How To Protect Your Spirits From Harmful Social Media
Have you ever wanted to know what was going on but still not know what was going on at the same time? What we mean is that constantly having access to information can be exhausting but we also need it for our jobs and other important communication. Is there such a thing as balance?
Scholar William A. Smith used “racial battle fatigue” to describe the experience of Black faculty and graduate students at predominantly white institutions. But what about those of us who aren’t in academia?
Dr. André Brock, Jr. expanded on Smith’s definition. Traumatic anti-Black violence fills the news, social media, and the internet relentlessly.
Our phones and computers follow us everywhere, from our bedrooms and bathrooms to grocery stores and workplaces.
Because of the constant bombardment of anti-Black information, from subtle to explicit, many of us experience this ongoing trauma at the same time, we’re often watching it on our screens in isolation. While trying to balance negative news with positive news, we can actually practice self-care while continuing to stay sociopolitically engaged.
Many of us cannot just turn off our phones or computers, but we can still protect ourselves. Talk with friends. Turn on “do not disturb” mode. Set a timer for how long you can be on social media. Turn off app notifications. Unfollow pages that promote violence, negativity, or harm.
Seeing violence on social media can make us feel alone. However, when we share and learn with our loved ones instead of scrolling in private, our health improves - not just as individuals, but as a strong collective.
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