In a world where information flows carelessly and ceaselessly, overwhelming the brain’s senses and challenging the boundaries of our attention span, one can find themselves surrounded in an ocean of data.
The unending torrent of social media updates, news, emails and advertisements all fighting for our attention. In this era of overstimulation, the ability to discern, process and retain meaningful information is under siege.
In other words, overstimulation of information is when the brain’s senses are flooded with too much information all at once. Especially when one gets a busload of information, they cannot accurately process and act on what they heard.
This can result in a limited ability to think properly. When this occurs, they are unable to pay attention to the abundance of information in an optimal way or process the information in a way that is needed for the task at hand.
This can cause a feeling of being overloaded and overburdened. The overflowing of information can also cause individuals to be insensitive and numb to traumatic events. This brings to question how much information a person can take to keep up with in today’s society.
For instance, David Chappelle said in his “The Age of Spin” Netflix special, “This is the age where nobody knows what the heck they’re even looking at.” With every debatable topic going on in the world, what is really wrong and what is really right?
The comedian Kevin Hart said, “You got to slow down and start thinking shit through, stop acting on impulses.”
With an overload of information, one can’t always make the best decision the first time around. Even the late great George Carlin once said in not in the most friendliness of terms. “There’s enough bullshit in the media for Texas to open up a branch office, and you still have enough left over.”
To illustrate, in many of these cases, social media companies such as Facebook, Google, Pinterest and X, formerly known as Twitter, are major influencers on the human brain, especially on how it works, feels and behaves.
Think of social media as the ultimate enabler and consumer as the folks addicted to the never-ending dopamine rush. It’s like social media’s the drug and we’re the craving junkies, always coming back for the next hit.
Social media companies target consumers through a variety of methods and strategies, leveraging user data and engagement to maximize their advertising and marketing efforts. According to a 2018 Pew Research Center poll, “97% of adolescents report using at least one of the seven most popular social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, Tumblr, and Reddit). Moreover, digital media use by adolescents is common: 95% report owning or having access to a smartphone, and almost 90% report they are online at least several times a day.” On the contrary, staying connected through social media can be enjoyable for many, such as a sense of belonging and community, access to support from like-minded people, and an awareness of different perspectives.
However, an excessive amount can stir up some serious stuff like addiction, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and a major fear of missing out (FOMO).
Teion L. Wells-Harrison, an administrative psychologist and director of training for FAMU counselors, recommends strategies and techniques people can use to manage and filter information effectively, such as choosing the right source of information wisely, knowing whether a source is reputable or not and setting limits on the amount of time spent on social media.
According to Wells-Harrison, just because of social media algorithms, information is brought to you without you seeking it. Wells-Harrison said, “People should realize that just because the information comes to you, you are not obligated to access it; also, you may need to be more proactive about critiquing information that is brought to you via an algorithm.”
We need the ability to manage and find meaning within this sea of information. This is not a challenge but an essential skill needed in our ever-evolving digital landscape. One thing is for certain: mankind is good at misusing a drug even if it’s not its intention.