A Summary of “Facebook is Making Us Miserable” by Daniel Gulati.

 

A Summary of “Facebook is Making Us Miserable” by Daniel Gulati

“Facebook is Making Us Miserable” is an article by Daniel Gulati, first published in Harvard Business Review in 2014. The article explores the negative impact of Facebook and social media on our well-being, and suggests that we need to be more mindful about our use of the social networks and digital media.

Gulati begins by observing that while Facebook has many benefits, such as allowing us to stay in touch with friends and family, it also has a dark side. These platforms are made in such a way that influence human psyche and encourage hyper-sharing which ultimately threatens our sense of happiness. He notes that research has shown that the excessive use of Facebook can lead us to feelings of envy, anxiety, and depression.

Gulati says there are three distressing ways in which the social media giant is affecting our lives negatively. First, it creates the den of comparison. People compare their own lives to the seemingly perfect lives of others which becomes the key driver of unhappiness.

Gulati argues that this problem is intensified by the way that Facebook presents information to us. He notes that Facebook determines what content to show us and it is designed to keep us engaged. So, the second distressing thing it does is, it fragments our time. One is tended to use it everywhere and at every time, be it a home, office or a shopping mall which leads to loss of productivity and creativity.  

The constant distractions not only affect the professional out comes but it also affects your relationships. Thus, the third damage it creates is on close relationship. We rely on and prefer more and more virtual world and off-line interactions. Meeting in person, family get-together, enjoying real friendship moments are replaced by online interactions as facebook continues to add more and more attractive and effective features to connect.

To combat this, Gulati suggests several strategies for using Facebook more mindfully. He advises readers to limit the amount of time they spend on the site, to unfollow people who make them feel bad about themselves, and to seek out positive content that they really like, makes them feel good and help them grow in life.

The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of being aware of the impact that Facebook and social media can have on our psychological health. Gulati suggests that by taking control of our use of these technologies and being more mindful about the content we consume, we can improve our well-being and happiness.