ralucaIt is that moment in history when people are weighing social media stress against its benefits. Especially in academia
Mike Young
They call it the ‘digital backlash’.
People are starting to question norms about digital behaviour, consumption, and habits.
After 20 years, social media no longer live up to the promise or hype. It has become cool to periodically disconnect, and social media trainers like myself have for a long time called for a more restrictive, mindful, use of the platforms.
Some scientists, dependent on distraction-free ‘deepwork’, have welcomed this ‘digital backlash’ that includes a withdrawal from social media. They find common cause with those who were always, already, uncomfortable with them.
But we should not lose sight of how social media speeds up scientific discovery. We should not fall into the trap of what Venkatesh Rao has called ‘Waldenponding’: The withdrawal, like the 19th century US writer Henry David Thoreau, to a natural, distraction-free Walden Pond (the actual Walden Pond is illustrated above).
As Venkatesh Rao argues, waldenponding can be egoistic and narcissistic.
Researchers use social media to communicate, network, and get ideas. Navigating this space requires a healthy, meaningful, and decent approach.
As I have tried to promote in my workshops, scientists should use social media sustainably and ethically. They should promote meaningful academic discourse on the platforms – and use them for networking and idea generation rather than competing for status.
This is how social media helps science:
· Social media allow researchers to showcase their work to peers, stakeholders, and the general public. They democratize access to scientific processes and results, make their work more approachable, and increase their likelihood of attracting citations and collaborations.
· Social media facilitates networking, and let scientists connect to peers in their field and beyond. This helps build meaningful professional relationships that advance their careers and increase the impact of their research.
· Social media provides a space for researchers to share ideas and receive feedback. This exchange can inspire new research directions and improve ongoing projects.
The social media platforms were not originally invented and designed for scientists, but for everyone. They each compete against each other to capture your attention.
The platforms’ interests often align with advertisers’ interests, and they hope to keep you engaged and returning to their platform, sometimes distracted. As a scientist, your interests may differ. You need to balance using social media for the good things listed above, the communication, the networking, and the ideation while avoiding the pitfalls of distraction and addiction.
A mindful approach involves setting up routines that exploit social media’s benefits without letting the platforms exploit you. For instance, by using search strings or routines that help filter content relevant to your research, avoiding the endless scroll of algorithm-driven feeds. These techniques are what academic participants find the most valuable on my workshops.
An ethical approach to social media involves recognizing obligations to others in the scientific community and society. It’s not just about personal gain, but about contributing positively to the broader scientific dialogue.
I believe we should:
Share our work out of gratitude for the societal support that makes our research possible. We should consciously avoid bragging about our successes, and share our struggles instead.
Connect our peers with each other, and deliberately build a more interconnected and supportive scientific community.
Foster an environment where diverse ideas can thrive.
I have written a guide with some tips on how to do this by being kind on social media as an academic here.
I met Raluca at one of my workshops a few years ago and have been fascinated by her work on technostress. Her work is highly topical in this general climate of digital backlash.
I also follow Raluca on social media. And her own posts and activity are a great example of how you can balance the conflicting demands of communication, mindfulness and ethics.
I believe also – like Raluca I think – that you can balance social media use with mindful and ethical practices, and that the platforms can ultimately lead to a healthier, more productive academic life.
It is not a solution to just opt out of all professional social media use as an academic. If we do that we are not fulfilling our obligations to ourselves, our community, or our world.
This guest blog is by Mike Young. Mike is a speaker, a former editor of the University Post in Copenhagen, and an instructor for a global network of social media workshops for academics. You can read more about Mike and his work here.
