Summary

The article discusses whether perusing social media can be considered a hobby, particularly in the context of increased usage during quarantine, and explores societal perceptions of this activity.

Abstract

The article, through the story of a woman named Lacy, delves into the question of whether spending time on social media constitutes a hobby. With the onset of quarantine, Lacy finds herself, like many others, engaging in this activity more frequently, often as a means to relax and pass the time. While she is hesitant to consider her social media use a hobby due to societal stigma, the article points out that a significant portion of internet users spend a considerable amount of time on social media daily, suggesting it is indeed a common pastime. The article also touches on the potential negative impacts of social media on mental health, especially during the quarantine period, and concludes that while social media perusal is a widespread hobby, it may not be universally accepted as such.

Opinions

The author suggests that Lacy's reluctance to admit to social media as a hobby stems from a sense of pride and societal judgment, as activities like watching television or browsing social media are often seen as passive and unproductive.
Despite this, the author posits that the act of scrolling through social media feeds can be likened to other more traditionally recognized hobbies, such as working on puzzles or quilting, due to the similar levels of engagement and relaxation it provides.
The article cites statistics from Hootsuite to underscore the prevalence of social media usage, indicating that the majority of internet users engage with social media, with the average daily usage time being 2 hours and 24 minutes.
There is an acknowledgment that the pandemic has led to an increase in social media usage, with reports showing a significant rise in app usage as people seek ways to occupy themselves during quarantine.
The author warns of the potential mental health risks associated with heavy social media use, especially when compounded by the stress of quarantine, referencing studies that highlight these concerns.
The conclusion is drawn that while social media consumption is a hobby for many, it is not yet widely accepted as a respectable or resume-worthy activity, reflecting societal attitudes towards digital pastimes.

Is Perusing Social Media A Hobby?

Asking for a quarantined friend.

So, I have this friend.

We’ll call her Lacy.

Lacy has always done her best to avoid small talk, so she rarely finds herself swapping hobbies in idle chit chat. But, in recent times, it seems all anyone is talking about is how they’re spending their time while “in quarantine” and their various newfound hobbies.

While some have doubled down on pre-Coronavirus hobbies like knitting or sewing, acrylic painting, gardening, or music, others have turned to puzzles, crafts, and board games to keep their families entertained.

Those things are all fine and well, but after this review of what others are doing and some light soul searching for her own hobbies, it turns out Lacy’s coming up empty-handed.

Sure, she watches some Netflix and her DVR is well-stocked with her favorite shows, but is that a hobby? Certainly not one that she’d feel proud to share. I mean, who would be proud to say they watch an abundance of television?

She’s also been spending more time in the kitchen. Cooking, looking for things to cook, and looking for things she doesn’t have to cook. But she doesn’t consider herself to be an aspiring chef and would hardly say that cooking is a hobby of hers.

Realistically, what this time in the kitchen has taught her is that she’s not even hungry; rather, just bored.

Maybe she could take up calligraphy as a hobby and make a nice sign to remind her of this before she commits the next refrigerator raid?

Maybe not.

What even constitutes a hobby? According to our friends at Merriam-Webster, a hobby is a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation, engaged in especially for relaxation.

Well, what does she spend most of her time outside of work doing? How does she like to relax?

By mindlessly scrolling through one social media app newsfeed after another. And then back. Lacy could scroll for hours. Similar to a person working a puzzle or a quilter working square by square, I suppose.

Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat. Pinterest. Even Twitter, if she’s really bored. And she’d really have to be bored to seek out Twitter; she hasn’t tweeted in over 2 years and only follows 33 accounts.

Yet she insists that she absolutely finds this to be relaxing and entertaining at the same time. Sometimes she even learns something! Like who’s most likely to share fake news or which friends are the conspiracy theorists. And of course, who has taken up which hobby. (She knows you’ve completed your 10th puzzle just this week, Susan. You go, Susan!)

Before we judge Lacy too harshly, though, we should consider whether or not she’s alone in this habit.

According to Hootsuite, 84% of those with access to the Internet use Social Media. Further, in 2019, people spent 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media every day. She’s absolutely not alone.

And these numbers are on the rise, thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic. According to one article, “Beginning in mid-March, when state-wide stay-at-home orders went into effect, social media app usage began to increase significantly, and now consumes around 25% of all mobile app usage for U.S. adults.” It seems many others are looking to social media as a way to pass the time.

Be wary, though. We continue to hear reports that our heavy social media use is affecting our mental health. Also drawing mental health concerns is the quarantine itself. Combine these two and you could be asking for trouble.

The conclusion seems to be that perusing Social Media is indeed a hobby. One that’s clearly held by many and is trending up. I wouldn’t rush to add “Social Media Club” to your resume, however. The jury’s still out on society’s acceptance of this.

Thanks for reading!

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