Why? Because the pros set themselves up to take easy shots. Sure sometimes things don't go right and you have to make the hard shot. But given the choice, set up the easy ones.
Not checking your phone is a hard shot. Not having a social media habit is an easier shot. Frees up brainpower for more important matters like wasting time on hacker news.
I went nuclear on Instagram and Facebook a couple years ago. I downloaded all the pictures I liked and saved all the posts I thought were worth keeping, and then I deleted everything and I unfriended everyone. I figured if there wasn’t anything to come back to, then there wasn’t any reason to come back. As has been discussed here before, you can’t really delete a Facebook account, but that doesn’t mean you can’t empty it out. Most people just have too much FOMO.
I Got some texts asking if I was suicidal (I was not, but what a sign of the times!) but other than that my life has never been negatively impacted. I text my friends regularly (~10 people ~once per day) and I really enjoy the unmediated relationships I have with my real-life friends and family.
If I find myself repeatedly checking the same app, I uninstall whatever app I check for a while to give me some space to figure out why. I always end up recovering, re-installing and continuing as normal. I wouldn’t say it’s a sign of weakness, it’s space that you need to figure out why you have the need to spend so much time on it.
Also, remember that these apps are actively designed to keep your attention for as long as possible. Algorithmic feeds, infinite scrolling.
It can be a sign of weakness if you are avoiding it entirely because you can’t bother to present yourself, even just a little bit (which I am absolutely guilty of at the moment).
Look, we all need to get laid and look normal to make friends. Now, if you’ve crossed into psychotic territory where you are posturing for status and adulation, then yeah, you are fucked.
Would staying on be a sign of strength? What kind of strength? That you're strong enough to use it without letting it run your life?
Or would it be a sign of weakness? That you're weak enough to waste tons of time on pointless stuff while telling yourself how in control you are?
If you're unable to keep it in limits, then at least be strong-minded enough to recognize that you can't keep it in limits, and strong enough to do something about it.
Absolutely not, as long as you're not hurting anyone else, you have a right to do whatever you want. Don't fall for the lie that there's some imaginary committee judging your every move.
You can accomplish everything worth accomplishing without using social media at all, I personally use Facebook to stay in touch with tons of old friends, but that's it.
Now they're being exploited to profit off you. Why stay in that cage? Be free, delete the apps and see what's really left in the world.
I'd even argue that using social media at all is a form of weakness. Why should you feel the need to validate yourself and keep in touch with people you hardly care about?
I quite the whole of Facebook's ecosystem back in '19 and have not looked back.
I am still on Twitter and try to heavily curate what I follow and limit the amount of it.
Think about all the people hooked on social media. How is it weak of you to break this cycle for yourself?
There is a reason why these social networks have chosen the word 'Followers'.