There's a flaw in the original comment, and I wanted to make it clear through a provocation.
You don't replace social media with books, there are books I never get bored by, I've read Dune almost 20 times, and I'm sure I will read it again sooner or later.
Social media content is based on engagement, not on enjoyment.
You don't enjoy the content, you enjoy scrolling through the content at the point that once posted, the content is lost, unless it gain real traction, you won't be able to find it again.
Books never run out of battery, when you watch TV you are not actively skipping through ad, you passively ignore them.
Think about it: when was the last time that you interrupted reading a book for watching the TV or a movie?
But how many time you've watched your phone while doing something else?
The addictive nature of the "you might miss it" content is the real danger and it's what the article talks about.
We are at a point in history where going to a bar and drink it's healthier for you mental health than staying home with your phone.
> Think about it: when was the last time that you interrupted reading a book for watching the TV or a movie?
> But how many time you've watched your phone while doing something else?
I don't think this example proves your point. For me, a book engages ~100% of my cognitive resources; a movie also engages a large amount. Therefore, those activities can't be done simultaneously with other stuff if I'm to enjoy them or benefit from them. OTOH, social media usually engages less than 50% of my brain power, so it's a perfect thing to do simultaneously with other things that barely engage my brain and otherwise would bore me out of my mind. Hence: yes, it's reasonable to watch your phone while doing something else.
For me, social media does use all available mental resources. I timed “a quick look at twitter“ once, and when I looked at the clock after what felt like 5 minuets, I found I’d spent 40 minutes absorbed in irrelevant minutae. I can’t tell you a single tweet I read in that time.
You don't replace social media with books, there are books I never get bored by, I've read Dune almost 20 times, and I'm sure I will read it again sooner or later.
Social media content is based on engagement, not on enjoyment.
You don't enjoy the content, you enjoy scrolling through the content at the point that once posted, the content is lost, unless it gain real traction, you won't be able to find it again.
Books never run out of battery, when you watch TV you are not actively skipping through ad, you passively ignore them.
Think about it: when was the last time that you interrupted reading a book for watching the TV or a movie?
But how many time you've watched your phone while doing something else?
The addictive nature of the "you might miss it" content is the real danger and it's what the article talks about.
We are at a point in history where going to a bar and drink it's healthier for you mental health than staying home with your phone.