Today, 2 August 2025, in the middle of the social-media era, the internet, and artificial intelligence, I've decided to disappear from one of the biggest social networks. Why?
To be more productive? To prove I'm better than others? To feel unique and different? Bollocks.
I'd been thinking about it for many, many months. After uninstalling the app, blocking instagram.com in my browser, adding blockers and screen-time limits to use it less and seeing that it wasn't enough, I realised a permanent change was needed.
But why was I trying to cut down in the first place? At first it was because I felt I was wasting time—reels and stories from people I didn't care about, stuff that hyped me up and distracted me. But I saw the problem went much deeper.
I finished Evangelion, an anime that goes deep on dependence on others and how we can destroy the world and ourselves just for external validation. After a lot of introspection I faced the question:
For myself, of course! I just like sharing my life with my friends! Right. If that were true, you'd send your friends a private WhatsApp or keep a private album. Most of us are trying to impress others.
I had a gym progress story and I asked myself: is it there for me, or for others—to flirt, to impress…? I mean, I go to the gym for me, right? So why do I keep posting stories every month? If what matters is tracking my progress, why don't I just make a private list?
For years I've had a need for external approval—a kid who felt ignored and misunderstood for decades. I get it now. I'm different. I don't like the same things. There's nothing wrong with me, so I have nothing to prove to others for them to validate me. I'm valid on my own, and I need to act like it. No more chasing artificial external validation. Yes, we all need validation and each other, and I'd be lying if I said I'm "unique" and don't need anyone. I need to be told I'm attractive, clever, kind, good—like everyone. But if I'm going to have social interactions, I want them to be real. Not a 32-bit code in a database that says how many people triggered a "like this story" API. I want real hugs. By cutting out this artificial layer, I'm sure my instinct will look for real connection instead of obsessing over the infinite maze that uses validation and love as bait to exploit our data and psychological weaknesses so we buy stuff we don't need or install power structures (Cambridge Analytica style) by feeding us a feed.
I'm a human being who needs love and care, like you, like everyone. Evolution made us that way. But I won't let an Orwellian multinational exploit my human weaknesses.
I've decided that everything that matters to me, everything I want to put out there when I can't do it in person, I'll do through this small blog.
I'm not hiding, and I'm not trying to sound "better than anyone." I'm human and I have the instinct to be known and seen, not to be forgotten. That's not wrong—it's human nature. So whatever I want to publish, I won't do it on Twitter, Instagram or anywhere else. I'll do it here, on MY site, where I control what happens to MY data. Someone could always scrape it, sure, but at least that's not the default the way it is on a social network.
So yes, I deleted my Instagram account—7 years and who knows how many hours lost on the platform. Before deleting I downloaded all my data and photos, which we have the right to under EU law.
In short, I deleted my account so that what I do feels less like it's for others and mostly for myself. But since I'm still human with needs, I'll post what I want on this site—at least it's not a big social network and only people who genuinely care will see it. Not strangers sending water-drop emojis on my gym progress stories.
I encourage you to look at that shadow inside you that wants to be liked and loved, and to ask why you do what you do. Humans live by and for instinct. We reason, invent and build to satisfy our instincts—never the other way round. Reason was never on top. It's nature's tool to find the best path to the one big law of all living things: reproduction. Be aware of that and choose your path. I'm aware of my nature. At least I can talk to it and meet that animal that lives in all of us halfway.
So yeah, I'll shut up now. I recommend you delete that artificial crap designed to fool us all like lab rats and live life and the real human experience as it's meant to be. Take care, whoever you are.