Look up. Reels keep refreshing, but none stay in our minds. In the age of fast paced life and content, there is a constant need to satiate our desire for stimulation. Whether that's through endlessly scrolling down the mindless pit that is short videos or playing musicin our ears at all times to avoid being left alone with our thoughts, we have lost the ability to allow ourselves to be bored.
The effects are obvious. Brain rot, as defined by Oxford Dictionary as the “perceived loss of intelligence or critical thinking skills, esp. as attributed to the overconsumption of unchallenging or inane content or material,” continues to worsen as around 77 percent of teens report more than two hours of social media use per day.
Combined with the meteoric rise of short form video content, this phenomenon leads to what is known as “cognitive overload.” When exposed to large amounts of unrelated content in rapid succession, it becomes difficult to process information. As a result, brain rot like symptoms, such as poor concentration, mental cloudiness and diminished cognitive function are continuously reported by young adults. Brain rot is real, and it is time to try harder to fight it.
The consequences of inaction are troubling. Scrolling induces a passive mental state, one that may be enjoyable in the short term but lead to discontent later on. Moreover, in this state, we content ourselves with being consumers of the decisions of the algorithm rather than reflecting on the validity of the ideas we are consuming. Historically, self improvement and innovation has been achieved through reflective thought.
Consciously slowing down the brain and embracing boredom to fight against the endless stream of things looking for our attention makes a difference. One fun and simple way to do this is through developing a hobby, an activity to engage with outside of social media that is purely for pleasure.
Hobbies provide an enjoyable reset from the heightened emotional state that comes with social media use. Through a hobby, one engages in an activity for an extended period of time, restoring the ability to concentrate. Although it may feel boring at first due to its less stimulating nature, doing so both eliminates the cognitive overload that impedes concentration and trains the mind to tolerate this state. When no longer weighed down by the excess of information, the mind becomes clearer as it focuses on this activity.
But slowing down doesn’t mean not having fun. The value of hobbies is in how they provide the freedom for you to pursue personal interests while providing an outlet to decompress. The most important part is to have fun in doing something you enjoy. At the same time, the fun is enriching when it leads to exploration of the world. Whether that's learning a skill or reconnecting with the environment, hobbies provide a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment.
Most importantly, hobbies offer an alternative to being merely a passive consumer. Hobbies require intentional choice and engagement with material, bringing us from consumers to participants. Even though it’s doing simple things, they force us to make conscious decisions while doing so. Through this process, they are a reminder that fulfillment comes from active engagement and intentionality.
TRY ONE OF THESE TODAY:
Learn a musical instrument
Draw
Chess
Woodworking
Reading
Outdoor adventures
Calligraphy