.
- Review screen time stats and set daily limits.
3. Create Boundaries
- Schedule phone-free times (mornings, evenings).
- Set device-free zones (bedroom, dining table).
4. Replace with Real-World Activities
- Read a physical book or journal.
- Take a walk or try a creative hobby.
- Spend quality time with loved ones.
5. Reflect & Adjust
- Check-in weekly: How do you feel?
- Tweak what isn’t working (e.g., adjust limits).
- Commit to long-term tech-free habits.
Ponder This
- How much of your daily screen time is intentional versus habitual?
- When was the last time you spent uninterrupted time reflecting on your thoughts?
- How might reducing digital consumption change how you form opinions and make decisions?
Books
- Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture - Ryan Bush
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