I know this blog is about following tangents to find deeper meaning. But there is one tangent I try to avoid. Doomscrolling. Random movie clips, cooking videos, brainrot memes – just about any type of content could take you down a rabbit hole of endlessly scrolling. It is the perfect example of a tangent, but it is one that strays too far from telos to be beneficial. Sure, it can provide some benefit like connection, practical tips, or a momentary brain break like but not nearly enough to justify the costs. These short-form videos are rarely the best way to get the benefits. So what should you do?

No, you don’t have to throw your phone away or delete Instagram or TikTok. Or set a 10-minute screentime limit. Those methods will inevitably fail. You should, however, develop good habits that prevent you from falling victim to the easy dopamine burst and the procrastination that ensues.

Create a foundation by listing out all the work you have to get done by the end of the day. Seeing it in writing helps you realize the amount of work that you have to get done no matter what. My philosophy is that I will have to finish this work either way. I would rather finish it early and be unstressed. Doing this step lays the groundwork for keeping yourself busy. It’s almost like creating a negative feedback for yourself where if you doomscroll, you don’t get to check off items from your list, and you feel more stressed. The only way to alleviate that stress is to stop scrolling and get working!

Another tip is to start small. Gradually lower your screentime 10 minutes at a time until you reach the desired level. By doing it in increments, the doomscroll detox won’t be as painful, and you’ll realize that you’re not actually missing a whole lot. The key is consistency!!

Most importantly, determine the root cause of your desire to doomscroll. As mentioned earlier, scrolling through social media is not the best way to achieve certain benefits, but we do it because it’s easy, and it’s accessible. If you want social connection – call a friend or schedule a hangout. If you need a brain break – take a walk, listen to music, or sleep. If you want to hear some drama – call a friend; at least you’re building connection.

On the note of spilling tea, it might actually be good to embrace the discomfort of not knowing. With 31% of American adults now doomscrolling regularly, we’ve created a culture addicted to the illusion of being informed (2024 Morning Consult survey). But true wisdom comes from sitting with uncertainty rather than frantically consuming more data points about scattered topics.

This is all to say that social media is not a monster. As long as you know how to use it. Aristotle preached that virtue lies in the mean between extremes. We don’t need digital abstinence (the extreme of avoidance) or uncritical consumption (the extreme of indulgence). Instead, we need to know when and how to engage with the vast amount of information at our fingertips.

To reach telos, we must sometimes resist the tangent that masquerades as purpose.