It’s so easy to judge people who appear to mindlessly scroll through the screens of social media. You see them everywhere. Sitting in cafes, waiting in queues, squeezed on trams, crossing the road, or while working. It seems some humans are wired to scan the pages of their phone whether they are walking, sitting or heaven forbid driving.
How did we become so addicted to the screen? Why do we engage with the constant bombardment of advertising, even as we complain that our phones are ‘listening’ to us.
Yet, as one former critic of such time-wasting activity, I found myself doing this exact thing for the past 48 hours. Today, with a little more brain clarity I can confirm it is indeed a mind numbing, useless waste of time resulting in little gain for me or the greater good of mankind.
You see, when you are unwell, under duress, bored, frustrated (need more?) social media is our best friend – not judgy, doesn’t care how you look or smell, will travel to the couch, the bed, even the bathroom. Insta, FB, Twitter (I know it’s changed brand, just can’t remember what to!) Pinterest or whatever page calls to you - will stay by your side/face/hand/ear through every crisis, be it personal or on a global scale.
How did we survive before the age of over sharing became so normalised? I am aware, that as I type this, some readers think I am a typing-talking contradiction, hosting a blog page which could be seen as over sharing. However, I believe there is a difference, between what I do and the onslaught of targeted advertising through our screens.
My audience (you) share in our journey, our life according to the pages and for many, you also get into the reality of the days behind the paragraphs. It is also another avenue to exercise my creative leanings and an outlet to normalise this show we call life.
So, how did I get onto mindless scrolling, as a subject of musing? Let’s go back to Monday. Arriving at work with full intentions of being present all week, my plans were swiftly thrown into chaos as my back gave out and I couldn’t walk without great duress and a spray of profanities. I spent the rest of the day in my office chair until I could be picked up at 6pm! There weren’t enough painkillers available to make Monday an easy trip. Shout out to my amazing staff, who didn’t complain, at least in earshot, even once!
After months of warning signs, today I am typing to you rather precariously from my dining room table, with a spine as stiff as steel, fearful it moves a millimetre too far in any direction and I am back, prone on my bed, useless once more.
My back is a very general term for the complex deterioration of my pelvic bones, caused from undiagnosed hip dysplasia, and the many complications which surfaced over the years. In a few weeks, I will undergo my third hip replacement and fifth corrective hip surgery in seven years. The plan is that in two years I will finally be all fixed. Simple! I will be able to walk instead of waddle, eat without the accompaniment of tablets and sleep without the assistance of more special pills that hide in a locked bottle. I’m not sure what I did, or who I was in a previous life, but I sure as hell must have been a badass to get all this joy now.
Adding insult to literal injury this week, our business has been targeted by trolls – refer back to mindless scrolling earlier in this piece and add misinformation through social media. This is where mindless scrolling steps up to another level. Take a snippet of an article (often dubious sources) add a comment from a thread (source - keyboard warrior) stir in a photo or two (with naughty words), mix and magic we now have ignorance, misinformation, and emotion on the same page ready for action.
In our case we had the keyboard warrior variety, plus the flesh and blood type, who wasted our time in person. Apparently, well-intentioned, self-appointed, opinionated, community members taking up the banner, fighting for a worthy cause. Saving the next generation? But save them from what? When you ask, they don’t know. Why not? Because they have been fed a bunch of lies, mixed with micro-truths and like robots can only regurgitate what has been programmed into them. And this is where mindless scrolling, targeted to your unique tastes, is so very dangerous. It can become very personal, very fast.
I have few issues with what people want to protest, who they want to save and how they do it– so long as you don’t attack my staff, my business, or my family. All this happened in the course of the past few weeks. I will not bore you with the details, suffice to say, my days may be challenging but never dull.
Am I complaining – no. There are far more serious and worthy issues to complain about.
Am I disappointed with life and the many pathways it’s taken us - yes (read my last blog).
Will it all get better? I sure hope so. If not better, certainly different.
Will Daryl recover? cancer versus Daryl Round 1 = Daryl winner (declared in advance).
Will he have future battles? Probably.
Will we be ok? No idea! Regardless, we will do it together, with our army around us.
Am I looking forward to another major surgery? Absolutely not, in no uncertain terms.
Do I have a choice? yes - but the alternative is garbage, so onward and upward, as the Stoics say.
The positivity crowd would tell me to thank the universe for the robots who invaded our business or my back for giving up on me. I won’t go that far. I will however take, from this situation and every other one, a lesson:
These people, this circumstance, this pain continue to remind me that there are more important and fulfilling ways to spend our time than simply scrolling through life.
So, let’s get on with them.
Until next time,
N
