Aadrita Chatterji

As unbelievable as it may sound, some people choose to stay offline.

When asked why, they mention the need to step away from being constantly online. To delete their social media, silence their device notifications and the doomscrolling. They want to be constantly updated on what others are busy with, to share in their milestones without being invited and experience a constant state of fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) each time they log in to social media. Of course, they miss the good things that come with the algorithm, but their mental peace is far better than before.

Why Do People Like To Live Under A Rock?

The writer of this essay has friends who are not on social media, and they don’t know what’s trending. Though she might not understand their reasons, she respects their choice to prioritise themselves and their loved ones over staying relevant. They share photographs and information only with people they trust, knowing that their privacy and dignity will be protected. Instead of polluting their minds with different opinions across a thousand influencers, they focus on building a good life.

Such people usually depend on a close companion, their roommate or even a partner, scrolling through their social media to update them on what’s going on. Since they don’t know much about the situation themselves, they believe the second-hand version based on what they hear. Somehow, we can’t blame them for choosing this – wanting to detox from world events, pop culture and viral situations all day, every day, till the madness is over. To be honest, the writer herself mostly does the same.

Slowly And Steadily, The Fear Of Missing Out Creeps In

Suddenly, one day, all of us want to be included in what is going on in the world. Those who remain offline either read the news or watch real-time videos. If they continue to depend on their circle, they become recipients of gatekeeping: what their social circle shares with them. Though the writer herself is not chronically online, she becomes the gatekeeper of the latest Bollywood updates. Most of the people she knows are not even interested, but they’re supposed to sit and listen.

Even then, she has her ‘oops’ moments. She doesn’t always know what is going on in reality television, cinema or daily life. Sometimes, she learns things days or even weeks later. Though mildly infuriating, it reminds her of hearing about school drama that happened more than a decade ago. That’s when she goes, “When did that happen, and where was I when this was happening? Wait, who was the culprit again?” If that happens too often, casual, everyday conversations quickly turn into briefing sessions from the beginning.

Does It Seriously Matter In The End?

First things first, we must give credit where it’s due. People who stay away from chaotic social media headlines avoid manufactured outrage, peer pressure to constantly update, and, more importantly, first-hand negativity. The world is not made of sunshine and rainbows, and it’s indeed tremendously difficult to maintain one’s mental and emotional health after spending an hour doomscrolling about everything wrong with the world.

The associated isolation and loneliness come in now and then, and that becomes part of our daily routine. The secret glances where everyone reacts to the cultural references in conversations, but we have no idea what’s going on. Someone tells us the complete story, yet such second-hand information doesn’t make complete sense to us. On the other hand, we learn something new about the world, even though it feels useless to us at the moment. Being culturally illiterate starts a conversation, turning it into a pathway to personal anecdotes and lived experiences over internet trends.

Should we use social media or should we delete our accounts? There is no easy answer, because everyone has their own preference. Some of us find a silver lining in transforming ice-cold digital phenomena into human discussions with a friend. Their expressions, voices and reactions to what’s happening certainly influence our thoughts, but we can still form our opinions. For the rest of us, there are other ways to do our research and choose what’s best for ourselves.

Eventually, missing out on a few internet jokes doesn’t matter if we have a clearer mind, deeper focus and a genuine presence in living our best every day.