Maybe we’re all bored from all this scrolling
By Mahjabin Rahman
We are all so familiar with the word ‘trend’ right? For the last few years, we have been fed trends right and left, and we have also been a part of this follow the trend culture and sometimes we have enjoyed it and sometimes it annoyed some of us.
Remember 2020? We were all making Dalgona Coffee at our home and doing and seeing all kinds of trends that took over our social media. Our screen time peaked at that time which was understandable considering the Covid-19 period. But over time, the “day in the life” posts, the endless memes, and the curated happiness started to fade.
But have you yet felt the shift in the regular social media contents? People share less now. The feeds feel quieter. And maybe, just maybe we’re okay with that.
Photo Source: GlooStock(Pinterest)
Social media used to feel like it was a party, a fun platform to share the snippets of our lives but lately maybe it’s the burnout or something, it feels monotonous and kinda suffocating also. The music is playing, we scroll, we like but it doesn’t feel like before. Not because life is dull or anything, but maybe because it’s exhausting to package every small joy for public consumption.
People are moving to smaller group chats, private stories and most importantly they are moving to their own living room to share their happiness with their family rather than their social media window. Not saying the digital era has come to a halt or anything but the craze has toned down a bit.
On the other hand the commercial content is rising and we love to see creative marketing. It helps with the businesses so that’s good but it also feels like our feed is becoming more like billboards.
But you know what changed? We are more aware now. The way we used to post our breakfasts, our bus rides, our random thoughts, freely, without thinking twice. But now, we’ve all read at least one headline about how our data is collected, tracked, and sold. We know every ‘like’ and every location tag is a breadcrumb in someone’s marketing report. That carefree sharing we once did? It feels a little naive now.
It’s not that we are not using social media. Of course, we are because it has become an essential part of our daily life. The way we used to use it has changed, the way we used to view it has changed. The rush of connection, the thrill of going viral, the feeling that everyone was watching – over time, it has faded. We’ve realised that not everyone needs to be watching. That the best moments don’t always belong on a feed.
We are going back to a more private life not entirely like the old days maybe, because that’s not entirely possible at this age but a bit like the old times. Like when you told a story to your friend in person, not to a thousand strangers online.
It’s not that social media has lost its sparks, not at all but sure it’s a recalibration. The party is still there, but more of us are stepping outside for air.
