Writing as defense against brain rot
Brain rot
Social media is everywhere in our daily lives. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube. Year by year it's becoming much of a need rather than a want.
If you've been spending time on social media, you may have heard the notion of "brain rot." It's exactly what it sounds like. Much like how Hughie and Butcher from The Boys end up with "cheez whiz" for brains after injecting too much Temp V.
Brain rot is the unknowing consumption of low-quality content from the internet (not just social media, but is much dominant in that area), with little spikes of dopamine to keep you consuming.
Initially, it may sound that you are just trying to pass the time, and perhaps get a few good laughs, but without temperance, it's just as dangerous as any illegal drug.
Consequences of brain rot
If for some reason you are not aware, here are some common habits that rots your brain:
- Scrolling on TikTok, reels, or YouTube shorts for extended amounts of time. It shortens attention span, prevents deep thought and weakens our cognitive abilities overtime.
- Too much time on social media. It can trigger FOMO, making you reactive, manifest envy, and breed resentment if not managed properly.
- Constant context switching between applications. It shows you're not able to focus on one thing long enough, or you do not have clarity on what you want to do.
These may seem miniscule compared to smoking, drugs, or other terrible bad habits, but do all of these daily, and with enough time, a 90-year old lady who read & write daily will be significantly sharper in thinking compared to you.
Protecting yourself
To combat brain rot, we need a digital detox. There are numerous ways to do it. It may include doing your hobbies, intentionally turning off your phone when you're at home, exercise, or just simply hanging out with friends.
But what I personally recommend to combat brain rot is to write. All you need is your presence, and a good old pen & paper.
By writing, you force yourself into clarity. Structuring thoughts into a piece of paper is like building with LEGOs. You have a messy pile of lego bricks, and you get to build anything you want with it.
I'm not asking you to pour out your feelings in a piece of paper, or document your life daily. You just have to start.
It can be your to do list, your grocery shopping list, or how you felt today, or hell, if you feel like it, you can rant and fill the paper with unfiltered rage. No matter what you write, keep going, and do it consistently.
I myself have been journaling for a little over two years. My journal is filled with random thoughts. Sometimes it's with my reflection & introspection, sometimes just ideas that I will do in the future, sometimes it's me pouring my emotions out over some woman, or sometimes it's just my to do list.
There's more to than just "writing"
Furthermore, you could explore genres of writing not to only keep yourself sharp, but whenever you feel adventurous.
- You could explore poetry, play with words in such a graceful manner that you can pump so much love to someone with just a few words.
- Or try out fictional writing, build a world that you find enticing, write characters based off of people you know, and construct a plot that's better than the Game of Thrones ending.
- Or you could try some self-help writing. Compile the lessons that you've learned throughout the years, so others doesn't have to go through what you did. Or it could be just some sort of a journal to remind yourself of the lessons you learned.
- Or you could explore blogging (like me!), and write whatever topics that you find interesting that you'd like to share to rest of the world.
Conclusion
Writing is a rebellious act. It is a platform for all of us to pour something out in a world forcing us of consumption, surrounded by people who only know how to consume.
By writing, you don't simply write. You create and build. You turn abstract ideas into the physical world. You give life to something new.
What you write today, if it survives, could be a treasure to someone in the next few decades, centuries, or even a millenium from now.
Look at Marcus Aurelius's journal. It's a masterclass to Stoicism. Plato's records of Socrates's dialogues, or Epictetus's resilience as a slave. That's how our Philippine hero, Jose Rizal, fought back against Spanish oppression, through his writing.
So write! It keeps you sharp against brain rot, reclaims your focus, and might just leave a legacy that outlasts your lifetime.
Food for thought: Brain Rot as Control
Brain rot is not just one man's bad habit. When we zoom out in a societal level, it's an exposed vulnerability. When a population is overwhelmed with information, they start treating every piece of information shallowly. This makes us easier to control.
When everyone thinks shallowly, no one questions anything.
This reality contrasts greatly with George Orwell's 1984 novel, which warned us of control via pain, fear & aggression, versus our reality of control via pleasure & distraction. The latter are effective because they're giving you what you want in such a massive, overwhelming amount that your brain shortcuts for every piece of information you receive.
If you're interested to explore more about control via pleasure, I highly recommend Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" novel. While Orwell feared we would be ruined by the things we hate, Huxley warned us we would be ruined by the things we love.
Brain rot isn't just a bad habit, it's a societal vulnerability that the "system" exploits to keep us under control.