The Death of Imagination

The art of imagination is on a steady decline. Over usage of social media and the internet have stunted our growth as a functioning society. I’d even argue it’s reversed. Generative AI is being pushed onto consumers by most major platforms completely unprompted, and social media has become a staple of global entertainment.

A study conducted by The University of Maine shows that nearly 60% of the world's population is active on social media. When did media addiction become a global pandemic? Roughly 210 million individuals globally identify as media addicts with gradually increasing rates. The average adult spends around 13 hours a day utilizing a digital device. This is just simply not how human beings are supposed to live.

According to the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital, it’s not the time we spend on screens that’s an inherent issue, but it’s how we’re using them. Prolonged screen time can easily provide too much stimulation for the human brain to handle, literally erasing the neural connections we’re under-utilizing. What does this do? It inhibits your capacity for imagination and creativity.

When was the last time you picked up a book? When was the last time you went on a walk without music or a podcast? When was the last time you felt truly bored? Because the truth is, constant stimulation and entertainment can directly deteriorate the brain. Your memory and self-esteem can be damaged by prolonged screen usage. Exposure to blue light often disrupts sleep patterns and reduces the overall quality of your sleep. Not to mention, excessive screen use can strain your eyes, back, neck, and shoulders. And while all this is happening, your cognitive function declines.

According to a study conducted by Harvard, social media and video games trigger the brain’s reward system, the same way one would be enticed by a slot machine at a casino. You’re being sold the idea that with just a little extra effort, you can make it big, and the world will know your name. But where, in all of this, is creativity? Where’s the individuality? Where’s reality? Well, with the conformist nature of social media, most young people today find themselves feeling pressured to “fit in” with their peers, disregarding their own personal wants.

A trend I’ve personally noticed is the rise of nonchalance. To be passionate is to be “cringe.” Gone are the days of the “awkward tween” phase, in are the days of manufactured unity. It feels as if everyone’s worried about what everyone’s doing everywhere all the time. It can get a bit overwhelming, constantly being fed information you weren’t asking for. So, what can we do?

Well, to start, I deleted social media. And to be honest, it wasn’t that hard at all. Do I miss the instant dopamine hit of doomscrolling to the next TikTok? Honestly, not in the slightest. As of late, I’ve found myself overwhelmed and overstimulated by the happenings online. Internet drama, mortifying news, hyper-stimulating short-form content, it had all gotten to be too much noise. Far too loud for me to keep up with.

I’ve found that just sitting in the quiet can be greatly fulfilling and will almost inevitably spark incredible ideas. There are thousands, if not millions, of ways to express yourself, entertain yourself, to live your life the way you so please. Take the time to unplug, let yourself breathe. You owe it to yourself to treat your mind the way it deserves.