STASIS

In the last year alone, things changed tremendously. As everyone was stuck indoors, away from others, the world shifted from physical to virtual contact as the primary method of communication, something that hasn’t been experienced on this scale ever before. Despite this being uncharted territory for us as a society, our usage habits and trends have remained almost exactly the same.

My struggle during COVID-19 was trying to use social media to get my social interaction, which led to overindulgence. I would be online and waste days away since there was nothing else to do, all while comparing the lives of others to my own, putting my mental health on a steady decline.

Social media is a wonderful tool, don’t get me wrong. It allows us to stay connected with those we love around the globe and to have constant access to the latest news. Despite its advantages, it comes with negative effects when used in excess and is often overlooked by the general public; Things like constant negative comparison, screen addiction, and wasted time lead us to problematic mental health issues. It’s exactly this overindulgence that needs to be changed.

We hold our “virtual lives” up on this pedestal of significance and forget about the very real life that we live offline and off-screen, sometimes taking more care of our online life more than our real life. Each of us needs to reflect internally at our own usage rates and find a healthy, sustainable, and comfortable balance between social media and our real lives. If we find this balance, it will enable us all to continue using these wonderful technologies we have come to love and rely on over the years without having negative impacts on our mental health.

With this project, I want to spark inner reflection in everyone who participates in it. By coming to my part of the show and physically creating a unique balance between the two types of blocks, I hope you reflect while doing so and learn to find that balance within your own life.