Let's Talk about Brain Rot

Is it just my ADHD brain, or does it feel like everything these days is an all-out assault on our dopamine receptors? Like many of you, I want to know what my friends and the world are up to—then move on to productive or enriching pursuits. But social media? It’s engineered to capture our attention.

I used to get all my updates from platforms like Twitter and Instagram. The problem is twofold:

• Social media feeds are designed like slot machines, offering unpredictable dopamine hits that leave you restless and unfulfilled. They hijack your focus, dragging you into endless scrolling even when you don’t really enjoy it.

• Traditional news isn’t much better. SEO-driven word salads bury real meaning in fluff, and sensational headlines trigger outrage and anxiety, leading to doomscrolling and emotional burnout. Plus, there’s a disturbing lack of diverse thought—everything starts to feel recycled.

So here’s the question: If we could design a social network from scratch—one that keeps us connected and informed without sautéing our brains—what would it look like? Let’s discuss.