That's what I was wondering. How did he learn and follow news like Yemen if he doesn't have any websites? I really want to get rid of reddit, but I know I'd stop following news if I did.
You have one EXTREMELY ECSTATIC high school librarian jumping for joy over this Crash Course series. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I need for my students. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
I used to think that having social media was necessary for me because, as an introvert, I don't spend as much time with people IRL as I (maybe) should, but somehow spending time scrolling through Facebook, etc, makes me lonelier.
After being a heavy user I had been off of social media for 13 months until yesterday. It started because I was not allowed a phone or anything with a camera in the building at my new employer and not having as much time at home. After a few months I did not miss it much and noticed I did read the news a lot more as in more whole articles and not just skimming headlines. I wanted to follow up on a story I read that linked to a facebook page yesterday and logged in for the first time in over a year, there were over 100 messages asking what had happened to me, had I died etc. and once I got through those it was mostly the same old same old that I had remembered, political bantering, whining, balanced out with some cute pet/baby posts. Meh. I'll check back in in another year.
I am 25, male and from the UK. I have never had a Twitter and the only account I own is Facebook, which I rarely use. These things may be useful for some people but ultimately they serve as time wasters, much like tv and video games. The trouble is they don't teach you much and are very addictive, I read books, articles, I go outside (walk, cycle, socialise) and I go to the gym. My life is very peaceful and detached from all this new age nonsense. Apart from the occasional UA-cam spree haha keep it up, use the spare time you have gained to learn and progress, peace ✌🏻
I've only ever joined one social media platform (excluding UA-cam), and I wish I could quit it, even for a short amount of time... But I'm in several school groups that use it to communicate announcements and such :/ Also: AGNES MARTIN, YES!!
I left Tumblr the day after Trump was elected president. I saw a post of suicide hotlines, telling people to call if they thought they would harm themselves after hearing the news. I'm sure for some people, this might have been needed, or even just a comfort, but I couldn't help feeling uneasy. Either I had found myself in a community so pessimistic about the future that suicide seemed like a realistic response to this event, or I had found myself in a community that treated suicide so carelessly that it seemed like a realistic response to this event. Either option left me disgusted. One of the big things I noticed was exactly what John said- I had thoughts, and because I couldn't post about them, they stayed mine. It was nice for good thoughts, but it also made me realize what a crutch the internet had become for my bad thoughts. Typing your feelings online /feels/ like dealing with them. But it's not. It's a convenient way to feel heard, without the mental or emotional risk of actually telling someone. Suddenly I had to make a decision whenever I had these rough thoughts: are they something I need to reach out about, to talk about, share, and work through? Yes? Then I need to find a social support system who can provide that. No? Then I need to find a way to internally regulate my own head. Overall, it was this realization that was the least expected, and most life-changing aspect of leaving. Hope John finds the experience as profound as I did
"Another advantage is that I spend less time looking at the news but I think I might be better informed." I've been fighting this one with my family and friends for like...20 years now and they all still don't get it. Can I get a tshirt with that on it pleaassee! DFTBA warehouse I'm looking at you!
I have a chrome extension that blocks twitter on my PC every day except Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and it has 100% resulted in me being generally happier and less anxious. I also generally follow the news less fervently, which I was ambivalent about because it seems important to say informed, but I've decided my mental health is more important, and its not that hard to stay generally informed anyway.
I like that weekends-only solution. Really interesting to read your perspective on this, since I'm a fan of your videos and the way you engage with political discourse. -John
I suggest more focus on news _wires_ over news _outlets_ . News wires tend to have no leading language or opinion, just the essential facts and details of a subject. Once that gets to news outlets, it becomes framed with leading language, opinion, misrepresentation, "group-think" terminology and phrasing, and in some cases manufactured outrage. There are of course always exceptions to the rule (even the wires have their moments of fault), and there are still legitimate journalists with integrity and ethics on all sides. Still I find them more reliable and less biased on the whole. [Edited for clarity]
I have found that there is definitely such a thing as being "too woke" when it comes to your mental health. I think staying generally informed and engaged in the world is a good thing, but constantly submitting yourself to the news, and people's reactions to the news, can make it really difficult to maintain hope and stay civil with your friends and family when you are exposed to every opinion or thought that they might have.
oh god same i did the experiment of blocking youtube for a month and a bit and i really think i started portioning my time better, however through the useful parts of it, i tricked myself into reinstalling it and through how easy it is to do so, i just let it eat big chunks of my time regularly again
While there are a few worthwhile and pleasant social aspects to Twitter (in particular), it seemed like however hard I tried to avoid the negativity, I was continually bound by it and rewarded for participating in toxicity. More and more it has become a dumping ground for anger, hate, venting, fighting, outrage, offense, groupthink, tribal alignments...and on and on. I am 13 months free of Twitter: happier, more relaxed and compassionate.
@@vlogbrothers I think you just have to be careful of your communities. My Twitter feed is almost entirely made up of authors, educators (I'm a HS English teacher) and UA-cam friends I've made, mostly over the past five years of VidCon attendance. My Twitter feed is one of the greatest sources of joy and hope in my life. It's also true online, just as it is in life (and as John frequently reminds us) of the words of Mr. Rogers: "Look for the Helpers."
@@juststeveschannel I don't actually have a Twitter account but you can still see what people have tweeted and I just do that for a couple of people - like Hank. This way you have a set point when you are done and since you can't like of reply, you don't get sucked in.
@@juststeveschannel I think you are right. The key is to carefully curate those spaces and find those communities that are engaging but not antagonistic, thoughtful but not thoughtless. Like nerdfighteria. :)
For the most part, my Facebook and Twitter feed are full of science communicators (as I am also one) and various science journal feeds. I sorta feel like those that have major issues with their feeds are following the wrong sorts of pages, accounts, and groups.
Wellington Smith Not having smartphone and spending time on social media is NOT a valuable achievement. But doing valuable things (educating yourself, helping others, etc) instead with your free time IS in fact valuable. Most people who are proud of not being on Facebook, Twitter etc... are just wasting their time and life in other ways.... Don’t be like those people!
I deleted basically all of my social media (Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter), and the first thing I noticed was how little people actually noticed. Like I disconnected from all these people I was having regular, though passive, contact with on these platforms. They all had my number, but don’t answer texts. I mostly get my news through my phone now and if I have thoughts I share them with either my wife or my close friends who are still around. It’s funny how quickly you realize it’s more of a place for people like John these days; that is, people who are famous who others want to hear from, whereas people in my situation are just the observers. I didn’t want to be an observer anymore, and it’s actually kind of depressing how little anyone seems to acknowledge that absence of a “friend.”
Peachy Pie really makes you think about why we use social media. Like MySpace used to be a place where you could express yourself and your thoughts online. It was a communal space. But with ad sales and whatnot, it feels like they’re mostly a place for people to capitalize on this generation’s willingness to surrender privileged information that can be packaged into targeted campaigns. And other than that, a place to congregate for memes, feel good stories and outrage. Failing that, these spaces really feel like they’ve lost something of that communal feel. It doesn’t feel like a place for friends as much as it does a place for capitalists and their consumers.
Kirsten Crawford I do sorely miss the “old internet.” But maybe that’s just a feeling all millennials have about the world before it was commercialized. There’s a dig on millennials somewhere in there, but the reality of our world is, corporations used to have to plant people in communities to study what was trending in teens and young adults; social media evolved to allow us to surrender that information willingly. Once people realized they could capitalize on everything we said and did, all that was left of the hollowed our husk of our internet communities was the celebrities and the few people witty and snappy enough to get a following. The rest of our desperately reaching for a place that doesn’t exist anymore.
@@jaydubcee_ Gen X-er here: I really do feel ya. And, no need to dig on the Millenials, as you guys have been around longer than this issue now. I have been on Facebook for quite a while and noticed the quality of the community declining somewhere around 2015-ish...or maybe slightly before. I really noticed it when Facebook started letting more advertisers use their platform and the weird "shuffling" of friends and my own posts on the feed. And, the social/political anger/hatred around 2012. People always shared urban legends and silly untrue things on FB since forever, and before that via email...as nobody wants to use snopes or factcheck. For me, I just clean out my friends list to real friends and started a closed group to chat with people that matter so we can talk about certain topics and actually keep it private. I have also gotten phone numbers of my friends on FB and spoken to them by phone and either have visited them or plan to travel to see them. The invitation is open for them to visit as well. I think interacting outside of the internet is very important too.
Taking a leaf from your book, John, I deleted (disabled, cuz my phone won't let me delete it) the youtube app from my phone. I was always congratulating myself on not being addicted to twitter/facebook/instagram/tumblr etc. But it was time to be honest with myself that the thing I was addicted to was youtube. And yes, youtube has a lot of great content, but I do not need to spend hours and hours glued to the endless supply of videos I am not even that interested in watching. So, I will continue to use youtube only on my laptop, watching content that I actually care about, like vlogbrothers! Happy 2019 to everyone!
Yeah, youtube is my issue too. I can understand the appeal of facebook, twitter etc and occasionally browse them but I don't /check/ them. UA-cam is the one thing that I'm on a lot and is generally unfulfilling. I am trying to cut down but it's difficult, especially as I don't currently have a job or much to really occupy myself. But I am making progress, slow as it can be!
I'm glad we made the cut! :) I think everyone's Internet is different and it's great that you've recognized the ways that yours has become a problem for you. Here's to a 2019 of more consciously chosen attention! -John
I am very impressed. My phone tells me that on average I spend an hour on UA-cam every day. I don't have any other social media on my devices. Quitting UA-cam will be the toughest thing I will ever do
You know, I find having thoughts is nice too. We need to have them more often because it's those thoughts that change the world, not the mindless scrolling. Thank s for sharing your thoughts and I will continue to share mine down here as well.
+ I would say that he was, for quite awhile, bashing on the social internet as an in general thing and thinking that everyone should get out of it and that it has no net goodness to it for anyone. I feel like in listening to dear hank and john I have slowly heard his position evolve to recognize that the problem lies within him and not necessarily entirely within the internet though things about it make it worse for him and for many.
I would be interesting if he did write it down and put that all into a more biographical book. Or is there another genre to better describe what I'm thinking...
The best thing for my upbringing was my mom making me have "bored time". Time where I couldn't use distracting things (this was pre-internet, so we're talking 8-bit Nintendo) I never gave that up and find times to "be bored" and those times where all I have to do is daydream, I believe, has helped me focus when I need to. Good luck on the next 11 months.
This is somewhat important but it can be taken too far by taking away something a kid is passionate about. Keeping our brains productive is the reason boredom exists, as modivation, but forcing it isnt natural. I see what you mean though
Captain Totes I get that. This wasn’t scheduled time but happened when boredom would naturally happen and I would try and distract myself with video games.
From what I’ve been told and come to understand, boredom is highly related to meditation, where meditating when bored kills the unpleasant feeling and boredom is kinda like involuntary meditation
If I would do that I would kill the pitiful rest of my freetime completely, like then the whole day consists solely of sleep, eat, go to work, work, go home, eat again, be bored, sleep again. I don't think that's for me.
Yeah, I remember when I was bored in high school I invented codes and interesting ciphers just to keep my mind occupied. But now that I have an entire world of entertainment at my finger tips I don't do that as much any more. Turns out that sometimes a little bit of bored time is not a bad thing.
I’m in early high school and it is so hard to actually TALK to people, as in face to face talking. I realize that social media makes it possible to talk to more people, and quicker, but no one really does. All of these new interactions involve abbreviated phrases because we somehow don’t have the time to write out full phrases, yet have hours and hours to spend mindlessly scrolling through our twitter feed. I hardly ever get to just hang out with people, instead of their phones. every place we go to has to be snapchat-ed and every starbucks drink Instagram-ed.
Well, there's a million things on social media to discuss in the first place, so conversation topics are plentiful. I think in the real world, it's not as easy to connect with random strangers if you don't really need to talk with them, or don't already have things in common.
Yeh. I tried to delete all my social media but I ended up having to redownload Instagram and snapchat due to the fact that people don’t text each other anymore they DM each other so to get information off people I actually need these apps which is so dumb
I feel you. One of the hardest things about social media is that you can control whether or not *you* are on it, but you can't control whether the people *around* you are on it. I was in a theatre production recently and there were times backstage when I wanted to chat, but everyone was already on their phones, meaning I could either sit in silence or get out my own phone. And yet, I feel what Shweta is saying, too, because I love to obsess over stories, and when my friends aren't obsessed with the same stories as me, the internet allows me to find people who are obsessed with them too and it opens up so many new ways to process stories and connect with people who love the things you love. It's a very tricky balance to strike.
I've recently discovered that the suggested news feed that my phone makes for me has become increasingly... terrible. It's taken to giving me absolutely useless articles with sensational titles and information that is vague and uninteresting on the inside. Been trying to find a way to teach the algorithm that I don't want these things, but I think it's programmed to prefer these kinds of articles. It isn't easy to make your personal space of internet a good experience when outside forces don't want it to be.
I find that the problem is that these companies place too much reliance on their Algorithms. I have the same issue all the suggested stuff just gives me anxiety or causes me distress or just drives me away from the platform. My opinion is to channel that distaste to motivate you to stop using these platforms. It's what i've done and my life is better.
I just (mostly) quit social media, too. It was after I heard you were, John, but not because you were. I think your discussing it, and recently listening to Hank's podcast Delete This, informed this decision in the background. Recently, I started having noticeable anxiety. I'm not sure how long I've had this, but it had never culminated in a panic attack out of nowhere before. After my second panic attack in a week, I sort of... felt? that the panic was in part coming from my social media use. I never even posted much on social media, and never felt like I was comparing myself to my Facebook friends or anything. Just... the feeling of scrolling was remarkably familiar to me when I was panicking. I go on one subreddit for a game I play to participate in discussions about that game, and that's been it for me for going on two weeks now. No more Twitter or Facebook, and basically no more Reddit (I never had an Instagram). I don't particularly miss it, and I don't go to type the websites into my browser. What I do notice is that I reflexively take my phone out of my pocket and expect to open a social media app in a lot of situations, like waiting for my order to be called at QuickChek. I've filled those spaces with catching up on some webcomics I had fallen behind on, which now I need more of... In the place of all of that social media time, I'm doing other things more. There are shows I've wanted to watch that I've finally watched. I read a novel for the first time since the last A Song of Ice and Fire book came out. I draw more. I play with my cat more. I feel like I can focus so much better on the world around me, even when I'm not in situations that I'd check social media, like when I'm driving. I feel more alert, and healthier, and happier. Some amount of that surely comes from other good things happening in my life recently, but some of it probably comes from less time in the RIFT. For however much you and Hank have influenced this decision, thank you. Good luck on your journey, and I hope you have more insight to share soon :)
I also reflexively take my phone out when in line or when facing some other kind of minor boredom. (Waiting rooms, elevators, etc.) That is something I have not yet been able to stop doing, but for me at least, when I do resist it, I find that I like my thoughts and being with my thoughts more than I would've expected. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this; really interesting. -John
I use webcomics to replace social media apps too! I find it's a lot more entertaining because you never see the same posts/stories over and over again.
I’ve basically quit all social media myself in the past couple of months and it’s done no end of good for my mental health. The constant whipping up of negative emotions as well as the fact that I would almost robotically check them numerous times every day, I don’t miss either at all.
Quitting social media was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything, but now I have to find a way to form a healthy relationship with UA-cam
YES! I quitted social media about a month ago after a mental breakdown brought on by a terrible day at my old job. As I was crying on the way home I couldn't wait to have WiFi to share what had happened on twitter/facebook and I asked myself "what in the hell am I even thinking? Do I need to broadcast my mental breakdown and get questions and fake worry from people I barely know?" I deactivated my accounts, deleted the apps and had a good mental breakdown by myself. Now, I'm not saying this was healthy, and I intended to come back to the internet as soon as I felt better but it turns out, that my quieter days brought a sense of inner peace I hadn't even known I could have while I was job hunting. Turns out I _can_ have a social life without social media and I sure can stay informed in a better way. I'm honestly amazed at myself. I might not go a year without social media, but at least now I'm conscious of the amount of time I use my phone and I enjoy my free time more because I'm not itching to touch the phone again. I'm super bored though, so thank you for this crash course John, I have something to look forward
God, trying to do assignments has made me realise that when I open a new tab on Chrome, my hands auto-type "tw" to load twitter. Literally automatically. I spent last summer with no socials on my phone, but I'm starting to think I need to go social-less entirely for this summer. Good to hear your thoughts on it though, John. Keep it up!
Is UA-cam not considered social media by you? I’m curious as to how the community aspect of UA-cam could make or break the perception of it as a social media platform, or are you generally staying away from it besides creating videos?
Pretty sure youtube is more of an entertainment platform with “social media”-esque features. But personally i dont go to youtube to use the social media features more than to actually watch videos.
JOHN! There is a nerdfighter named Amber Blevins in need. She is disabled and dealing with a serious and potentially fatal health condition (craniocervical instability I think) and doesn't have the money to access the doctors she needs since she is excluded from Medicare and Medicaid. We've been talking in the Nerdfighteria Facebook group about setting up a fundraiser but we really need your help. We've sent emails to you and Hank (along with Maureen and some other people that are able to get in contact with you all). She estimates that the medical costs would be around $10-15k. She's getting progressively worse and if she doesn't get treatment she will die. We are all ready to help, but we need to get the word out. I think she's found nerdfighters in her area to help with rides to appointments and running errands, but she still needs financial help. Making a video detailing her situation and linking a fundraiser could save her life. I know you're not on Twitter right now, but we're using #helpamberblevins Please upvote so John will maybe see this. Thank you. -Abby EDIT: It seems like he liked a bunch of comments from the same hour I posted this (some higher likes some lower although I don't know how many likes it had at that hour). Disheartening, but we can't give up. Keep posting on new vlogbrothers content #helpamberblevins.
Not really for me? But it is for some people, I know. My relationship with YT is vastly different from my relationship with twitter or reddit. I don't really browse here. (But I'm at risk of STARTING to browse now that I can't access those other platforms!) -John
That is a great question and I’d have to agree with John that my relationship with UA-cam is incredibly different to any other platform. There’s a lot more effort that goes into video creation than slapping some sentences into twitter or Facebook status or a reddit forum. UA-cam is a lot more creative and also introspective because the time it takes to film, then edit, then upload should give a person enough time to be self aware enough to remove anything that could be construed as ignorant or ill informed. (Keyword: ... should. Plenty of people on UA-cam aren’t this way but you get the point). I’d personally be more likely to say something hot headed and feisty on twitter than to creative a video and upload.
Muting stuff and unfollowing people and making good use of “not interested” tabs has curated a pretty healthy social media experience for myself. It’s in defining what upsets you and not continuing to self sabotage. I hope it continues to go well for you!
John, this project made me delete Twitter for good (though I had mostly stopped using it) and I’m focusing on significantly cutting down social media and technology based content, and instead I’m rereading Harry Potter. It’s been WONDERFUL! So thanks for being the push I really needed!
We weren't allowed to say the phrase "I'm bored" growing up. If everyone around you was busy, well, you just had to find something else to do. (And we only got an hour of TV after school) As the youngest in my family, I was often left to my own devices, and I think it made me the creative person I am today. It forced me to actually do things, instead of just passively ingesting the world around me. If I had run out of books from the library, well, I just had to write my own, right? If I saw a movie I liked, I could play pretend or come up with my own story. In high school, I watched you guys and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and used that to make my own channel. And now, even with the unlimited stream of information, if I'm listening to podcasts all the time, I can certainly make one. Even though I'm now as addicted to social media as everyone else, I think I can somewhat utilize that to actually create something. Because otherwise, I'd be bored.
I'm 14 months into my "no social media (except youtube)" life and here's the results so far: (1) I don't miss any of it. After the initial few months of withdrawal symptoms that you described here (including typing "F" into the address bar dozens of times each day, only to end up on a site that I no longer have an account for) my itch and urge for accessing these sites has disappeared completely. (2) I use UA-cam a LOT more. When you eliminate a habit/addiction, it MUST be replace by something else. I didn't realize it until recently but I had simply replaced social media with UA-cam and it sucks up almost as much time as the others before it. Fixing that is a work in progress but at least there's only one beast to tackle now. (3) I don't feel any more lonely, despite the fact that I had basically no friends outside social media. I'm one of those people who really has no social life, so I had assumed that getting rid of social media would make me go from "practically no friends" to "absolutely no friends". And while that is technically what happened, I realized that it's worse to have fake friends than no friends at all. Why is that? Because at least when you have zero friends, you have no excuse NOT to go find people to be around. And whatever few relationships I muster to have are more meaningful than the hundreds I had on Facebook. Pro tip for attention issues in general: on your phone do these things: - Turn off ALL notifications from apps except those coming from people directly making contact with you (e.g. keep SMS notifications, but turn off email notifications, etc). That way, you won't be alerted every minute about something that you'd be better off checking manually at a more opportune time. - If you want to go super hardcore mode, set your phone's screen to Black & White mode. There's a lot of science that says that your phone is far less addictive when there's no color. I've had my phone like this for about 6 months and it made an immediate difference. I sometimes have to re-enable colors temporarily, but that's rare. If you actually read this entire comment, first reply with something interesting or friendly. Then go outside and enjoy the day :)
For the most part I haven’t used any social media other than UA-cam in over a decade. I don’t feel it has made me any less addicted to social media though. I’m thinking of quitting from it because trying to moderate the time I spent on it didn’t seem to work. I don’t know what else I would use to fill my time though. Obviously I can be more productive but I feel if I don’t substitute it with something fun but healthy, I’m going to inevitably fall back to UA-cam.
I hear that. I think we all have different Internets. I do worry that even here I am contributing to this great Attention Land Grab of huge corporations. But on the other hand, I really like making UA-cam videos and I feel happy here. I dunno. -John
@@vlogbrothers I think the problems with this sort of thing are more complicated than that. To me having an unhealthy relationship with the internet is like an unhealthy relationship with food. Vlogbrothers is like, a pretty healthy but tasty meal that someone can certainly overindulge in rather than say the non-diet Dr Pepper some other UA-camrs are.
@@vlogbrothers I think there is a difference though. You talked about sites that 'feed without nourishing'. I definitely feel nourished after watching this. And I'm intellectually engaged, as evidenced by me typing this comment (although it's not *that* intellectual I guess..). Being truly engaging without being infuriating is pretty rare on the internet. And I find those qualities most often on UA-cam.
I think we need collaboration and we’re not using the internet to its full capacity.. We are in a post-industrial digital age of consumerism with a mostly (or becoming mostly?) thinking/service/entertainment economy due to programming. Start my own business looks like creating a dating website, being a video game streamer/entertainer or UA-cam star.. I hate to say it but we need to rethink economic policy as monetizing our assets with a focus on GDP growth isn’t enough? People learn faster than ever through the internet... we just don’t have enough.. collaboration.. for what means? People can start their own business still and private ownership, sure... but most of what we produce are wants and wanting to get rich by selling any product is a want too? We certainly don’t need GDP growth which competition drives..? Cyber security and medical are some needs. Also if companies go public via IPO’s then the company is already socialized/publicly owned if millions own shares/stocks? You have to admit most shareholders have no idea what direction the company should head or what upcoming threats there are... most just know they receive a consistent % return. Plus, the car was made in 1885... since, there has been rounds of additions and improvements. Shouldn’t the public own rights to the old intellectual property except the improvements? Does this mean other old intellectual property should belong to the public? Can we collaborate/educate on a global scale about any topic? End rant.
Oh god, I turned off my FB and IG yesterday and I just keep grabbing my phone and looking at it before I realize there's nothing to look at... it ridiculous how often I am looking at it.
I've gotten rid of my social media for about 3 years now, and I don't regret it. Sure I have UA-cam and email, but without Facebook or Twitter I've had a lot less anxiety and (like you said) I'm able to have thoughts of my own instead of caring what others say and repeating it. I look forward to watching your crash course series coming up!
I quit Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit two years ago and it has undoubtedly done me a world of good. I found myself constantly measuring myself up against others and it was just so unhealthy for my mental health, self esteem, and productivity in general. My homeboy Theodore Roosevelt once said that comparison is the thief of joy, and let me tell you, that bro knew what was up! I’ve never felt so at ease and comfortable with myself and really enjoy how I am able to have privacy. I also read more now than ever before! It’s great. It’s funny how you can give one thing up and gain so much more! Anyway, long ramble aside, best of luck with your hiatus!
As a first year teacher, one of the most shocking things I’ve observed is how little my students know about navigating the internet properly and using it to their advantage even though they’ve grown up using it daily. I’m really looking forward to your new CrashCourse series and intend to use it in my Civics unit on media and bias!
Less time on the social meeds Is exactly what John Green needs It's hard, yes But it is for the best You may type Reddit, Twitter, Tap Instagram or Tumblr However all these things have been put to slumber So for a year, we shall wait For John to come back through the internet's gate
I like how you related how, "My thoughts are mine!" Too many people share their thoughts on social media. Even though the particular social media used may not always offer audio, the thoughts on them can be deafening as you read them.
"I've come to realize that the problem is deeper than I first thought so I'm not only going to examine the problem for myself but i'm going to examine it in a way that teaches and helps others." John, you are being the person Mr. Rogers knew you could be. Thank you.
@Sabi Turkki He was the host of a children's television program called "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" which ran for 33 years on PBS. He is seen by many to be an example of morality and human kindness. And by all accounts he was as genuine and kind off-screen as he appeared on screen.
I recently took the Twitter and Facebook apps off my phone. Was never a big user of FB but was with Twitter. It’s nice to take a step back and examine how much I was scrolling through Twitter out of boredom. I’d rather pick up a book instead. Great video and a year from social media sounds like a good challenge, best of luck.
With the exception of the bare necessities to do my job as a marketer, I also quit social media and have experienced many of the same feelings. I'm definitely struggling with the pull to check still, but overall I think I'm much happier with not knowing all the minutiae that's shared on Facebook and Twitter especially. Not being bombarded by information I didn't specifically ask for has been really healthy for me.
I remembered on New Year’s Eve that my 2018 resolution was to quit Facebook. I undeactivated and went back to using it mid-February. Now I’m renewing my resolution for 2019, wish me luck!
I think the enjoyment people get out of Facebook depends on their real life communities much more than other social media. Everyone at my school uses it, for example, so I experience Facebook as an extension of my social experience attending school. Without that real life connection, Facebook becomes much less interesting and easier to detach from than a site where you follow content from people you don’t really know.
Thanks for being so honest, John. I feel like a lot of successful people preach discipline and make us feel bad for being tempted by distractions like social media. It's comforting to know that someone as productive as you can still feel exactly like everyone else about social media. I think this problem isn't about lack of discipline, it's a very human problem that affects almost everyone and we do need to change how we approach what we surf on the web. I'm gonna check out that crash course. I made an animated video recently about social media addiction myself, so it'll be interesting to see if I come across new information about this topic.
When I was a kid in the 1st grade, I told my teacher I was bored. Her response was, "being bored is stupid!" which I guess shaped my perspective on boredom, because it caused me to always look for a way to evade it, always try to be occupied, and therefore, almost never having time for myself and my thoughts. But when I did have time for my thoughts, they would usually be negative, pessimistic and anxiety-inducing, which gave me all the more reason to never be alone with nothing to do but think. But after watching this video, I might give it another go.
Wow 2veritasium talked about anti social media this week as well. It's interesting because a lot of people around me is feeling the same way as john and a ppl on this comment section. I guess it's really becoming this decade's biggest problem. If it's not a problem it's sure is a challenge for us humans. I personally feel that a lot of ppl are gaining awareness.
The part where you talked about not being able to get lost in a book without checking social media really hit home to me. That's actually one of my goals this year is to read longer without that type of distraction.
John quits social media, makes blog video about it, uploads it to UA-cam and reads comments. Either social media is more complex than I know or I'm being trolled.
I heard you talk about the boredom part on Dear Hank and John a few months ago, and how having time to think about things during the day helped you actually turn off your mind and go to sleep better at night. I tried it out, and holy cow. Nothing so easy has made such of a difference in my life. Now in waiting rooms, walking to my car, standing at the platform for the metro, I don't look at my phone (mostly). I let myself be bored. I let myself stare around and think and have songs stuck in my head and just...be bored. It reminds me of when I was a kid, but in a good way. And I do sleep better at night. Thank you, John.
I would really love to see both green brothers study something new together. Right now I’m studying the teaching of Socrates, and there is nothing more that I would like the to watch my 2 beloved teachers studying the art of asking questions. Thank you for making every journey feels like an adventure 🥳🚀
My 100-day twitter hiatus is ending soon and I have many mixed feelings about coming back to it. Which yes, was the idea, but it's odd since twitter used to be a huge part of my time online and where I interacted with friends the most
Last october, after a serious political disapointment (I'm brazilian), I left Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Twitter in the same day. As a result, UA-cam took over my life.
CGP grey also did this and with more and more people doing it, mainly the people who make it, it comes as a sign, like when the tobacco executives quit smoking. It raises the question, will there soon have to be warnings on social media and other content?
I think the fact that I am in a panic thinking about your missing out on something on social media speaks to my own addiction pretty strongly. I admire you for taking the plunge and sticking with it. I'm looking forward to the new CC, too!
You described all the things I miss from the days before social media. Bored time for me was creative time. Now I rarely get lost in my literal "own little world" because I have the itch to be distracted. And those worlds of mine were so much of who I am, that I think it's one of the big roots of my depression.
I got tired of the fake image that people go a little too out of their way to create and so I left out of sheer irritation that I couldn't find anything genuine on any social media (I think UA-cam when regulated, has many genuine personalities and positive content that teaches more than it wrecks) and yet I find myself missing the artwork my favorite artists posted daily
“It had become harder to lose myself in a book without feeling an urge to look at my phone or open my computer.” Honestly, that happens to me all the time, but I didn’t think it was possible for it to happen to someone like John Green.
This is amazing. I myself have wanted to on multip occasions delete all of my social media or simply trade in my iphone for a dumb phone because I hate what it does to my soul. I think your points though are solid. Our attention spans are fractured and long form reading is declining. People are staring into their phones and whether they're replying to emails or looking at memes, their minds are being rewired, trained to skim, rather than to think and ponder. People now have an instant escape from boredom, but when did boredom become such a bad thing. Sitting in boredom can be a really magical thing and launch you into so many creative endeavors. Now of course I'm not going to be a total Luddite and abandon all technology, but I just think we need to consider more what we're spending our time on, and whether it's really valuable for us and for the people around us. I really do like what you say about the problem not being the internet but my internet. The reason we go on our phones or computers is not because of the our phone itself but because somethign in us has a desire to see or something on our phones/computers. This means thta fixing the problem means fixing oruselves, which can be a really tough pill to swallow. Anyways, I've taken up too much space, but this is important and I am glad you addressed it. Good day.
I’ve been trying to do this, and recently stopped checking Twitter. I cut my Facebook down. Being able to track my usage is really helpful because it’s scary.
John, you are my role model. I cannot wait until I'm selling enough books that I can also quit social media, lol. (I probably won't though, because I've come to genuinely love UA-cam.)
Good on you, John! I followed the same journey and it was transformative. I believe a radical shift in lifestyle/routine is always insightful if you're eyes are open, especially when it's based in discipline and focus. Good luck and good media fasting, Signed an admirer
I have done this about 3 month except the only UA-cam. It was like everything just fine and I felt like reborn in such a new day, or new life. I think I'm really out of those social media for the whole 2019. It's time to make something real in UA-cam.
Yesss! I love that you decided to do that because I really do think it frees up so much time and allows you to do what you truly want! I just posted a 1 minute poem about the realities of Social Media and I'm super curious to know what you think about it since you have committed to take a detox from social media.
Yo! I’ve been off of social media for a couple of years now too - I can definitely relate to the boredom bit and relearning how to have quiet thoughts. Good luck with your journey!!
I am happy you know more about YEMEN now !!
Much love from Yemen 🇾🇪 ❤️
I hope this will be over soon for us !
Good luck!
Best of luck!
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Take it easy man
That's what I was wondering. How did he learn and follow news like Yemen if he doesn't have any websites? I really want to get rid of reddit, but I know I'd stop following news if I did.
You have one EXTREMELY ECSTATIC high school librarian jumping for joy over this Crash Course series. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I need for my students. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
I used to think that having social media was necessary for me because, as an introvert, I don't spend as much time with people IRL as I (maybe) should, but somehow spending time scrolling through Facebook, etc, makes me lonelier.
After being a heavy user I had been off of social media for 13 months until yesterday. It started because I was not allowed a phone or anything with a camera in the building at my new employer and not having as much time at home. After a few months I did not miss it much and noticed I did read the news a lot more as in more whole articles and not just skimming headlines. I wanted to follow up on a story I read that linked to a facebook page yesterday and logged in for the first time in over a year, there were over 100 messages asking what had happened to me, had I died etc. and once I got through those it was mostly the same old same old that I had remembered, political bantering, whining, balanced out with some cute pet/baby posts. Meh. I'll check back in in another year.
I should try this this year
I am 25, male and from the UK. I have never had a Twitter and the only account I own is Facebook, which I rarely use. These things may be useful for some people but ultimately they serve as time wasters, much like tv and video games. The trouble is they don't teach you much and are very addictive, I read books, articles, I go outside (walk, cycle, socialise) and I go to the gym. My life is very peaceful and detached from all this new age nonsense. Apart from the occasional UA-cam spree haha keep it up, use the spare time you have gained to learn and progress, peace ✌🏻
I have been off socials for a couple years. It's been so freeing.
The best way to avoid misinformation is to have crippling anxiety about being called out for being wrong.
You are making yourself change. Changing habits you are not happy with. I am trying to do the same. Good luck to us.
I've only ever joined one social media platform (excluding UA-cam), and I wish I could quit it, even for a short amount of time... But I'm in several school groups that use it to communicate announcements and such :/
Also: AGNES MARTIN, YES!!
It's something incredible to get off it.
A great book that you should read is Deviced! by Dr Doreen Dodgen-Magee
I left Tumblr the day after Trump was elected president. I saw a post of suicide hotlines, telling people to call if they thought they would harm themselves after hearing the news. I'm sure for some people, this might have been needed, or even just a comfort, but I couldn't help feeling uneasy. Either I had found myself in a community so pessimistic about the future that suicide seemed like a realistic response to this event, or I had found myself in a community that treated suicide so carelessly that it seemed like a realistic response to this event. Either option left me disgusted.
One of the big things I noticed was exactly what John said- I had thoughts, and because I couldn't post about them, they stayed mine. It was nice for good thoughts, but it also made me realize what a crutch the internet had become for my bad thoughts. Typing your feelings online /feels/ like dealing with them. But it's not. It's a convenient way to feel heard, without the mental or emotional risk of actually telling someone. Suddenly I had to make a decision whenever I had these rough thoughts: are they something I need to reach out about, to talk about, share, and work through? Yes? Then I need to find a social support system who can provide that. No? Then I need to find a way to internally regulate my own head. Overall, it was this realization that was the least expected, and most life-changing aspect of leaving. Hope John finds the experience as profound as I did
Listen to my radio
"Another advantage is that I spend less time looking at the news but I think I might be better informed." I've been fighting this one with my family and friends for like...20 years now and they all still don't get it. Can I get a tshirt with that on it pleaassee! DFTBA warehouse I'm looking at you!
To me on the other side of boredom there is productivity.
I have a chrome extension that blocks twitter on my PC every day except Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and it has 100% resulted in me being generally happier and less anxious. I also generally follow the news less fervently, which I was ambivalent about because it seems important to say informed, but I've decided my mental health is more important, and its not that hard to stay generally informed anyway.
I like that weekends-only solution. Really interesting to read your perspective on this, since I'm a fan of your videos and the way you engage with political discourse. -John
I suggest more focus on news _wires_ over news _outlets_ . News wires tend to have no leading language or opinion, just the essential facts and details of a subject. Once that gets to news outlets, it becomes framed with leading language, opinion, misrepresentation, "group-think" terminology and phrasing, and in some cases manufactured outrage. There are of course always exceptions to the rule (even the wires have their moments of fault), and there are still legitimate journalists with integrity and ethics on all sides. Still I find them more reliable and less biased on the whole.
[Edited for clarity]
What extension is it?
I generally read the news of the day on the abc news website (www.abc.net.au/news/) and watch Q&A when it's on to keep up. Love both of your channels.
I have found that there is definitely such a thing as being "too woke" when it comes to your mental health. I think staying generally informed and engaged in the world is a good thing, but constantly submitting yourself to the news, and people's reactions to the news, can make it really difficult to maintain hope and stay civil with your friends and family when you are exposed to every opinion or thought that they might have.
woah. Having own thoughts
DODIE!!!
Ironically enough, I'm only watching this because I checked my phone while I should have been doing other things.
UA-cam is my problem
@@r0z3d I feel like I should say "Ditto!"... but I haven't really admitted to myself it's a problem yet 😅
oh god same
i did the experiment of blocking youtube for a month and a bit and i really think i started portioning my time better, however through the useful parts of it, i tricked myself into reinstalling it and through how easy it is to do so, i just let it eat big chunks of my time regularly again
I'm in a UA-cam hole right now
"I need to find out what lies on the other side of boredom." Holy heck that's relatable.
While there are a few worthwhile and pleasant social aspects to Twitter (in particular), it seemed like however hard I tried to avoid the negativity, I was continually bound by it and rewarded for participating in toxicity. More and more it has become a dumping ground for anger, hate, venting, fighting, outrage, offense, groupthink, tribal alignments...and on and on. I am 13 months free of Twitter: happier, more relaxed and compassionate.
Ssssaaaaaaammmmmmeeeeee. -John
@@vlogbrothers I think you just have to be careful of your communities. My Twitter feed is almost entirely made up of authors, educators (I'm a HS English teacher) and UA-cam friends I've made, mostly over the past five years of VidCon attendance. My Twitter feed is one of the greatest sources of joy and hope in my life. It's also true online, just as it is in life (and as John frequently reminds us) of the words of Mr. Rogers: "Look for the Helpers."
@@juststeveschannel I don't actually have a Twitter account but you can still see what people have tweeted and I just do that for a couple of people - like Hank. This way you have a set point when you are done and since you can't like of reply, you don't get sucked in.
@@juststeveschannel I think you are right. The key is to carefully curate those spaces and find those communities that are engaging but not antagonistic, thoughtful but not thoughtless. Like nerdfighteria. :)
For the most part, my Facebook and Twitter feed are full of science communicators (as I am also one) and various science journal feeds. I sorta feel like those that have major issues with their feeds are following the wrong sorts of pages, accounts, and groups.
"And also it's a PHONE" Oh my god! That was unexpected! xD
I always think of the wristwatch from Spy Kids that does everything BUT tell the time lol
I never got one of those Twitter Machines and have no urge to get one. yes I'm one of the 5% of American adults without a 'smart phone'
5%? Are there that many of us?
@@TheMrAshley2010 me too. i don't want it.
Wellington Smith Not having smartphone and spending time on social media is NOT a valuable achievement.
But doing valuable things (educating yourself, helping others, etc) instead with your free time IS in fact valuable.
Most people who are proud of not being on Facebook, Twitter etc... are just wasting their time and life in other ways....
Don’t be like those people!
I deleted basically all of my social media (Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter), and the first thing I noticed was how little people actually noticed. Like I disconnected from all these people I was having regular, though passive, contact with on these platforms. They all had my number, but don’t answer texts. I mostly get my news through my phone now and if I have thoughts I share them with either my wife or my close friends who are still around. It’s funny how quickly you realize it’s more of a place for people like John these days; that is, people who are famous who others want to hear from, whereas people in my situation are just the observers. I didn’t want to be an observer anymore, and it’s actually kind of depressing how little anyone seems to acknowledge that absence of a “friend.”
Same here! I expected messages from people asking what had happened since I wasn't on instagram/facebook/Snapchat anymore and nothing came.
Peachy Pie really makes you think about why we use social media. Like MySpace used to be a place where you could express yourself and your thoughts online. It was a communal space. But with ad sales and whatnot, it feels like they’re mostly a place for people to capitalize on this generation’s willingness to surrender privileged information that can be packaged into targeted campaigns. And other than that, a place to congregate for memes, feel good stories and outrage. Failing that, these spaces really feel like they’ve lost something of that communal feel. It doesn’t feel like a place for friends as much as it does a place for capitalists and their consumers.
Kirsten Crawford I do sorely miss the “old internet.” But maybe that’s just a feeling all millennials have about the world before it was commercialized. There’s a dig on millennials somewhere in there, but the reality of our world is, corporations used to have to plant people in communities to study what was trending in teens and young adults; social media evolved to allow us to surrender that information willingly. Once people realized they could capitalize on everything we said and did, all that was left of the hollowed our husk of our internet communities was the celebrities and the few people witty and snappy enough to get a following. The rest of our desperately reaching for a place that doesn’t exist anymore.
@@jaydubcee_ Gen X-er here: I really do feel ya. And, no need to dig on the Millenials, as you guys have been around longer than this issue now. I have been on Facebook for quite a while and noticed the quality of the community declining somewhere around 2015-ish...or maybe slightly before. I really noticed it when Facebook started letting more advertisers use their platform and the weird "shuffling" of friends and my own posts on the feed. And, the social/political anger/hatred around 2012. People always shared urban legends and silly untrue things on FB since forever, and before that via email...as nobody wants to use snopes or factcheck. For me, I just clean out my friends list to real friends and started a closed group to chat with people that matter so we can talk about certain topics and actually keep it private. I have also gotten phone numbers of my friends on FB and spoken to them by phone and either have visited them or plan to travel to see them. The invitation is open for them to visit as well. I think interacting outside of the internet is very important too.
ZombieMommy nothing is private on the internet
Taking a leaf from your book, John, I deleted (disabled, cuz my phone won't let me delete it) the youtube app from my phone. I was always congratulating myself on not being addicted to twitter/facebook/instagram/tumblr etc. But it was time to be honest with myself that the thing I was addicted to was youtube. And yes, youtube has a lot of great content, but I do not need to spend hours and hours glued to the endless supply of videos I am not even that interested in watching. So, I will continue to use youtube only on my laptop, watching content that I actually care about, like vlogbrothers! Happy 2019 to everyone!
Yeah, youtube is my issue too. I can understand the appeal of facebook, twitter etc and occasionally browse them but I don't /check/ them. UA-cam is the one thing that I'm on a lot and is generally unfulfilling. I am trying to cut down but it's difficult, especially as I don't currently have a job or much to really occupy myself. But I am making progress, slow as it can be!
I'm glad we made the cut! :) I think everyone's Internet is different and it's great that you've recognized the ways that yours has become a problem for you. Here's to a 2019 of more consciously chosen attention! -John
Ugh I spend so long on UA-cam and I can't stop!! I don't want to delete it but I also know it's not good for me...
I struggle with this too-I haven’t allowed myself to get the app at all because I know I’d while away my time there even more 😕
I am very impressed. My phone tells me that on average I spend an hour on UA-cam every day. I don't have any other social media on my devices. Quitting UA-cam will be the toughest thing I will ever do
You know, I find having thoughts is nice too. We need to have them more often because it's those thoughts that change the world, not the mindless scrolling. Thank s for sharing your thoughts and I will continue to share mine down here as well.
The irony that I encounter this thought while mindlessly scrolling... 🤦♀️ But also the paradox?
You are 100% right.
Man, I so admire how much you're able to promote reducing social media use while not being patronizing or "holier than thou". Absolutely beautiful.
Emily +
John and Hank are intelligent and nuansed people, plain and simple.
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I would say that he was, for quite awhile, bashing on the social internet as an in general thing and thinking that everyone should get out of it and that it has no net goodness to it for anyone. I feel like in listening to dear hank and john I have slowly heard his position evolve to recognize that the problem lies within him and not necessarily entirely within the internet though things about it make it worse for him and for many.
riiiighttt!!!!
"The other side of boredom", a possible title for a new John Green book?
I would be interesting if he did write it down and put that all into a more biographical book. Or is there another genre to better describe what I'm thinking...
The best thing for my upbringing was my mom making me have "bored time". Time where I couldn't use distracting things (this was pre-internet, so we're talking 8-bit Nintendo) I never gave that up and find times to "be bored" and those times where all I have to do is daydream, I believe, has helped me focus when I need to. Good luck on the next 11 months.
This is somewhat important but it can be taken too far by taking away something a kid is passionate about. Keeping our brains productive is the reason boredom exists, as modivation, but forcing it isnt natural. I see what you mean though
Captain Totes I get that. This wasn’t scheduled time but happened when boredom would naturally happen and I would try and distract myself with video games.
From what I’ve been told and come to understand, boredom is highly related to meditation, where meditating when bored kills the unpleasant feeling and boredom is kinda like involuntary meditation
If I would do that I would kill the pitiful rest of my freetime completely, like then the whole day consists solely of sleep, eat, go to work, work, go home, eat again, be bored, sleep again.
I don't think that's for me.
Yeah, I remember when I was bored in high school I invented codes and interesting ciphers just to keep my mind occupied. But now that I have an entire world of entertainment at my finger tips I don't do that as much any more. Turns out that sometimes a little bit of bored time is not a bad thing.
"Itchy in the way only ____ can scratch" fits most addictions I can think of.
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this is so great, yeah
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I’m in early high school and it is so hard to actually TALK to people, as in face to face talking. I realize that social media makes it possible to talk to more people, and quicker, but no one really does. All of these new interactions involve abbreviated phrases because we somehow don’t have the time to write out full phrases, yet have hours and hours to spend mindlessly scrolling through our twitter feed. I hardly ever get to just hang out with people, instead of their phones. every place we go to has to be snapchat-ed and every starbucks drink Instagram-ed.
Well, there's a million things on social media to discuss in the first place, so conversation topics are plentiful. I think in the real world, it's not as easy to connect with random strangers if you don't really need to talk with them, or don't already have things in common.
Yeh. I tried to delete all my social media but I ended up having to redownload Instagram and snapchat due to the fact that people don’t text each other anymore they DM each other so to get information off people I actually need these apps which is so dumb
I feel you. One of the hardest things about social media is that you can control whether or not *you* are on it, but you can't control whether the people *around* you are on it. I was in a theatre production recently and there were times backstage when I wanted to chat, but everyone was already on their phones, meaning I could either sit in silence or get out my own phone.
And yet, I feel what Shweta is saying, too, because I love to obsess over stories, and when my friends aren't obsessed with the same stories as me, the internet allows me to find people who are obsessed with them too and it opens up so many new ways to process stories and connect with people who love the things you love.
It's a very tricky balance to strike.
I've recently discovered that the suggested news feed that my phone makes for me has become increasingly... terrible. It's taken to giving me absolutely useless articles with sensational titles and information that is vague and uninteresting on the inside. Been trying to find a way to teach the algorithm that I don't want these things, but I think it's programmed to prefer these kinds of articles. It isn't easy to make your personal space of internet a good experience when outside forces don't want it to be.
Brynley Louise maybe a clean slate is the only way, as in deleting your profiles and making new ones?
@@chloe_alien I like the idea! Sadly that would mean deleting my entire Google account since I have the Google Pixel 2.
We'll probably you do click on clickbait, so it learns to show you clickbait.
Stupid clickbait and our psychological mechanisms that make it work.
I find that the problem is that these companies place too much reliance on their Algorithms. I have the same issue all the suggested stuff just gives me anxiety or causes me distress or just drives me away from the platform. My opinion is to channel that distaste to motivate you to stop using these platforms. It's what i've done and my life is better.
Delete cookies and subscription based media
I just (mostly) quit social media, too. It was after I heard you were, John, but not because you were.
I think your discussing it, and recently listening to Hank's podcast Delete This, informed this decision in the background.
Recently, I started having noticeable anxiety. I'm not sure how long I've had this, but it had never culminated in a panic attack out of nowhere before.
After my second panic attack in a week, I sort of... felt? that the panic was in part coming from my social media use. I never even posted much on social media, and never felt like I was comparing myself to my Facebook friends or anything. Just... the feeling of scrolling was remarkably familiar to me when I was panicking.
I go on one subreddit for a game I play to participate in discussions about that game, and that's been it for me for going on two weeks now. No more Twitter or Facebook, and basically no more Reddit (I never had an Instagram).
I don't particularly miss it, and I don't go to type the websites into my browser. What I do notice is that I reflexively take my phone out of my pocket and expect to open a social media app in a lot of situations, like waiting for my order to be called at QuickChek. I've filled those spaces with catching up on some webcomics I had fallen behind on, which now I need more of...
In the place of all of that social media time, I'm doing other things more. There are shows I've wanted to watch that I've finally watched. I read a novel for the first time since the last A Song of Ice and Fire book came out. I draw more. I play with my cat more.
I feel like I can focus so much better on the world around me, even when I'm not in situations that I'd check social media, like when I'm driving. I feel more alert, and healthier, and happier. Some amount of that surely comes from other good things happening in my life recently, but some of it probably comes from less time in the RIFT.
For however much you and Hank have influenced this decision, thank you. Good luck on your journey, and I hope you have more insight to share soon :)
I also reflexively take my phone out when in line or when facing some other kind of minor boredom. (Waiting rooms, elevators, etc.) That is something I have not yet been able to stop doing, but for me at least, when I do resist it, I find that I like my thoughts and being with my thoughts more than I would've expected. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this; really interesting. -John
I use webcomics to replace social media apps too! I find it's a lot more entertaining because you never see the same posts/stories over and over again.
I’ve basically quit all social media myself in the past couple of months and it’s done no end of good for my mental health. The constant whipping up of negative emotions as well as the fact that I would almost robotically check them numerous times every day, I don’t miss either at all.
Good for you :)
Quitting social media was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything, but now I have to find a way to form a healthy relationship with UA-cam
"I need to discover what lies on the other side of boredom" just that... I dont know what words to say to that. Thank you for sharing this with us.
^^^^
YES! I quitted social media about a month ago after a mental breakdown brought on by a terrible day at my old job. As I was crying on the way home I couldn't wait to have WiFi to share what had happened on twitter/facebook and I asked myself "what in the hell am I even thinking? Do I need to broadcast my mental breakdown and get questions and fake worry from people I barely know?" I deactivated my accounts, deleted the apps and had a good mental breakdown by myself. Now, I'm not saying this was healthy, and I intended to come back to the internet as soon as I felt better but it turns out, that my quieter days brought a sense of inner peace I hadn't even known I could have while I was job hunting. Turns out I _can_ have a social life without social media and I sure can stay informed in a better way. I'm honestly amazed at myself. I might not go a year without social media, but at least now I'm conscious of the amount of time I use my phone and I enjoy my free time more because I'm not itching to touch the phone again. I'm super bored though, so thank you for this crash course John, I have something to look forward
God, trying to do assignments has made me realise that when I open a new tab on Chrome, my hands auto-type "tw" to load twitter. Literally automatically. I spent last summer with no socials on my phone, but I'm starting to think I need to go social-less entirely for this summer. Good to hear your thoughts on it though, John. Keep it up!
Good luck! I hope it goes well for you whatever you decide to do.
Vacations are so much more relaxing because I make sure to stay off social media & not watch the news. It's amazing.
Alternative title: I Quit Social Media So You Don't Have To
If it can still order food, it's all good :)
Is UA-cam not considered social media by you? I’m curious as to how the community aspect of UA-cam could make or break the perception of it as a social media platform, or are you generally staying away from it besides creating videos?
He said last month that he is not banning youtube because he is not as addicted to it as he is to twitter or reddit.
@@raeidm.raunak4927 I would expect being a creator for so long would also help you see the platform differently than someone who is just a viewer.
Pretty sure youtube is more of an entertainment platform with “social media”-esque features. But personally i dont go to youtube to use the social media features more than to actually watch videos.
Me: Quits social media
Me: Posts on social media to let everyone know I've quit social media
I love yalls channel and everyone affliliated with it. They are the only channels i am comfortable and not slightly ashamed to share with my mother
hahahahaha I'm glad we pass the mom test! -John
@@vlogbrothers lol when i saw this comment i screamed and scared that same mother
Better not show her the video of Hank humping the town. 😂😂😂🤣
@@emilyhennessey8294 Hah I thought the exact same thing!
JOHN! There is a nerdfighter named Amber Blevins in need. She is disabled and dealing with a serious and potentially fatal health condition (craniocervical instability I think) and doesn't have the money to access the doctors she needs since she is excluded from Medicare and Medicaid. We've been talking in the Nerdfighteria Facebook group about setting up a fundraiser but we really need your help. We've sent emails to you and Hank (along with Maureen and some other people that are able to get in contact with you all). She estimates that the medical costs would be around $10-15k. She's getting progressively worse and if she doesn't get treatment she will die. We are all ready to help, but we need to get the word out. I think she's found nerdfighters in her area to help with rides to appointments and running errands, but she still needs financial help. Making a video detailing her situation and linking a fundraiser could save her life.
I know you're not on Twitter right now, but we're using #helpamberblevins
Please upvote so John will maybe see this. Thank you.
-Abby
EDIT: It seems like he liked a bunch of comments from the same hour I posted this (some higher likes some lower although I don't know how many likes it had at that hour). Disheartening, but we can't give up. Keep posting on new vlogbrothers content #helpamberblevins.
+BUMP
#helpamberblevins
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Even more bump #helpamberblevins
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isn't youtube technically social media?
Not really for me? But it is for some people, I know. My relationship with YT is vastly different from my relationship with twitter or reddit. I don't really browse here. (But I'm at risk of STARTING to browse now that I can't access those other platforms!) -John
@@vlogbrothers it starts with browsing and next thing you know, youtube's rated one and a half stars on the next episode of The Anthropocene Reviewed.
That is a great question and I’d have to agree with John that my relationship with UA-cam is incredibly different to any other platform. There’s a lot more effort that goes into video creation than slapping some sentences into twitter or Facebook status or a reddit forum. UA-cam is a lot more creative and also introspective because the time it takes to film, then edit, then upload should give a person enough time to be self aware enough to remove anything that could be construed as ignorant or ill informed. (Keyword: ... should. Plenty of people on UA-cam aren’t this way but you get the point). I’d personally be more likely to say something hot headed and feisty on twitter than to creative a video and upload.
Muting stuff and unfollowing people and making good use of “not interested” tabs has curated a pretty healthy social media experience for myself. It’s in defining what upsets you and not continuing to self sabotage. I hope it continues to go well for you!
John, this project made me delete Twitter for good (though I had mostly stopped using it) and I’m focusing on significantly cutting down social media and technology based content, and instead I’m rereading Harry Potter. It’s been WONDERFUL! So thanks for being the push I really needed!
We weren't allowed to say the phrase "I'm bored" growing up. If everyone around you was busy, well, you just had to find something else to do. (And we only got an hour of TV after school) As the youngest in my family, I was often left to my own devices, and I think it made me the creative person I am today. It forced me to actually do things, instead of just passively ingesting the world around me. If I had run out of books from the library, well, I just had to write my own, right? If I saw a movie I liked, I could play pretend or come up with my own story. In high school, I watched you guys and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and used that to make my own channel. And now, even with the unlimited stream of information, if I'm listening to podcasts all the time, I can certainly make one. Even though I'm now as addicted to social media as everyone else, I think I can somewhat utilize that to actually create something. Because otherwise, I'd be bored.
I'm 14 months into my "no social media (except youtube)" life and here's the results so far:
(1) I don't miss any of it. After the initial few months of withdrawal symptoms that you described here (including typing "F" into the address bar dozens of times each day, only to end up on a site that I no longer have an account for) my itch and urge for accessing these sites has disappeared completely.
(2) I use UA-cam a LOT more. When you eliminate a habit/addiction, it MUST be replace by something else. I didn't realize it until recently but I had simply replaced social media with UA-cam and it sucks up almost as much time as the others before it. Fixing that is a work in progress but at least there's only one beast to tackle now.
(3) I don't feel any more lonely, despite the fact that I had basically no friends outside social media. I'm one of those people who really has no social life, so I had assumed that getting rid of social media would make me go from "practically no friends" to "absolutely no friends". And while that is technically what happened, I realized that it's worse to have fake friends than no friends at all. Why is that? Because at least when you have zero friends, you have no excuse NOT to go find people to be around. And whatever few relationships I muster to have are more meaningful than the hundreds I had on Facebook.
Pro tip for attention issues in general: on your phone do these things:
- Turn off ALL notifications from apps except those coming from people directly making contact with you (e.g. keep SMS notifications, but turn off email notifications, etc). That way, you won't be alerted every minute about something that you'd be better off checking manually at a more opportune time.
- If you want to go super hardcore mode, set your phone's screen to Black & White mode. There's a lot of science that says that your phone is far less addictive when there's no color. I've had my phone like this for about 6 months and it made an immediate difference. I sometimes have to re-enable colors temporarily, but that's rare.
If you actually read this entire comment, first reply with something interesting or friendly. Then go outside and enjoy the day :)
jordan summers they feel the same as you fam its just a fact
For the most part I haven’t used any social media other than UA-cam in over a decade. I don’t feel it has made me any less addicted to social media though. I’m thinking of quitting from it because trying to moderate the time I spent on it didn’t seem to work. I don’t know what else I would use to fill my time though. Obviously I can be more productive but I feel if I don’t substitute it with something fun but healthy, I’m going to inevitably fall back to UA-cam.
What weirds me out about these sorts of videos John is UA-cam is for me what I suspect Reddit is for you.
I hear that. I think we all have different Internets. I do worry that even here I am contributing to this great Attention Land Grab of huge corporations. But on the other hand, I really like making UA-cam videos and I feel happy here. I dunno. -John
@@vlogbrothers I think the problems with this sort of thing are more complicated than that. To me having an unhealthy relationship with the internet is like an unhealthy relationship with food. Vlogbrothers is like, a pretty healthy but tasty meal that someone can certainly overindulge in rather than say the non-diet Dr Pepper some other UA-camrs are.
@@vlogbrothers I think there is a difference though. You talked about sites that 'feed without nourishing'. I definitely feel nourished after watching this. And I'm intellectually engaged, as evidenced by me typing this comment (although it's not *that* intellectual I guess..). Being truly engaging without being infuriating is pretty rare on the internet. And I find those qualities most often on UA-cam.
I think we need collaboration and we’re not using the internet to its full capacity..
We are in a post-industrial digital age of consumerism with a mostly (or becoming mostly?) thinking/service/entertainment economy due to programming. Start my own business looks like creating a dating website, being a video game streamer/entertainer or UA-cam star.. I hate to say it but we need to rethink economic policy as monetizing our assets with a focus on GDP growth isn’t enough? People learn faster than ever through the internet... we just don’t have enough.. collaboration.. for what means? People can start their own business still and private ownership, sure... but most of what we produce are wants and wanting to get rich by selling any product is a want too? We certainly don’t need GDP growth which competition drives..? Cyber security and medical are some needs. Also if companies go public via IPO’s then the company is already socialized/publicly owned if millions own shares/stocks? You have to admit most shareholders have no idea what direction the company should head or what upcoming threats there are... most just know they receive a consistent % return. Plus, the car was made in 1885... since, there has been rounds of additions and improvements. Shouldn’t the public own rights to the old intellectual property except the improvements? Does this mean other old intellectual property should belong to the public? Can we collaborate/educate on a global scale about any topic?
End rant.
Oh god, I turned off my FB and IG yesterday and I just keep grabbing my phone and looking at it before I realize there's nothing to look at... it ridiculous how often I am looking at it.
I've gotten rid of my social media for about 3 years now, and I don't regret it. Sure I have UA-cam and email, but without Facebook or Twitter I've had a lot less anxiety and (like you said) I'm able to have thoughts of my own instead of caring what others say and repeating it.
I look forward to watching your crash course series coming up!
It would be cool if you could give us an update in another month/when you’ve learned something else
I quit Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit two years ago and it has undoubtedly done me a world of good. I found myself constantly measuring myself up against others and it was just so unhealthy for my mental health, self esteem, and productivity in general. My homeboy Theodore Roosevelt once said that comparison is the thief of joy, and let me tell you, that bro knew what was up! I’ve never felt so at ease and comfortable with myself and really enjoy how I am able to have privacy. I also read more now than ever before! It’s great. It’s funny how you can give one thing up and gain so much more! Anyway, long ramble aside, best of luck with your hiatus!
I left social media 4 years ago, and I've never regretted it. Good luck on your attempt
As a first year teacher, one of the most shocking things I’ve observed is how little my students know about navigating the internet properly and using it to their advantage even though they’ve grown up using it daily. I’m really looking forward to your new CrashCourse series and intend to use it in my Civics unit on media and bias!
Less time on the social meeds
Is exactly what John Green needs
It's hard, yes
But it is for the best
You may type Reddit, Twitter,
Tap Instagram or Tumblr
However all these things have been put to slumber
So for a year, we shall wait
For John to come back through the internet's gate
This is great
this is just wonderful
ı wonder how long it took to write this as well as why you end up writing such a great thing :D did it come to you out of the blue?
NICE!
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"THE internet is not the problem; MY internet is the problem."
Well said, sir.
I like how you related how, "My thoughts are mine!" Too many people share their thoughts on social media. Even though the particular social media used may not always offer audio, the thoughts on them can be deafening as you read them.
"I've come to realize that the problem is deeper than I first thought so I'm not only going to examine the problem for myself but i'm going to examine it in a way that teaches and helps others."
John, you are being the person Mr. Rogers knew you could be.
Thank you.
@Sabi Turkki He was the host of a children's television program called "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" which ran for 33 years on PBS. He is seen by many to be an example of morality and human kindness. And by all accounts he was as genuine and kind off-screen as he appeared on screen.
You look and feel more like 2012 John from Crash course
I recently took the Twitter and Facebook apps off my phone. Was never a big user of FB but was with Twitter. It’s nice to take a step back and examine how much I was scrolling through Twitter out of boredom. I’d rather pick up a book instead. Great video and a year from social media sounds like a good challenge, best of luck.
With the exception of the bare necessities to do my job as a marketer, I also quit social media and have experienced many of the same feelings. I'm definitely struggling with the pull to check still, but overall I think I'm much happier with not knowing all the minutiae that's shared on Facebook and Twitter especially. Not being bombarded by information I didn't specifically ask for has been really healthy for me.
I remembered on New Year’s Eve that my 2018 resolution was to quit Facebook. I undeactivated and went back to using it mid-February. Now I’m renewing my resolution for 2019, wish me luck!
I recently realized that I hadn't been on Facebook for almost a year...
But I also never quite understood what people do on there...
I think the enjoyment people get out of Facebook depends on their real life communities much more than other social media. Everyone at my school uses it, for example, so I experience Facebook as an extension of my social experience attending school. Without that real life connection, Facebook becomes much less interesting and easier to detach from than a site where you follow content from people you don’t really know.
Luck
If I weren’t actively trying to kickstart a career on social media, I would be doing this.
I think that every time I come across people who talk about reducing or removing social media time in their lives.
The confidence in avoiding misinformation is possibly the biggest way we can misinform ourselves
Thanks for being so honest, John. I feel like a lot of successful people preach discipline and make us feel bad for being tempted by distractions like social media. It's comforting to know that someone as productive as you can still feel exactly like everyone else about social media.
I think this problem isn't about lack of discipline, it's a very human problem that affects almost everyone and we do need to change how we approach what we surf on the web.
I'm gonna check out that crash course. I made an animated video recently about social media addiction myself, so it'll be interesting to see if I come across new information about this topic.
That reminds me, Crash Course should start offering languages!
if they ever make a biopic about you it seems pretty obvious that jesse eisenberg would crush the role
When I was a kid in the 1st grade, I told my teacher I was bored. Her response was, "being bored is stupid!" which I guess shaped my perspective on boredom, because it caused me to always look for a way to evade it, always try to be occupied, and therefore, almost never having time for myself and my thoughts. But when I did have time for my thoughts, they would usually be negative, pessimistic and anxiety-inducing, which gave me all the more reason to never be alone with nothing to do but think.
But after watching this video, I might give it another go.
Good luck!
Wow 2veritasium talked about anti social media this week as well. It's interesting because a lot of people around me is feeling the same way as john and a ppl on this comment section. I guess it's really becoming this decade's biggest problem. If it's not a problem it's sure is a challenge for us humans. I personally feel that a lot of ppl are gaining awareness.
I'm about to blow your collective minds: I've never, ever had a social media account of any kind. BOOM!
The part where you talked about not being able to get lost in a book without checking social media really hit home to me. That's actually one of my goals this year is to read longer without that type of distraction.
John quits social media, makes blog video about it, uploads it to UA-cam and reads comments.
Either social media is more complex than I know or I'm being trolled.
Project Cyclops spreads.
Oh hey Tim, hows it going
I heard you talk about the boredom part on Dear Hank and John a few months ago, and how having time to think about things during the day helped you actually turn off your mind and go to sleep better at night. I tried it out, and holy cow. Nothing so easy has made such of a difference in my life. Now in waiting rooms, walking to my car, standing at the platform for the metro, I don't look at my phone (mostly). I let myself be bored. I let myself stare around and think and have songs stuck in my head and just...be bored. It reminds me of when I was a kid, but in a good way. And I do sleep better at night. Thank you, John.
Hi john. Thank you for a video today, any video. Thank you
I’m 6 months into my social media fast and loving it. Power to you, man. :)
I dont understand. Did you not quit youtube too then?
I would really love to see both green brothers study something new together.
Right now I’m studying the teaching of Socrates, and there is nothing more that I would like the to watch my 2 beloved teachers studying the art of asking questions. Thank you for making every journey feels like an adventure 🥳🚀
My 100-day twitter hiatus is ending soon and I have many mixed feelings about coming back to it. Which yes, was the idea, but it's odd since twitter used to be a huge part of my time online and where I interacted with friends the most
Well...no one is making you go back.
@@MagnusSkiptonLLC the trials and tribulations of being a millennial who works online: work kinda is making me go back
I was grounded for the last five months. It is hard, but you'll fine. And after awhile, better than fine.
Last october, after a serious political disapointment (I'm brazilian), I left Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Twitter in the same day. As a result, UA-cam took over my life.
CGP grey also did this and with more and more people doing it, mainly the people who make it, it comes as a sign, like when the tobacco executives quit smoking. It raises the question, will there soon have to be warnings on social media and other content?
I think the fact that I am in a panic thinking about your missing out on something on social media speaks to my own addiction pretty strongly. I admire you for taking the plunge and sticking with it. I'm looking forward to the new CC, too!
You described all the things I miss from the days before social media. Bored time for me was creative time. Now I rarely get lost in my literal "own little world" because I have the itch to be distracted. And those worlds of mine were so much of who I am, that I think it's one of the big roots of my depression.
I got tired of the fake image that people go a little too out of their way to create and so I left out of sheer irritation that I couldn't find anything genuine on any social media (I think UA-cam when regulated, has many genuine personalities and positive content that teaches more than it wrecks) and yet I find myself missing the artwork my favorite artists posted daily
“It had become harder to lose myself in a book without feeling an urge to look at my phone or open my computer.” Honestly, that happens to me all the time, but I didn’t think it was possible for it to happen to someone like John Green.
I believe Trump watched that video, too.
This is amazing. I myself have wanted to on multip occasions delete all of my social media or simply trade in my iphone for a dumb phone because I hate what it does to my soul. I think your points though are solid. Our attention spans are fractured and long form reading is declining. People are staring into their phones and whether they're replying to emails or looking at memes, their minds are being rewired, trained to skim, rather than to think and ponder. People now have an instant escape from boredom, but when did boredom become such a bad thing. Sitting in boredom can be a really magical thing and launch you into so many creative endeavors. Now of course I'm not going to be a total Luddite and abandon all technology, but I just think we need to consider more what we're spending our time on, and whether it's really valuable for us and for the people around us. I really do like what you say about the problem not being the internet but my internet. The reason we go on our phones or computers is not because of the our phone itself but because somethign in us has a desire to see or something on our phones/computers. This means thta fixing the problem means fixing oruselves, which can be a really tough pill to swallow. Anyways, I've taken up too much space, but this is important and I am glad you addressed it. Good day.
you're on social media...
you should check it turkmenistan, that's a fun rabbit hope of UA-cam videos :))
I’ve been trying to do this, and recently stopped checking Twitter. I cut my Facebook down. Being able to track my usage is really helpful because it’s scary.
John, you are my role model. I cannot wait until I'm selling enough books that I can also quit social media, lol. (I probably won't though, because I've come to genuinely love UA-cam.)
o.O how can u say u quit when u recorded and uploaded this urself? LIES lol
Okay, I need to do thissss
Good on you, John! I followed the same journey and it was transformative. I believe a radical shift in lifestyle/routine is always insightful if you're eyes are open, especially when it's based in discipline and focus.
Good luck and good media fasting,
Signed an admirer
Good for you! Keep at it!
I have done this about 3 month except the only UA-cam. It was like everything just fine and I felt like reborn in such a new day, or new life.
I think I'm really out of those social media for the whole 2019.
It's time to make something real in UA-cam.
Yesss! I love that you decided to do that because I really do think it frees up so much time and allows you to do what you truly want! I just posted a 1 minute poem about the realities of Social Media and I'm super curious to know what you think about it since you have committed to take a detox from social media.
I'll check it out.. thanks
Ah... you just haven't discovered the way to waste time by playing computer games?
Yo! I’ve been off of social media for a couple of years now too - I can definitely relate to the boredom bit and relearning how to have quiet thoughts. Good luck with your journey!!