By Ciara Salinas

“You need to create more than you consume!” This was a phrase I kept hearing on my TikTok’s FYP. It reminded me of a conversation  I had with a friend a couple of weeks ago about how much time we spend on our phones. We noticed that our addiction to social media had impacted our ability to do things we actually like. I’ve always considered myself creative, but I rarely create. Making stop motions, drawing, writing and building dollhouses is my therapy. If I’m not studying, I’m doing at least one of those things, and if I’m not, I’m certainly thinking about it. Ever since Covid, it seems like all I do is consume and consume. I go on social media platforms such as YouTube, and watch other people live out their lives and do things younger me wouldn’t even dare to dream.

Constant consumption can kill creativity and I hardly doubt that’s a novel conclusion, but it is important to always remind ourselves of this reality. When we give all of our attention and energy to only consuming media, we kill the very thing that we need: creativity.  According to Stanford Medicine News Center, dopamine, a neurotransmitter that acts as a reward center, is secreted when we interact with pleasurable experiences such as social media. When our desire for connection is satiated by our endless scrolling, we end up in a dopamine deficient state. The result of this is fatigue, lack of motivation and trouble concentrating. This explains why we have difficulties in engaging with our preferred hobbies. 

We watch other people’s lives online and constantly compare ourselves to them, putting  all of our energy into emulating what they do instead of expressing ourselves. According to OxJournal, there are two types of social media uses: active usage which is when activities allow an individual to directly communicate with others, and passive usage, the action of monitoring other’s content online without interaction. They conclude that social comparison tends to occur more in those who passively engage with social media, leading to depression and low self-esteem. 

From what I’ve seen, a lot of people I know passively use TikTok, a common  platform for entertainment and mental breaks. If you’re never putting out content or engaging with others online, it is not surprising that  it’s hard to express yourself authentically and do your hobbies without feeling like you can never live up to what you see on social media. Never giving ourselves a break to look within and put out something honest and authentic destroys our individuality. 

Adelphi senior acting student, Rashawn Gravely-McTootie explains how sometimes much of what we want to create is just another copy of someone else’s work on social media. He said, “Sometimes I make content on social media. So, a lot of the times, when  I would try to pitch ideas, it would kind of go to a default of an idea that’s already made that I already saw. So, it kind of, in a sense, makes it harder for me to actually come up with my own ideas.” 

First year nursing student Rachel Liu agrees that consumption ruins creativity by opening up a space for people to compare. She said, “I think it [consumption] inhibits creativity because sometimes I end up subconsciously trying to compare myself to others instead of thinking of my own ideas.”

Matt Geoghegan (left) and Rashawn Gravely-McTootie feel that more original creativity is important in today’s overly connected world.    Photo by Ciara Salinas

The rise of generative AI content on social media is evidence of how much we need to create more than we consume. Generative AI is known for stealing other people’s work and using it for low-quality, low-effort, content. Instead of putting in the effort into making a homemade video, or even an animated one, people find the most convenient medium to make content. What if all your favorite artists used AI lyrics? Their music would be inauthentic, and I doubt you’d respect their work because everyone knows that what truly makes art so beautiful is the blood, sweat and tears someone puts into it. 

Sophomore communications student Matt Geoghegan, expressed his frustration with how much AI has been invading creative spaces like movies and books. He believes that being present and getting off social media is beneficial to our well being. He said, “We have to enjoy the outdoors while it lasts like this. And, you know, sometimes it’s really good to recharge and take that recharge off social media and not be so dependent on AI.”

The beauty of having something to call your own is truly incomparable to loving things another person made. However, I am not against consuming media at all. Like they say, in order to be a good writer you have to be a great reader. Although we all want to be original, we are still human. It is in our nature to want to relate to others, to connect. The problem lies in the fact that almost everyone around me seems to be consuming too much and not being present with their environment. If you look back at your life and realize all you did when you weren’t working or going to school was consume, you’ll be pretty disappointed. 

So, what’s the solution? You have to be bored. Sitting down in silence for hours allows you to find something to do. It allows you to look within yourself and figure out what you like, who you are. Sophomore speech pathology student Charlize Polo agrees. She suggests that exploring and healing the darker and most unloved parts of yourself, what is known as shadow work, helps a person be their truest authentic self. It is also believed to be a great way to increase creativity and growth. She said, “You get lost a lot of the time and you just don’t know who you really want to be. Do what you really like. Instead of impersonating someone else, I feel like there should be a time where you should do some shadow work and really look within yourself and see what you actually do and don’t like.” 

I cringe when  I look back at all the drawings I made, the stop motions I filmed and stories I wrote when I was a child. They were terrible. I cannot lie. But they were mine. They were authentic, vulnerable and fun. If I spent my childhood watching YouTube all day instead of being bored, I wouldn’t even know who I’d be today or what I would even like. Creating something doesn’t have to be great, it doesn’t even have to be good, it just needs to be honest.