The Analogue Series 2
I’ve been thinking a lot about social media lately, and not in a particularly positive way.
It’s been one of those weeks when people seem determined to pick arguments online.
Not just the odd disagreement or difference of opinion, which is perfectly normal, but people searching through conversations to find something to challenge, misrepresent or take offence at, even when the topic is entirely innocent.
I’ve had people searching through conversations in Camino groups and foodie groups, looking for things I’ve shared with others in entirely separate, perfectly polite discussions. Seemingly determined to find something they can use to start an argument.
And if I reply politely and disengage, they search through other threads to try to pick up the argument once more.
En garde! ⚔️
It’s become intense. It feels like being stalked by strangers.
Would you walk up to two people having a friendly conversation in the street and interrupt with, “How dare you tell me what to do!” or “I’m fed up with people like you acting superior”?
Ummm, sorry, we were discussing the price of olive oil. How does that mean we’re telling you what to do? 🤔
It’s bizarre behaviour, and increasingly, it’s behaviour I’m seeing more of.
It’s exhausting.
I’m not talking about ordinary disagreements. I’m talking about the feeling that some people aren’t looking for a conversation at all. They’re looking for a confrontation.
When connection starts to feel oppressive
Social media was supposed to bring us closer together. I’ve made connections online that I genuinely value and have maintained for years. I use these platforms to share my writing, cooking and the things I love.
But what happens when the balance tips the other way?
When opening an app feels less like an opportunity to connect and more like stepping into a space where someone might be waiting to pick a fight?
When you find yourself walking on eggshells, checking everything you write several times to make sure nobody can take offence?
There’s something quite unsettling about that.
Social media doesn’t feel very social when it starts to feel threatening.
The quiet revolution
I’ve been reading about the growing interest in reducing screen time, deleting apps and stepping away from social media. It’s called The Quiet Revolution!
Over the years, I’ve taken social media breaks myself. It feels like I’m long overdue for the next one.
We’re encouraged to be permanently available. There’s always another notification, another discussion, another post to read or opinion to react to. And even when we put our phones down, the conversations can follow us, taking up space in our heads long after we’ve closed the app.
I can understand why people are choosing to step back.
Interestingly it’s the younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) that are choosing to do so!
A little more analogue living
Living in the Andalucían countryside, I’m fortunate to have plenty of reminders that there’s a world beyond the screen.
There’s the orchard, the changing seasons, the birds, the fruit ripening on the trees. There’s crafting, reading, writing, language learning and exercise without needing to document all of it or share it with anyone.
I don’t want to retreat from the modern world (although it’s highly tempting). I enjoy the connections the internet makes possible, and I certainly don’t want to lose those good things because of the behaviour of a few people.
But I don’t want to spend my days defending perfectly ordinary comments to strangers, either.
I’d rather give my time and attention to the life I’ve built.
Perhaps analogue living isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about being more deliberate about how we use it, knowing when to disengage and remembering that we don’t have to participate in every conversation we’re invited into.
We can put the phone down and return to the people we care about, the things we enjoy most.
The ordinary moments that make up an actual life.
Technology should enrich our lives, not consume them.
Connection should leave us feeling connected, not exhausted.
So perhaps it’s time to be a little more selective about where we give our attention.
Viva The Quiet Revolution! ✊🏼
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