Like a fish caught in the hook, our attention, focus and energy is often reeled in by social media content. Especially shorts and reels -- short one minute or less long videos that spread on social media like wildfire. Though often funny and relaxing these reels take a toll.

LOSING OURSELVES

After browsing these reels for sometime we find ourselves lost and it is often with surprise that we look up and find that we have spent much more time on this than we wanted. Like coming out of a sleep, there is a moment of disorientation and we have to put effort to restart our intended activities.

LACK of SUBSTANCE

Ask yourselves the question “What videos I was watching, what was the content that I was consuming?”. Often you will find that you cannot remember or recall what you were watching. One or two images or videos may stick with you but if you have just spent 30 minutes swiping and only recall one or two images then you were out of it for the most part.

THE SWITCH OFF EFFECT

Essentially your brain goes from active to passive. It is a state where you switch off your attention from the world in front and let yourselves drift. Like a nap, if used in right proportion this switching off effect can be used for beneficial reasons.

The switching off effect is also beneficially used in anger management when we are instructed to count from one to ten before reacting. Such activities which gives us a moment to cool off or switch off from the present emotional turbulence are used in a positive direction.

THE DOPAMINE IMBALANCE

The chemical which hooks us in is known as dopamine. It is a feel good hormone released by our body when we relax or do something which gives us pleasure. Dopamine gives us the emotional boost and makes us feel that we have achieved something. It tells us to like the activity and to want more of it. We enjoy the experience and spend more time doing the activity which produces dopamine which in turn re-enforces the behaviour.

In turn, the activities requiring an effort, which demands attention and focus does not release dopamine so readily. Hence we dislike doing those activities. Example given a choice between plain and simple meal and a delicacy, most people will not choose the plain everyday food. Similarly, our brain orients itself towards dopamine releasing activities which gives us quick gratification and struggles to focus on long term goals.

DEVALUATION OF PLEASURES

Pleasures are great but the always on instant kind devalues the pleasure. Over a time, the easy access and the total control waters down the impact and we stop receiving the same boost from the activity. Have you ever wondered why the concept of TV channels is still popular? In the day and age we are in, we can get the content and shows that we want any time. However there is an element of chance and the lack of control when we consume content via TV channels vs always watching our own favourite collection of shows.

This element of surprise and the hope of encountering new things keeps us hooked and reduces the chance of pleasure devaluation.

LOWER ATTENTION SPAN

Another downside of excessive consumption of mental junk food is lowering of our attention span. Brain gives up easily the tasks it finds bothersome and our ability to put in long hours or even consume digital content needing longer attention reduces. This prevents us from going deeper in to any subject matter

FIGHTING THE STRESS

For quickly relieving stress or for once in a while dopamine boost, such activity or content can be used and can give good results. Any excessive consumption obviously has several downsides. The challenge is in recognizing the consumption pattern, the time you dedicate daily for social media or shorts and being able to regulate it down if necessary. Choosing healthier stress relieving habits and behavioural patterns produces much greater positive results in the long run. Therefore try to reel in the reels as much as you can.

Pinku the rabbit was once walking along the riverbank. It was a clear day, full of light and wind. Finding a patch of carrots he eagerly started to eat them.

Hearing a splash behind him, he quickly turned and beheld a horrifying scene. A big and savage looking crocodile was lazily approaching him in the water. Pinku shrieked and started to run away. Sounding surprised, the crocodile called out “Hey little rabbit, why are you running away?”. Hearing this, Pinku stopped and turned back. He found the crocodile was looking amused. This greatly puzzled Pinku. He said “Why!” “Don’t you want to eat me?”. “Certainly not!” Said the crocodile. “I don’t eat little rabbits, I’m a vegetarian.”.

“A vegetarian crocodile!” Gasped Pinku in surprise. “Why, I have never heard of such a thing. Never, ever!”. “Yes, I’m a vegetarian, I find it painful to hunt. I don’t like how the animals run away from me. So I decided to start eating plants and I love it!”. “Oh, awesome!” said Pinku happily.

“Come, don’t break your dinner on my account.”. Saying thus, the crocodile returned towards the carrots. Pinku followed. Hesitating first and then with more assurance, he returned to the carrots and started eating again.

By and by the crocodile said “These are very small, dry carrots.” “See over there?” pointing a finger across the river, he said: “There is a great forest of carrots over there.” “There are a great many rabbits living in that forest of carrots.” “They say, world’s best carrots can be found there!”

“Really!” said Pinku. “How can I go there?” After thinking over it for a while, the crocodile said, you could swim across, it is a very narrow river.” “Mm, I don’t know how to swim!” Pinku said. “Well, in that case, you could ride on me” offered the crocodile reluctantly.

The structure of an Onion is an interesting one. Each outer layer reveals another layer inside and pealing it reveals yet another. If we take a closer look at the world around us, we will find the same pattern repeated.

There are local level of governance then at state level and then at the national level. Then the nations come together in various global bodies and try to govern the world.

Though we are not aware of it, each cell in our body lives and has an individual existence. It works with other cells to do specific activities. They form organs and many different organs comes together to form the body. It is the silent function of our cells which supports various organs which in turn cooperate to make us functional.

We as individuals cooperate in families, families work together in local communities and communities form the society.

Recognition of this interdependence where each layer is the base and foundation of another structure is the foundation of dharma. Dharma is not a religion or the things we do. It is not a state of mind or knowledge. It is not right or wrong. It is simply the part we play in the cosmic dance.

Fire burns, water flows, seed grows and inevitable is the movement forward. Everything in this world is living by its dharma. So do you. Understand that there are layers below you and layers above you. It is your dharma to be a bridge in between.