Escapism: Why We Let Phones Control Us 📳
Escapism, by definition, is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or…
Escapism, by definition, is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy. Every person seeks relief from the daily stresses of life in some form or another. They might distract themselves with reading, writing, mindless entertainment, online shopping, porn, or even social media.
When we use unhealthy distractions to escape, we medicate ourselves away from the world. In a sense, we make people, places, and things our gods. The term god here refers to distractions that get our attention the most. These gods rent most of the space in our minds, and we usually obsess over them. For example, when we grab our phones 50+ times per day—returning to social media checking if “friends” and “followers” reacted to our content.
Escapism can even have some folks regularly skipping meals to spend additional time on their phones eating digital junk food instead. Addiction can also cause a person to delay taking a piss when nature calls. But why starve ourselves of reality and trade it for online media that only pisses us off?
Today, people often prefer a safe space to electronically explore the world rather than physically live in it. On the other hand, can you blame them? After all, the world appears dangerous everywhere. Or is it? I address how catastrophizing develops from overexposure to social media in another article and explain how we unintentionally reshape our minds.
Anyhow, there’s a sense of safety in observing tragedy at a distance from our non-living rooms. All while electronically connecting to the others within the Matrix who wear similar digital wool over their eyes. So it’s easy to get caught up in social media. But don’t feel bad. You are not entirely to blame.
Media companies intentionally design apps to steal time from our days. They study online user habits closely, then capitalize on them. Much like grocery stores put milk in the back of the store, so you have to walk past all the other merchandise and then make impulse purchases.
Likewise, technology and software companies mimic the same consumer psychology. They track our habits closely, then drip-feed us distractions as soon as we pick up our phones. They aim to get us to spend as much time as possible on their creations, encouraging escapism.
Moreover, with every notification, the Phone gods and goddesses call upon us like we are the chosen ones. Seductively whispering to us until we answer the call and succumb to our inner addictions.
Finally, recall the stereotype of the adult child who lives in their Mom’s basement, playing video games all day and watching porn between levels. How does this compare to those with more readily portable phones? We all are no less guilty of the same things but as functioning’ escape-oholics.’
Oh, and by the way, here is your milk at the end of the article. It’s likely what you first came here for. I hope you impulsively picked up other digital food along the way. Thanks for escaping with me and letting me steal three minutes of your day.
If you liked this article, please hit the Clap icon all 50 times, Comment, then Follow me for more. I plan on skipping meals and bathroom breaks, returning 50+ times a day to see the reactions to my content.