Why is it so hard to put your phone down?
When Martin Cooper invented the mobile phone in 1973, he probably didn’t expect it would one day cause car crashes, public brawls, and even existential breakdowns. It was designed to simplify communication—and for a while, it did. Until 2007, when Steve Jobs casually dropped the iPhone: a camera, MP3 player, radio, calculator, PlayStation, and status symbol—all in your Levi’s 501’s pocket, that we did not know the use of until Mr. Jobs put the iPod in it.
Ironically, humans once fascinated over food, water, and shelter. Today, we seem to survive just fine without them (much to the horror of scientists and nutritionists worldwide), —but take someone’s phone away, and witness a meltdown that makes a toddler’s tantrum look tame. There’s even a name for it: Nomophobia—the fear of being without a mobile phone. A 2019 King’s College study found that nearly 40% of young people experience severe anxiety when separated from their phones. No wonder people even take them to the bathroom—because God forbid, they miss a meme while answering nature’s call.
Originally designed to connect people, spread knowledge, and give everyone a voice—a noble idea that lasted about 5 minutes and 22 seconds before advertising algorithms, human envy, and the irresistible urge to overshare took over. Now, social media has become a gladiator arena of outrage, flex culture, and unsolicited opinions. Remember the time when one had a diary and got mad if someone read it, and now one uploads everything online and gets mad when people do not see it.How times change. A study from MIT found that false news spreads six times faster than the truth—because nothing hooks people like drama and controversy. At this rate, we’re just a few reels away from witnessing a partnership of Rantas and Bram Bram Chok in 4K.
Let’s face it—social media has become a festival of chaos. When “Papa’s Princess” or “tHeOfficialDardewil” post a lovely pouty selfie, Charles Darwin rolls in his grave, regretting ever publishing The Origin of Species. If Darwin were alive today, he’d add influencers as Exhibit A for de-evolution. Special shout-out to them for teaching me a word I never thought I’d use seriously—cringe!
And speaking of cringe, credit where it’s due—TikTok and Suckerberg have done what no mother in history could achieve: getting kids to sit still for meals without chasing them around the entire house. My mum, my auntie, and the Undertaker himself had to team up to make me eat; today these guys do it with a 30-second reel. These clips are just like digital crack. A study by Peking University confirms that short-form content rewires our brains, weakens attention spans, and increases procrastination. Back in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II had to conquer Constantinople to experience a dopamine rush—today, a simple “nyc pic, deer” comment on a massively edited picture of a wannabe monkey on Instagram does the trick.
Bonus point, Mehmed the conqueror was 21 years old when he conquered Constantinople, just a little less than your average screen time.
This dopamine overdose has a name: Brain Rot. It’s Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year and it’s not a joke. Symptoms include reduced focus laziness, irritability, and the inability to concentrate on anything that isn’t media. A Stanford study even found heavy social media users performed worse in memory, social situations, and problem-solving tasks. No wonder people yawn so much these days—it’s not exhaustion, it’s just their brains waving a white flag. Also, it would not be so bad had they spent more time brushing their teeth than scrolling Instagram.
Kids now demand YouTube Shorts to eat a banana. Back in my day, all I needed was a death stare from Papa. Simple times I tell you. But today, parents just hand over a phone and call it a day. Experts say this leads to mindless eating, digestion issues, eye strain, poor bonding, and about 11 million other problems. But the saddest part? They’ve stopped answering questions like, “Why is the sky blue?” and replaced it with, “Here’s an iPad. Go watch someone random else explain it to you.”
Social media is a bizarre universe—an all-you-can-eat buffet of nonsense, fake news, and cheap entertainment.
Why is it so hard to put your phone down? The answer is cheap entertainment served with a side of engineered dependency and everyday sadism. Yes, sadism. Don’t act shocked—you’re probably part of the club if your daily screen time on social media exceeds three hours. Congratulations, you’re officially a card-carrying member of the “I Saw Someone Slap Cake on Their Face for Likes” association.
Now, before you get defensive, let’s talk about everyday sadism. No, I’m not referring to your creepy uncle who spits in the flower vase. Everyday sadism is the low-key, socially accepted form of deriving pleasure from the humiliation or discomfort of others. Think of reality shows where grown adults scream at each other all the time (Big Boss, Roadies, take your pick). A simple example? Ever witnessed someone kicking a sleeping cat or flicking a stone at a stray dog because they found it amusing? That’s everyday sadism in action. And if you’re thinking, “I’ve never seen anyone do that,” well, you might just be that someone. Oops. Same goes for trolling. Trolls aren’t just bored; they’re harvesting dopamine hits from your pain. A 2014 study found that internet trolls score high on sadism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. So, next time someone drops a nasty comment on your Eid post, remember—they’re not angry at you. They’re just deeply miserable in their own lives. Cheers to that.
Now enter the influnzer era, where narcissistic personality disorder waltzes with Body Dysmorphic Disorder under the spotlight of the social media circus—particularly among a few Kashmiri influenzas. They spend hours perfecting a single Dal Lake selfie, slapping on so many filters that the lake itself disappears. (“Jannat? No, darling. That’s a snapchat filter sharp enough to slice a full Goshtaba in half”). And then, there’s the matter of voyeurism—the art of watching someone else’s life unfold, purely for cheap thrills. (No, not the song.) Daily vlogs are a prime example. “Hey guys! I just woke up, brushed my yellow teeth, and now I’m walking to the bathroom. Please watch!” Seriously, who finds this interesting? Apparently, millions do—including seven of my cousins, two of my friends, and, yes, the local cow.
The popularity of such content is a telling symptom of something we might as well call digital unemployment. But here’s the kicker—mindless scrolling doesn’t just waste time, it’s destroying your brain. Consuming low-effort content is linked to anxiety, aggression, and depression. A 2018 study found that limiting social media to 30 minutes a day significantly improved mental health. But of course, that’s not as exciting as a celebrity feud or a clickbait reel titled “You won’t believe what happened next!”
To be clear: social media isn’t the villain. It can connect, inspire, and educate—if used mindfully, however entrusting it to children is like handing a chainsaw to a squirrel—entertaining, but a bit dangerous. But the truth is, the same platforms that connect us are also exploiting our worst instincts. While the companies rake in profits, we pay the price—with our time, attention, and sanity. So next time you catch yourself deep into a 2-hour scroll spiral, ask yourself—Is this how I want to live? Or should I finally log off, step outside, and touch some grass? and the grass of Kashmir, where the real glow doesn’t come from filters, but the sun, the snow, and the serenity.
Mohammad Tazeem, MSc Global Business Management, University of East Anglia - England, United Kingdom.
