This is such a thoughtful reflection on digital agency, and as a Gen Z reader, I feel the tension between using social media as a tool vs. being used by it. The line “We are not the tools” hits hard—especially when so much of our online presence is commodified.
Social media isn’t just an extension of ourselves anymore; it’s an economy, an expectation, and for many, an identity. The comparison to dynamite or bleach? Spot on. We’re constantly told to “just use it responsibly,” but the systems behind it are designed to make that nearly impossible. The lack of built-in warnings or “proper use” guidelines is intentional.
If I were to add a warning label to the manual, it’d say: "Prolonged exposure may lead to loss of self. Proceed with caution."
"Social media isn’t just an extension of ourselves anymore; it’s an economy, an expectation, and for many, an identity." This feels so true and so harrowing.
I also love your addition to the manual. I could write on that warning alone.
So much wisdom here! Like many people, I've been wrestling with my future social media involvement during a 2nd Trump presidency. I especially like Benjamin's point about wrestling with these questions as a community. So often I have the urge to make everything a bulleted list of rules, but these are never as rich or nuanced as the conversations we have together.
This was an awesome reflection Rose! I really appreciated your friend’s comment as well.
The last month or so I’ve taken myself off of Notes for similar reasons shared here. Currently wrestling with Substack’s social media-fication of longer form writing.
No decisions yet but I appreciate reading this as I continue mull over the decision
I feel the tension, Jamal. I took a good long break from Substack Notes for months and truly appreciated the quiet I felt when I came to Substack. I have been engaging a little bit, drawing back again when I feel overwhelmed. I barely scroll through when I check it because I find it so overstimulating.
I fear the social media-fication of Substack will only get worse. At the end of the day, no social media site has ever proven to us that they care about people over profits. As Substack grows I am watching them through my side eye and getting ready to jump ship to another newsletter platform if it feels like too much.
This is such a thoughtful reflection on digital agency, and as a Gen Z reader, I feel the tension between using social media as a tool vs. being used by it. The line “We are not the tools” hits hard—especially when so much of our online presence is commodified.
Social media isn’t just an extension of ourselves anymore; it’s an economy, an expectation, and for many, an identity. The comparison to dynamite or bleach? Spot on. We’re constantly told to “just use it responsibly,” but the systems behind it are designed to make that nearly impossible. The lack of built-in warnings or “proper use” guidelines is intentional.
If I were to add a warning label to the manual, it’d say: "Prolonged exposure may lead to loss of self. Proceed with caution."
"Social media isn’t just an extension of ourselves anymore; it’s an economy, an expectation, and for many, an identity." This feels so true and so harrowing.
I also love your addition to the manual. I could write on that warning alone.
Thanks for reading!
So much wisdom here! Like many people, I've been wrestling with my future social media involvement during a 2nd Trump presidency. I especially like Benjamin's point about wrestling with these questions as a community. So often I have the urge to make everything a bulleted list of rules, but these are never as rich or nuanced as the conversations we have together.
This was an awesome reflection Rose! I really appreciated your friend’s comment as well.
The last month or so I’ve taken myself off of Notes for similar reasons shared here. Currently wrestling with Substack’s social media-fication of longer form writing.
No decisions yet but I appreciate reading this as I continue mull over the decision
I feel the tension, Jamal. I took a good long break from Substack Notes for months and truly appreciated the quiet I felt when I came to Substack. I have been engaging a little bit, drawing back again when I feel overwhelmed. I barely scroll through when I check it because I find it so overstimulating.
I fear the social media-fication of Substack will only get worse. At the end of the day, no social media site has ever proven to us that they care about people over profits. As Substack grows I am watching them through my side eye and getting ready to jump ship to another newsletter platform if it feels like too much.