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| ISSUE NO. 722 |
| IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK . . . and we are still working to respond to the quantity and quality of emails we received to last week's question. We can only say that this is, indeed, the best kind of work, and that no matter how alone any one of us feels at times, we most certainly are not alone. This week we are preoccupied with the thought that how we pay attention matters. Sometimes it's said that what we pay attention to matters, but I think how encompasses more. Social media puts so much emphasis on the what, it can feel at times like the field of our attention is populated with nothing but a whole bunch of whats, and our only options are to fall into the depths of them, or tune out completely. When our attention is called to the ways that technology fails to attune to the better parts of our humanity (we're thinking here of Mark Zuckerberg's recent announcements about Meta) or the real limitations of our Earth's resources (we're thinking here of the vast amount of energy required to power AI, and the forceful nature of AI tools being introduced to platforms like the very one we are typing on now) we come back to that same dilemma, the question of whether we can only surrender to the forces beyond our control, or divest from them as a from of protest. There are too many beautiful human lives entwined with both of those choices for us to say whether one is better, or worse. We can only say that our thinking has us wondering about what other choices there might be. Rather than what to do, we wonder how to do it better: with more awareness, in more alignment with our values, and in ways that feel connected in meaningful ways. Though we personally tend to be focused on ways to spend less time online, we also don't want to get rid of online connectivity entirely. Yes, we run an internet-based business...but the bottom line for us is really this: we know that connection matters, in the many forms it takes. Today we wanted to share some important ways that we practice how to pay attention differently: / one of our team members consistently deletes their social media app(s) for periods of time - an ongoing cleanse of sorts / there are apps that help you manage your screen time, including One Sec, which I've used this year to increase mindfulness of when I open a social media app, and why / once I'm in instagram, my social media app of choice, I have the ability to select 'favorite' accounts (under 'settings and activity') which will prioritize those creators in my feed; this benefits from regular updating, as some accounts will be shadowbanned based on their content, a decision that may not take into account your personal interests or values / there are *many* other tools under settings worth exploring, including a proprietary time management setting, and a way to 'mute' accounts that you don't want to see as often / reclaim the 'social' part about social media: at least once per day, write a message to someone whose online presence you appreciate, to thank them. Whether that is a thought leader or a friend who shares stories that open your worldview, showing gratitude as a daily practice matters, and helps to create the very connection that we crave. / last but not least, online content creators can be compensated for their work. If you are someone who has traditionally benefitted from systems of oppression, and you regularly learn from and appreciate the work of someone who has traditionally been exploited by those same systems, find out how you can become a paid subscriber - whether that's through the app itself, through an accompanying newsletter or website, or perhaps they provide their Venmo or CashApp information in their profile for your convenience. We'll leave you with A Growing Culture's beautiful summation, from their recent newsletter: "As social media platforms increasingly abandon fact-checking protocols to profit from misinformation and polarisation, we recognise that continuing to use them holds multiple contradictions. We remain committed to showing up in these spaces with the utmost intention." ...and a snippet of the poem included therein:
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tidbits...resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we're reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . . Do One Small Thing . . . each week we highlight one small contribution to the type of world we want to live in, and this week, we have a short list of options above, to practice mindfulness in online connections. Try one of our suggestions, or share your own. |
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