The Left Internet made me vain and melted my brain

The selfie is the enemy of self-esteem.

Mean Girls, 2003

Content warning for leftist readers: this is a critique of Internet feminism.

I spent fifteen years highly active on Facebook, starting in 2005, and ten on Instagram. Over that time, it’s impossible to calculate how many hours of my life I lost to scrolling, vanity, and constant fear of missing out. In 2020, ironically due to a falling out with people of my political tribe, I finally deleted everything and resisted the urge to post again until I had gained control over my brain. I’ve succeeded more than I’ve failed in the above endeavor, and my life and mental health are better off.

The analytical ground concerning the ill effects of social media on the individual and society is well-covered so I will not venture there, and will instead show how my battle illustrates a wider rot in the culture that saps women’s self-esteem and confidence, leaving the whole culture impoverished as we try, in vain, to feel better about ourselves.

Discipline and self-control as antidotes to …