Psychology of Media & Technology

Mindless cleanses won't "cure" mindless social media use.  Without thinking through your goals, you will end up unhappy and beating yourself up for the wrong reasons.  Social media and digital communications are too intertwined in our daily life to have a cleanse be a productive solution without considering what you're doing and why.  Are you connecting or hiding out?  Are you getting information or procrastinating?  If a cleanse forces you to think through what's of value to you, great.  Give it a go.   But just like crash diets, the key is lifestyle change.  That means doing the really hard work first -- identifying your goals and values. 

 It's a mistake to view automation as "impersonal" versus "helpful or "efficient."  These are all personal judgments valued relative to one's time and goals. But change is hard.  We hold mental models of "how things are supposed to be."  It's often based on what was "normal" when we grew up.  Automated technology, which includes, btw, ATM machines so you don't have to stand in line to cash your paycheck and the nearly extinct payphone, isn't necessarily bad.  It forces us, however, to make value judgments on the types of interactions we value, who we want to talk to and how we want to connect.  It's our responsibility to craft our lives and set boundaries that work for each of us.  I, personally, don't miss driving to the bank and talking to bank tellers and love that I can deposit checks on my mobile app.  Not only does it decrease my carbon footprint, but it saves time.  Automated meals don't keep you from talking to your friends over a meal.  But they might decrease the quality of information you can get about the food your order or change your experience of being cared for around food (sustenance).  It comes down to taking the responsibility to make intelligent choices that fit each of our goals.