Social Media Scrolling and the 3 Wisdom Tools

Education. Contemplation. Meditation. In Buddhism, these three are vital to the development of wisdom. First, we learn by listening. We get educated on a topic. To help integrate that information, we contemplate what we’ve learned. This may include discussion or debate. We start to digest the material, to bring it from the head into the body. With meditation, we fully integrate the teachings. Through single-pointed concentration, what we’ve taken in and begun to digest becomes part of us. More than just a concept, it is experienced. We ‘know’ it.

In the bi-weekly Spanish class I take, I’ve finally advanced from grammar lessons to discussion. Last week’s topic was on summarizing, el resumen. Among the points up for debate was the usefulness of reading summaries versus in-depth, long-form articles, books or content.

It occurred to me that most of us, self-included these days, take in most (if not all) of our information in the form of a summary, a bite-sized headline, bullet-pointed post or 60-second video. We learn a few main points, then scroll on to the next quick bite of info.

I wonder what the consequence is.

Surely, much of the info we gather in this manner, and whether or not we deeply know it, is of no consequence. Of the facts about wildlife, stories of dog adoptions or 5-things to do in Italy I consume, who really cares what stays?

And yet, are there instances when I get fooled into thinking I’m an expert after scrolling past a 10-second read on a topic? If I’m being honest, that expert feeling arises when the topic triggers some lingering ammunition I’ve been holding within.

Ha! I knew it! Fuck those guys. Rage. Like. Share.

Those feelings take hold easily because they feel so righteous. It’s the type of anger and indignation one might confuse with power. It’s an afflicted form of pride.

When that feeling arises, I know to pause.

I ask myself, what do I know, really?

Is this a topic I’m interested in exploring further? Would there be a benefit to that? What might happen if I stuck with this, turned toward the long read, then toward contemplation, meditation?

So far, my answer to that question (would you like to explore further?) has always been no. It’s not the content of those triggering posts that interests me. What feels like a far more beneficial subject to spend my time on is the nature of what is happening as that ‘expert’ feeling that often manifests as anger, sometimes rage, is unfolding.

In this, I’d like to be an expert.

Education: Can I take in the information, actively listening to the process that occurs as I scroll past the social media headlines? Actively listening to both the content of what is seen, but also, how I react to it? And what of that content? What has actually been presented and in what ways am I reading between the lines?

Contemplation: In contemplating my outer and inner experience, and the algorithm as a mirror, I start to see where I’m still harboring resentment, holding tightly to particular world views, living in a narrow, conditioned perspective. What is true for me, and what is true?

Meditation: In meditation, the invitation is to return to spaciousness. To remember the truth about how things really exist. To strengthen the witness that identifies not with the thoughts or emotions that are coming and going, but the ground of awareness within which they arise.

I’m no expert.

Just a human being living in this crazy world where, moment-to-moment, I’m offered a choice of where to put my attention.

When I look at all the options, I feel it’s attention itself that I will benefit most from exploring. This, I would like to know.