Have you ever thought about how this life would be if there was no such thing as social media? But when we say social media, there is one giant corporation that has ownership of multiple social media platforms, and that’s Meta. Instagram is the most valuable asset for Meta, and the company makes sure to leverage billions of dollars per year with this one app. While they are busy collecting your precious data and earning money, all we do is keep scrolling reels, counting likes on our posts, and being a product for the brands. But imagine if I just quit Instagram today. What are the changes and modifications that I should expect?
How it all Started?
We Gen Z’s have witnessed the fastest human evolution in the history of humanity. Some of us were born in the era of feature phones, then semi-smart phones started taking over the market, and it was not until 2010 that 60% of the human population became familiar with the internet. This was the most sensitive period when humans were unaware of the fact that soon their personal lives wouldn’t be personal and peaceful anymore. And then there was a dawn of social media where big corporations like Facebook (now Meta) started taking control of the lives of common people and even the majority of celebrities in the world.
Instagram was one of the apps that allowed humans to interact and make connections in a more prominent way than any other app had done before. Earlier, it was just a photo posting app with decent editing features that no other apps provided. But, as Mark Zuckerberg took control in his hands, the first thing he did was add more options so that more data about the person was available to people worldwide.
How I fell into The Social Matrix
People Used to mind their business, until instagram showed up.
Quote for Instagram by Pratik Pandav.
The above verse has its context back in the time when I had a limited number of people in my life. That time was the most peaceful, when the people I loved stayed with me all the time. They used to comment on me in person and also check on me on a daily basis to see if I was okay or not. But after the arrival of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat, I was forced to install the applications. It is like FOMO. And I believe most of you guys who’re reading this will agree with my statements. Many of us didn’t want to socialize much. We’re happy keeping our circle small and filtered.
But the one who I called my friend started making me feel like I was not part of something big. Something was happening to them on a daily basis. They used to talk about their Instagram stories, posts, and hashtags for hours, and nobody, not even me, saw a big threat coming towards us. Due to peer pressure, I introduced myself on social media. Suddenly everyone again starts making me feel like, yeah, I’m one of them. That time, I was just 15 years old.
How It’s going for me?
After being active on Instagram and other social platforms for like 7 years, I’m now aware of the fact that these things are essential to staying connected with the world. I spend like 5–10 minutes on my Instagram, and I’ve limited my number of followers as well. I’m not anti-social, but I don’t go beyond my necessities. I’ve got a high-quality Instagram feed, making it easy to use to improve my knowledge rather than just scrolling through reels and poking into some others lives all day.
I’ve mastered the skill of being on social media while living my life in solitude at the same time. I post stories for a limited number of people and make sure I also check only on those for whom I genuinely care. I too watch reels, and they are great if you channelize them in the right way. But, according to me, an average Gen Z person per day spends at least an hour scrolling Instagram.
Imagine the benefits if I just quit Instagram
Deleting Instagram account and then app from the phone might sound mistaken for a while, But it has numerous benefits and even some drawbacks. Imagine If I Just quit Instagram and the next day no one gives a damn about me. Furthermore after a week people do realize that I’m done with the social media thing and they star making me feel foolish of myself to do that. But as the days past, my life would turn more peaceful and exciting as compared to there because I’ll focus on enjoying every moment rather just capturing it and posting it on a loop.
- Improved Mental Health: Studies have shown that the overuse of social media leads to mental disorders like anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Nobody posts about their failures, breakdowns, and sh*t happening in their lives. Everybody is more and more into pretending the best life they are living. And when others see it, they start questioning their lives.
- Increased productivity: social media can be a major time sink. Imagine if I just quit Instagram and utilized my free time to work on myself rather than just showing off. That would be a better deal. Because I would increase my value by doing some great stuff and being proud of it.
- Improved relationships: Now that social media plays a huge role in spoiling your happy relationships, This is because of the human tendency to show off and be insecure. I will cover a separate topic on it soon.
Imagine the Drawbacks if I Quit Instagram
- FOMO (fear of missing): Now you are out of the world where every other human comfortably resides. Leaving the world of Instagram is not so easy because it now exists as a part of real life. Having an Instagram account is like having an identity like some other government ID. So, first, you need to understand that without Instagram, life is easier and less complicated. This mindset will help you succeed in the long run.
- Anxiety in the Initial Days The urge to post stories and see the happenings in your friends lives is what you’re going to miss the most. To make it easy, just make sure that you are active on other social platforms like WhatsApp. We’re less addicted to platforms like WhatsApp and Twitter in comparison with Facebook and Instagram.
- Your social media presence will be nullified. If you cross this stage, then no one can stop you from being successful in life. Imagine a beautiful girl coming your way and asking for your ID, and you tell her that you don’t Instagram. But if she’s truly into you, then she would go ahead and ask for your number.
How to make transition easier while quitting Instagram?
- First, you need to create a strong blueprint for planning your day.
- The next thing to do is implement the plans.
- The third most important thing is to learn some new skill or polish the skill you already have.
- Try to generate passive income from the skills you possess.
- Watching movies and web series might be a better and faster option to overcome the urge to use Instagram.
Conclusion: Imagine If I just quit Instagram
It is important to note that there are both ups and downs to using Instagram. Some people find it useful as it helps them stay connected to their friends and family. While, for others, it’s nothing but a distraction. Watching reels all day means you’re destroying your life, and more than that, it’s nothing but a waste of time.
At the end, I would like to spit out the fact that Instagram is a tool that you can use to enhance your life, or you might just fall prey to it. The choice is yours.
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