Welcome to Sentient Scrolling <3
Imagine this newsletter has arrived in your physical mailbox, tucked in an envelope embellished with hand drawn vines and flowers. Slip your fingertip under a corner flap and rip the seam until you can see a piece of paper covered on both sides with my handwriting, messy and perhaps stained with tea rings. This is the spirit of Sentient Scrolling. (If you’re not sure what Sentient Scrolling is, you can find out here).
About a week ago I received a letter from a friend. The envelope had journeyed from the cold northeast down to Florida. Opening it was such a pleasure— I read my friend’s words several times over, my eyes following the lines of her handwriting, imagining her sitting in a coffee shop or at home, looking out a window or people watching. There’s something so intimate about reading someone’s handwriting. This wasn’t always true, but with the rise of technology and screens I feel like handwriting has become sacred, revealing. Tracing a finger over hand written words transfers an energy that doesn’t exist with screens.
I encourage you to imagine these words as handwritten.
I apologize that this first newsletter is a day late. I am in my last weeks of proofreading for my forthcoming book, and a pressing task required my full attention. Because the book is about wildfire and firefighting I’ve been on social media more often for the past week and a half. My screen time has spiked and I’m ready to embark on this journey with you, as a fellow traveler.
The thing about our phones, whether we’re on social media or not, is that they suck us in. They’re designed to be addictive. No matter what methods I implement to remove myself from screens I’m always drawn back as time passes, first slowly and then all of a sudden. I know I’m not the only one.
In this week’s newsletter:
A discussion about TikTok and social media.
A worksheet for the first week of exploration (shared in the paid subscriber chat).
Some forecasting of what’s to come.
Bye Bye TikTok
I wrote about TikTok’s addictive qualities back in September, and I have many thoughts about the TikTok ban. A couple days ago I downloaded the app (I never keep social media apps on my phone) and scrolled to see what people were saying about the ban itself, which may or may not happen. I was suprised at the narrow takes from many creators, even creators I respect.
The main take from folks (I can see) on TikTok is this: the TikTok ban is an attack on free speech, and users should migrate to another foreign app where they’re allowed to do whatever they want.
This baffles me, because TikTok isn’t some bastion of free speech.
Do I think it’s right for our government to ban TikTok while also allowing Meta and X to continue operation? Absolutely not.
Is TikTok an app that promotes free speech more than others? Um…no.
TikTok mysteriously removes posts without rhyme or reason. It’s notorious for deleting user accounts ways that demonetize them, exploiting creators, and its algorithm is totally mysterious.
In short, TikTok isn’t any better than any other social media platform. It’s just more addictive, and people are freaking out because their addiction is under threat. And, if I’m being honest, the rationale for banning TikTok makes sense for the U.S. I’m not saying I agree with it, but it does make sense, because China is one of the world’s superpowers and has been complicit in misinformation and disinformation campaigns that have affected U.S. elections. Our government is trying to ban Chinese electronics that could house spyware, and TikTok falls into this category.
Before you start to think I’m naive about these things, I do know that the U.S. and China are both superpowers, both relatively fascist. It makes equal sense for China to ban U.S. apps, which they do. China has banned YouTube, Meta, Reddit and many other U.S. based sites. The TikTok ban is less about censorship (although it is about censorship) than a result of mutual distrust between countries, similar to the distrust we have with Russia. It’s a historical distrust. Considering this, it does make sense for the U.S. to ban TikTok. Could it be about free speech? Sure. Is it about national security? Yes. Yes, it is. Because the U.S. is one of the world’s evil empires. I wish it weren’t true but it is.
What’s surprising to me is that complete lack of dialogue about social media as a whole.
Not gonna lie here— I am glad TikTok is going away. I wish all social media would die. I include Substack’s social media features here. Would I be mad if Notes disappeared? Nope. Not at all.
Here’s my argument: everything wonderful about social media exists in real life.
Not only does it exist; it’s better.
Social media fosters false, empty connection. Our brains haven’t caught up with this, which is why we get these wild dopamine boosts from scrolling. It’s like sugar for our brains (brain rot, anyone?). Each time we feel that hit we think we’re actually connecting with something or someone, but we aren’t, and this ultimately leaves us feeling very empty and alone. Then we feel shame, because we live in a culture that promotes productivity and hyper-independence. Then we want to buy things. Or use more social media, looking for a connection we’ll never really find.
Social media is fucking addictive.
I’ve also been thinking about how third spaces have dwindled as social media has become ubiquitous.
I’ve been thinking about how, instead of going outside or taking community classes or participating in community events many people spend their time on social media, fostering parasocial connections and/or desperately trying to be seen.
But we can’t really, really be seen on social media. Not as our full selves. Nor can we fully see others.
Social media is a space of limerence and projection, of competition and performativity. Real life also contains these things, but has the potential for true intimacy and vulnerability.
In the United States our Surgeon General declared a loneliness epidemic, and much of this loneliness can be attributed to social media, increased screen time, and the country’s focus on productivity rather than community. We turn to Facebook groups rather than in-person groups because we’re overwhelmed with work and short on time. But there something vital gets lost.
Instead of giving our attention to one another, we’re giving it to the very people we despise: Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and other wealthy folks who benefit from our social media and screen addictions. Even our incoming president is reaping the rewards of our distraction and overwhelm. Our brains merge with our phones while our bodies disappear- we become disembodied. Numb. Disconnected from ourselves and others,
I could go on about this for a long time, but I’ll stop here— I still have to finish up book work today. But I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments (open to everyone), whether they’re in agreeance with mine or not. This is a space for dialogue (real dialogue) and I’ll be writing more about these things.
I’m sharing this week’s worksheet in the paid subscriber chat. Make sure you’ve joined!
Paid subscribers can join our meeting on Sunday, where we can discuss everyone’s intentions, thoughts, needs and wants, this Sunday from 4-5pm EST. You must register for this meeting (so I know how many people are coming). Registration link will be shared in the chat!
I’ll also drop a guided relaxation voice recorded in the paid subscriber chat on Monday.
If you’d like to access all of these supplemental materials, please become a paying subscriber!
See you soon <3
While I do agree with a lot of your point, I will say that for a lot of chronically ill and disabled people, house- or bedbound, "everything wonderful about social media" does not exist in real life. Or at least isn't accessible to us. While social media as is is so deeply problematic, dangerous and directly harmful. Enabling facism and abuse, misusing our data and worsening a lot of people's mental health, for some of us it's also life-giving. I have found some of the best friends there, become part of community, and literally wouldn't have my extremely rare diagnosis of severe life-threatening illness if it wasn't for social media. They need to be completely reformed, but not all of us are able to find everything in real life that social media offer.
Well written commentary, River, on the state of the world today.
I too, enjoy reading a hand written note- it’s a love language in our home. I like the way you spoke of tracing the words with your finger and feeling that energy transfer! Yes! I remember doing that with my sister’s words after she died. For a week I slept on my bed with every card she’d ever given me as my blanket - so that I might be covered in her love by being covered in her words. I wanted to transfer what was left of her in to me so that I could carry her spirit with me in this world.