Breaking the Scroll: Two Weeks, Two Books
Two weeks, two books. All it took was leaving my phone charging across the room. Instead of scrolling first thing in the morning to “catch up,” I picked up a book. The urge to check what was “new” or to make sure I was “informed” was strong at first, but it faded after a few days. Thirty minutes of doomscrolling quickly became 30 to 45 minutes of reading every morning and every night. And to me, this is not only more engaging, but it just makes me feel better.
Reading more and using my phone less has made a clear difference in my mood. As a bonus, I picked up a book project I had abandoned because I was “busy” and didn’t have “enough time.” Excuses. We often think time is always there to do what we want. In reality, much of it is stolen by finely tuned algorithms designed for one thing: to keep us engaged with junk content.
The truth is that if you stop doomscrolling or constantly checking the “news,” you’ll still be informed—most news is repetitive anyway. As for the rest, it’s fine to watch funny videos or other content on social media, but treat it like candy. A little is fine, but too much leaves regret.
A Tale of Two Books
One of the books I read was Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico. It was an interesting read—I enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. It’s a novel, and what struck me most was the connection I had with the protagonists. The story, set in contemporary times, echoes some of what I’m writing here. I won’t say more; if you’re interested, read it.
The other book was Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, translated by Gregory Hays. I bought this book a while ago, along with a different translation. For years, I told myself I didn’t have time to read it—imagine that. The good news is that in just a few days, I read three-quarters of it, and I’m a slow reader. I also make a lot of marginalia in nonfiction. The book is short, and I’m glad I started with the Hays translation. He explains not only the text but also Marcus Aurelius and his translation choices, giving you enough context to begin with Marcus’s own writing.
Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from 161 to 180 CE, was also a disciple of Stoicism, using philosophy as guidance amid wars, plagues, and political responsibilities. He wasn’t a founder of Stoicism but a devoted practitioner who reflected on and applied the principles of the Greek Stoics.
Meditations is worth reading at any time and at any age. It’s not a long book, so even readers who struggle to stay focused should find it manageable. What’s striking is how people almost two thousand years ago dealt with the same struggles and crises we face today. I haven’t finished it yet—I still have a few chapters left—but so far, nearly everything applies to daily life. That is the strength of philosophy: it offers a “design for living.” It should not be seen only as an academic subject but also as a practical guide. That is how Marcus Aurelius lived it.
The Price of Distraction
As a result, both the world around me and the universe within my mind feel calmer, more relaxed, and more alive—less clouded by social media, endless news, and nonstop “breaking” updates.
Writing, too, helps me spend time with myself rather than with the parallel world of social media. When I’m active there, watching whatever is shown to me—often in clips only seconds or minutes long—I feel anxious and tired. Even though my body and mind tell me I’m consuming poison, I keep going, like with any addiction. It’s powerful, and it’s troubling that young people are now born into a world where many cannot hold a face-to-face conversation without checking their phones, sit through an entire movie, or finish a book.
When I scroll through social media, I feel like my attention span is more like that of someone trying to watch TV while a dozen browser tabs ping for attention. We often hear stuff like “humans have shorter attention spans than goldfish,” but that claim is shaky. Some studies do suggest our ability to sustain focus has weakened — or that we switch tasks more often — not that we literally pay attention for one second.
So yes, I might feel squirrelly. But it’s less about animals, more about how our tools (phones, notifications, constant updates) condition us to expect fast, short bursts of input.
A Final Reminder
Life is short. It would be a tragedy to spend much of it looking down at a tiny screen, scrolling through content that does nothing to improve your life or the lives of those around you.
Have a great weekend.
