We aren't consciously waiting for a specific, life-altering message.
We simply pull out our phones, launch the app, and scroll up.
That motion—that quick, muscle-memory jerk—is evidence that we have been re-wired to expect something magical to appear.
We are seeking a dopamine hit, and the platforms are designed never to let that expectation die.
This is the unfortunate side of social media, but to understand the damage, we must first understand the fundamental business model.
The Zero-Cost Content Engine
You noted the vast difference between platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video and Instagram or Twitter.
This is the crucial strategic gap, defining how content is valued and measured:
The Production-Based Model (e.g., Netflix)
This model requires millions in high-quality content investment.
Because the product cost is so high, the companies are laser-focused on Retention.
Did the viewer finish the series?
Did they subscribe for another month?
The entire strategy demands a compelling pilot to hook the user and justify the sunk cost.
The Attention-Based Model (e.g., Social Media)
This model requires zero dollars in content investment because it is User Generated.
The key success metric is not retention, but Engagement.
Did the user click, like, or comment?
The platforms have no financial guardrail against bad content.
They simply amplify whatever generates the most interaction.
Their strategy requires continuous, high-octane content to trap the user.
Social media has no such guardrail. The platforms don't want you to wear blinders.
Their goal is not to deliver the high-quality content you signed up for (like your running group).
Their goal is to inject new, amplified content that forces you into an engagement loop.
If you visit and don't engage, you are useless to the platform.
The True Cost of "Free"
Social media is free, but you pay with your attention.
The platform uses powerful features and data quantification to amplify what generates the most interaction—often emotional, divisive, or surprising content—because that is the easiest way to keep you captive.
The more attention they can grab, the more usage they can drive, and that usage is the only asset they possess to sell to advertisers. Your time is literally the core product.
I, like many, occasionally fall back into the poor habit of mindlessly scrolling. But it is essential for us to constantly remind ourselves of the price we are paying.
Social media is free, but you pay with your time and attention.
If you truly understand the value of time—the most precious, finite asset any of us possess—you know that the "free" platform is actually the most expensive service you use all day.
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