How much time do you spend on social media? That’s the million-dollar question because once you’re down the rabbit hole, there is no way of knowing just how far you are going. Until you look at the clock, that is.
Apparently there are 3.8 billion social media users globally, and while we’re all stuck to the screen to varying degrees, it’s obvious that Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok have got us hooked.
Researchers at OnBuy were keen to find out which country was the most addicted to social media – and their results are in. After surveying 45 countries, the researchers found the Philippines was the most obsessed with social media, with users spending on average 102,054 hours on social networking sites during their lifetimes. Colombia was second and Brazil third; Australia was 34th. Eighty-two per cent of people surveyed admitted they spent too much time on social media.
What to make of this? First, it’s clear people want to feel connected; and second, they want to be entertained and are prepared to give up plenty of time in their quest to be stimulated. But there are other ways of achieving this, and Mornington Peninsula Magazine reckons picking up a brilliant paper read instead may be the answer. The pros of magazines? Well, you get to view high-quality photo spreads easily, and you can actually read the words without squinting and feeling the electronic haze wash over your skin. There’s no flickering ads either, and it’s easy to go back and reread if you feel the need. Just turn the page and find the spot without worrying you’ve pressed the wrong button. Longer reads in magazines give you the connection you crave by delving deeper into the subject matter, and there’s nothing quite like relaxing on the beach and enjoying a leisurely magazine meander. The sand just slides off the pages too, so there’s no freaking out about damaging your device.
We’re not saying there isn’t a place for social media because we all know it rocks, but how about harking back to a time when the smell of a freshly printed magazine and its glorious insides got you going? There’s a world inside well worth knowing. Go slow and savour its pages. It’s worth it.
For more, go to www.onbuy.com/gb/
