People say things like "it's fine if I use Instagram in moderation," or "I'm learning stuff watching these YouTube videos or shorts." It's absurd the extent to which they'll defend this.

When I say "internet media" I mean the slot machines like Instagram, YouTube (and God forbid, TikTok). And there is no moderate use of a slot machine. Any "moderation" arguments you make are copes you will lose.

(Don't gamble even in a 'rewarding' slot machine, kids.)

This argument has the same vibe as "I only drink at parties" or "just a little p*rn at night." The actions aren't the same, but the self-foolery is: "I can handle it."

I've been there and every single time I would "just open the app to check in on people," or "just watch 1–2 shorts for a 30s break," and holy shit it's been like 30 minutes, and I'm watching some guy do random stupid things. You're not different. Z*ck or G*ogle do not care about you.

You've heard this a couple of hundred times, but these platforms are designed to make you addicted to them. They're slot machines with an infinite payline. Are you telling me that your willpower and discipline are stronger than the multi-billion (maybe trillion) dollar algorithms designed by the top-of-the-top behaviourists? "I can handle it." Okay, sure bro.

You know how you never actually feel good after using them, and you go back anyway. You know how M*ta and G*ogle spy on you. You know how they make you pseudo-content with your life. Still, you don't leave. You cope. That's how deep these platforms are ingrained. You defend the "it's fine" side so hard that you'd rather make fallacious and absurd statements than admit what these apps are.

Or they start saying "oh no, it's for my business use." Is it, though? Or is it an excuse you've practiced to instantly blurt out? If you really need it for business, make it someone else's job, not your scrolling.

Or "I just use it for texting my friends because they're on Instagram." Do you even want 'friends' that would find too much friction in switching platforms to talk to you?

So just get out. Delete your accounts on these platforms, and try going outside. Yes, the same old statement of "go touch grass." It's true. If you've got time, take a pleasant walk, or go volunteer wherever you can. It won't be hyper-optimized to keep you scrolling like a zombie or something.

I haven't told you anything you didn't already know. That's the problem. You know all of it, and you keep stealing from your future self more and more every single day. What are you doing?