It’s crazy to think that we Gen Zs can spend millions of hours on social media instead of enjoying what Earth has to offer.
I recently spent eight hours bed-rotting, scrolling through TikTok, watching YouTube videos, and chatting with my friends on Messenger. And yet, it feels empty—it feels shallow and disconnected. It made me ask: Are we really experiencing what modern life is, or has it made us more distant from one another?
Modern media has absolutely changed the way we communicate. With a simple tap on our screen, we can reach friends anywhere, keep up with the news, and even build communities that we once had to be physically connected to. Social media, messaging apps, and digital platforms have allowed people to connect, share ideas, and stay informed about important issues. Many of us think that social media is more than just entertainment—it is an aid for connection.
It has been an instrument for spreading awareness about social issues, organizing help during crises, and giving unheard voices a platform. This was especially evident during the height of the pandemic when news, donation drives, and charity efforts peaked in helping those in need.
I remember when I was in senior high school—my class and my university sent out charity donations to those who could not afford basic necessities like face masks, alcohol, and clean clothing. We also organized numerous donation drives to support fellow students who struggled to afford expensive medical bills after surviving COVID-19. Even something as simple as an oxygen tank was a harsh financial burden in an already struggling economy.
But alongside these benefits, modern media has also brought new challenges. One of the most concerning is the rise of content biases. Algorithms tailor our feeds to show content we agree with, making it easy to fall into a cycle of confirmation bias, which can lead to the spread of misinformation.
This has played a significant role in political discussions in the Philippines, where social media has become both a platform for opinions and a breeding ground for misinformation. Rather than bring people together, these digital communities often push us further apart, making meaningful conversations difficult.
When people ask why I don’t have X (formerly Twitter) or engage in threads, it’s because of the toxicity and harmful comments directed at what could have been decent discussions. Instead of civil arguments and constructive criticism, people resort to profanities, rage-baiting, and even death threats.
Modern media has also changed the way we form relationships. Conversations have been reduced to emojis and quick replies, making interactions feel shallow. A laugh that was once heard and shared in real-time is now just a simple “haha” in a chat. While social media has made it easier to stay connected, it often lacks the depth of actual conversations. Many of us spend more time curating our online personas than building real-life relationships.
We see photos of people’s lives—filtered and edited—leading to pressure to measure up. This can contribute to feelings of discontent and isolation, especially among younger generations who grew up in the digital age.
Have you ever compared your life to someone else’s perfectly curated Instagram posts and felt a sense of FOMO? Have you ever felt pressured to maintain a TikTok streak just to keep a connection alive, even when the conversations felt empty? Because I have. The stereotypes of having the perfect body, the perfect face, a good work-life balance, and more made me feel like I was wasting time and space, knowing I couldn’t live up to those ideals.
Where do we go from here? Should we just disconnect? That doesn’t seem like the answer either. Instead, we need to be intentional about how we use modern media. We can start by being mindful of the content we consume, stepping outside our homes, and engaging in deeper, more meaningful conversations. It’s also crucial to balance online interactions with offline relationships—taking time to be present with the people around us. Maybe that means putting our phones away when hanging out with friends or choosing to call someone instead of texting when they need us.
It may be easier said than done, especially with how convenient it is to maintain an online presence. But trust me, as an introvert who doesn’t like going outside or talking to people, you will need it.
As I log off and put my phone down after writing this piece, I ask myself: Are we truly using modern media to connect, or are we just filling the silence?
What would happen if, for just a moment, we choose to disconnect—to be present in the real world rather than the digital one? The answer, perhaps, lies in what we truly want to achieve. And those choices, no matter how small, can make life a tiny bit better—starting with simply turning your phone off.
—————-
Sebastian Isaac Quiambao, 22, is a third-year digital journalism student at the Mapua University. He lives in Taguig City.
