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6 years on, this is still why you need to stop using Facebook

This video’s a bit dated with its abbreviations (and I’m pretty sure the poke thing doesn’t exist anymore), but all the other stupid stuff you see about Facebook are just as true today:

And just like Ross Gardiner says in the clip, you may also think I’m pretentious but I also don’t care. Life with as few distractions and procrastinations leads to more time we let our brains focus on things that matter and improve us.

I got rid of Facebook 3 years ago, but I’ve wondered if not using social media actually makes me antisocial. But I don’t think so. I only call my brother and friends now (besides one). I don’t chat with anyone electronically beyond via email. And I often have cool spontaneous interactions with people around town. And more than that, I’m much more able to focus on tasks now without getting distracted, for longer periods of time.

While reading a book in public is just as anti-social, it improves you and expands your mind. And if you’re reading a hardcopy there’s no bullshit ass notifications popping up every 6 seconds saying someone sent you a friend request or liked your photo. And while social media can expand your mind too (if you look at the right stuff), it can also be a pissing contest to be the coolest/most interesting/most successful or most happy between a bunch of people who don’t care about each other. Its destructiveness on your self esteem, focus, and anxiety (not to mention real-life social skills in real life) far outweighs any of its benefits. But that’s just me. I hate it because I think it sucks, but that’s just me. (Well actually not. And here a couple cool videos who agree with me and shared their experiences without it: This one, this one and this one from a TED talk by Dr. Cal Newport

And a lot of people would disagree, like this person. He says that what’s important is to moderate your use of it.

And I’d say moderation, as opposed to complete cessation, is the first step to losing. In sliding right back into the same old shitty, destructive habits you want to get rid of.