Ask Regi

Q:

Dear Regi – This is painful to admit but social media has cost me my closest friend. She has mentally checked out. This is not an exaggeration. Our conversations now revolve around rumors and conspiracy theories. Despite my desperate attempts to reconnect on a human-ish level, my friend is so engrossed with her phone that she has become a shell of her former self. I am afraid I will lose other friends in the same way. What can I do to make sure that doesn't happen?

A:

Holy hole in a donut, Batman! I hear you. It's disheartening to see so many people losing their marbles and falling for all sorts of baloney, even the kind with olives in it. But I understand your frustration and sympathize.

Let me offer you a chicken nugget of wisdom. It's essential to never stop questioning things, no matter how completely normal or totally absurd they seem. I'll bet dollars to donuts your professors will back me up. Blindly accepting what others tell you without questioning it can lead to all sorts of problems.

Let's be real. Social media can be a load of dumpster dookie. It's turning us into different creatures – all judgey, critical and brainwashed. It's just not a good look for anyone, no matter what the next big fashion trend turns out to be. We're stuck with social media, so let's at least try to keep our own behavior in check before we become lie-infected clicker zombies.

Finding the truth nowadays is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. It's sticky, but don't lose hope, my friend.

As tempting as it sounds, please don't get sucked into the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and ugliness. (Everyone knows fox holes are far superior to rabbit holes anyway.) Keep an open mind, be willing to listen to new ideas and perspectives, but question them and use your own brain.

Just because some monkey has a fancy title, that doesn’t mean you should blindly trust them – first find out where that title came from: was it an actual learning institution? Or their own imagination? Check your sources, because everyone's got an angle, whether it's for likes, clicks or attention. Trust has to be earned and your own instincts are your greatest attribute.

Also, be kind to people. Yes, it sounds simple, but why is nice a toxic thing nowadays? Unplug occasionally and rediscover what it means to be human-ish. A rule of paw I live by is never say anything on social media you wouldn’t say to the person’s face. Get back to true nature and appreciate the simple things. And nature is trending now. I saw that on the internet. ;-)

So, let's take action. Tonight, take your friend's phone and hide it. Then say you're sorry, but it was for their own good. Help your friend; fill your minds with non-AI generated nature scenes and keep your eyes and heart open. Stay positive and hopeful. Let's team up like a pack of enthusiastic squirrels and create a positive impact that even the nuts will appreciate!

Peace & carrots, Regi