Is Social Rewilding in Your Future?
I couldn’t figure out why I was feeling so grey. Sure, the weather was dragging me down but there was something else. I just didn’t feel like I had any motivation. I felt like I was just going through the motions of living but my mood seemed like it was more than just the rain weather blues.
Then I got a notification from my phone. My online usage had jumped up by a whopping 31%! When I looked into where I was spending my time, I had been scrolling through social media way more than I normally do.
Could all this online activity this be contributing to my feelings of blah?
It’s likely no surprise to you that people spend a significant amount of their time on social media. Whether it’s scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, much of our daily interaction happens in the virtual realm rather than in person.
But there is a dark side to all this scrolling. As much as this might fill our time, there is growing evidence that our reliance on social media is not very good for our mental health. Columbia University, shared the following research on the impact that smartphones and social media can have on our mental health;
“...studies have shown a correlation between heavy social media use and depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidal ideation. The platforms are designed to be addictive, using algorithms that feed users content based on their preferences and interactions, keeping them engaged for longer periods. often contributes to feelings of disconnection from the natural world, as well as from our immediate communities.”
So I might have figured out what may have been contributing to my feelings of blueness. But what I also found fascinating was what I discovered while looking into this. I happened to trip across a new concept that I hadn’t heard of before.
Social rewilding.
At its core, social rewilding’s intention is for people to reverse the negative effects of being attached to online media and establish a new and balanced relationship with technology. This way people can reconnect with both nature and each other, with an emphasis on the importance of community, sustainability, and mental well-being.
And social rewilding is a trend that is picking up steam.
Fortune wrote an article on how companies are picking up on this trend and offering “offline” experiences to their customers and the consulting firm Accenture identified it as a Life Trend to watch for 2025.
Social rewilding has been a slow burning trend but there have been many things have contributed to starting its emergence;
There is a growing lack of trust in what people are seeing and doing online. From fake news to concerns about privacy – all of this is contributing to a desire to back away from the screen
Families are wanting to ensure that they spend enough quality time with their children and their children don’t spend too much time being influenced by online media or in negative online relationships
We are craving to reconnect with people face to face in our communities, work and life
We want to get back to basics – people, the environment, nature
This all makes sense to me. With my sudden jump in my phone use coupled with my associated downward feelings, it is making me consider my online media consumption more. Don’t get me wrong. I think there is some definite value to being online – from learning to connecting to being entertained. But it’s all about balance. It’s about me being in control of how much time I spend mindlessly scrolling rather than spending my time doing other things that would bring me more joy.
That – and the arrival of spring would definitely help make me happier!
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