I Can't Stop Doomscrolling
Uncanny Valley | WIRED10 Heinä 2020

I Can't Stop Doomscrolling

Doomscrolling—everybody's doing it! You’re lying in bed, on your phone, trying to fall asleep, but then you end up staying awake for hours as your social media timeline fills you with anger and anxiety. This isn't just your garden-variety FOMO either. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, and it can feel like there's a fresh new calamity or setback every single day. Add displays of collective grief over racial injustice to the mix, and it can be even harder to look away. So how do you stay informed without growing enraged? How do you stay connected without spiraling into despair?

This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior editor Angela Watercutter joins us to talk about our shifting relationships with social media and how we’re dialing back the doomscrolling.

Show Notes:

Read Angela’s story about how doomscrolling is eroding your mental health here. Read more about digital wellbeing tools on Android phones here and find all of WIRED’s suggestions and coverage of digital wellness here. Find Ram Dass’ Here and Now Podcast here. Our guide to the best Kindles is here.

Recommendations:

Angela recommends I May Destroy You on HBO. Lauren recommends The Netflix Effect: Land of the Giants by Recode/Vox. Mike recommends the music of Ennio Morricone and that you read John Zorn’s obituary of Morricone in The New York Times.

Angela Watercutter can be found on Twitter @WaterSlicer. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our executive producer is Alex Kapelman (@alexkapelman). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

If you have feedback about the show, or just want to enter to win a $50 gift card, take our brief listener survey here.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(426)

What The Actual Tariff

What The Actual Tariff

It’s been total chaos since President Trump announced tariffs last week. Despite the endless reporting on this story, none of it really makes any sense yet. So today, we attempt to make sense of how t...

10 Huhti 202542min

Why the Market Is Going Crazy This Week

Why the Market Is Going Crazy This Week

WIRED’s Louise Matsakis joins Zoë Schiffer, WIRED’s Director of Business & Industry, to talk about this week’s market madness and why the US probably won’t have armies of people screwing in little scr...

8 Huhti 202520min

Is Silicon Valley Actually Libertarian? (Re-Run)

Is Silicon Valley Actually Libertarian? (Re-Run)

It's long been believed that Silicon Valley is a hotbed for libertarian ideals, but where did that idea come from? Aside from some high-profile tech founders and investors who either identify as liber...

3 Huhti 202539min

Good Quests, Christianity & Caviar Bumps

Good Quests, Christianity & Caviar Bumps

The mission of Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs has long been to change the world. But, how do you know whether a pursuit is good or bad? ACTS17 collective, a Christian faith based group of tech entrepr...

27 Maalis 202528min

Who's Elon Musk’s Biggest Fan? His Mom

Who's Elon Musk’s Biggest Fan? His Mom

She sits in on his business meetings, defends him on X, and travels to give talks about how she raised him, the richest man in the world — but who is Elon Musk’s mother? Today on the show, we learn al...

20 Maalis 202528min

DOGE is Doing the Opposite of Government Auditing

DOGE is Doing the Opposite of Government Auditing

WIRED’s Vittoria Elliot joins Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond to discuss what real government auditors think of DOGE’s work, and what happened during DOGE’s first six weeks. Articles mentione...

18 Maalis 202529min

What's Lost When the Human Drivers Are Gone?

What's Lost When the Human Drivers Are Gone?

If you’ve spent time in San Francisco or Phoenix in the last couple years, chances are you’ve probably seen a self-driving car making its way around. This week, we’re joined by WIRED’s Aarian Marshall...

13 Maalis 202539min

Why Elon Musk Has Wanted the Government Shutdown

Why Elon Musk Has Wanted the Government Shutdown

WIRED Senior Editor Leah Feiger joins Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond to discuss some breaking news about why Elon Musk would want a government shutdown. Plus, WIRED’s Emily Mullin joins for ...

12 Maalis 202523min