Disconnected yet connected

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Hello, helloooo, dear Reader, Suraj here –

Today, in this issue of Figuring Things Out, I wanted to share with you how I’ve been able to stay disconnected from the noise of the world, yet connected to the people I love, across (almost) all social media platforms.

So, as you may know and have experienced by now, over the years, social media platforms have gotten really good at keeping users hooked. Especially with the advent of short-form content, it has never been harder to close Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube once you’ve opened it.

But again, if you don’t use these social media apps, how will you stay connected to your friends and family who are on those platforms?

If that’s what you’re wondering too, boy, do I have an answer for you, and a good one at that.

The solution is:

• ​Beeper (for phone), and
• ​Texts (for computer).

These are both text aggregators that connect to all your social media accounts and aggregate their chats in one place. Something like this:

Both these apps are from the same company, and they are both free. They do have paid plans, but you won’t really need them.

I still have apps for WhatsApp and Messenger to make calls to family and friends, but nothing with a feed. That’s like a rule for myself.

I have also found ways to eliminate the feed from Instagram, YouTube, and other socials, even on a browser on both phone and computer, but that is a story for another day.

But why even bother?

I know this might seem like an extreme move to cut down on social media usage, but I think I have a good reason.

The reason, like most times, is friction.

A lot of people rely on self-control to limit mindless scrolling on social media, but if I can eliminate the need for self-control, why not?

That is how I think of it. Just like my physical space, I design my digital home in alignment with the kind of person I want to become.

That is it for this issue. I will see you next week.

Take care, bud.

Warmly,
Suraj