Escaping the Mind Virus

Last night, something hit me while I was out with Peggy. As she sniffed around the yard, taking her sweet ass time to do her business. I habitually pulled out my phone and thought about putting on a podcast to "catch up on the news." I justified it, of course, because I need to stay informed, I told myself. But the thought lingered: why did I really feel that pull?

The Illusion of Staying Informed

We like to believe we're savvy about media—that we can see through the noise, the spin, the clickbait. I've made a career out of studying communication, and yet I still get caught in the loop: the urge to know what's happening right now, to refresh the feed and hear what's next, to receive that rush of dopamine I so desperately lack. It's the same psychological trick that reality television perfected years ago and contributed to the success of our current divider-and-chief.

The endless reality TV show always led to the trainwreck cliffhanger: What happens next? Tune in tomorrow. When I step back, I realize that's exactly how the 24-hour news cycle has wired our brains. It's not just information—it's programming. And I'm not immune. None of us are.

The Reality Show of Real Life

We've been conditioned to consume the world like a never-ending episode. News, politics, social media—they're all crafted to keep us watching, reacting, sharing, and engaging. The characters change, but the drama stays the same. Each day's "story of the day" gives us something new to be angry, anxious, or worried about.

Fox News has mastered this formula, but they're not alone. The other networks do it too by pandering to their base - Fox is just exceptionally good (and evil) at it. Everyone's competing for attention, and outrage is the easiest currency to spend.

Cutting the Feed

In 2020, when the world felt like it was caving in, I decided to take a 30-day break from news and social media. The effect was immediate. My anxiety dropped. My sleep improved. I realized how little most headlines actually affected my day-to-day life.

It's not that awareness doesn't matter—it does. But there's a limit. If you're not taking action on the information you're consuming, it's just noise. There's a fine line between being informed and being infected.

Action comes down to a FEW OPTIONS…

Talk MINUS Action EQUALS ZERO: Talk-Action=0

Talk-Action=0

• Find a non-profit in your community and volunteer.

• Financially support a politician and/or cause that aligns with your beliefs.

• Call your elected officials to share your concerns.

• Register to vote and participate in all elections, big and small.

• Boycott companies that contradict your beliefs.

• Peacefully protest, find the others, and meet in person.

The original "Mind Virus" left no one winning, especially Charlie Sheen

Speaking of train wrecks, I watched the Charlie Sheen documentary on Netflix and was reminded of how annoying his antics were on the internet back in 2011, when social media was still in its infancy and social networking occurred with actual humans.

In case you're wondering, current data indicates that roughly half of all social media profiles may be bots or "bot-like," including automated bots, AI-driven accounts, and coordinated human-run fake accounts.

Back in 2011, you couldn't escape Charlie Sheen's meltdown because it dominated the web, with memes, hashtags, and clips all feeding on the spectacle. I was so sick of seeing it that I was delighted to discover and use Greg Leuch’s clever Tinted Sheen browser extension, which solved the problem. The extension was created to block Sheen’s name from search and social media results. I wanted to reclaim my own attention, to clean up the digital clutter for the sake of my own sanity.

Looking back, that was before "mute" buttons, before blocking keywords on Twitter (or X), before social platforms were driven by algorithmic addiction. Even then, I sensed how toxic constant exposure could be, and today, things online are way worse.

Now, the virus has evolved. It's no longer one celebrity or scandal—it's everything: politics, outrage, misinformation, and disinformation. The feed has become a living organism, feeding on our attention.

How to Reclaim Our Minds & Stop the Mind Virus

We've passed the point where browser extensions can save us. You can't block enough keywords to restore your peace. The only real solution is to unplug—step outside, meet people, talk face-to-face.

The antidote isn't another app or productivity hack. Its presence. It's laughter with friends. It's silence and mindfulness. It's the reminder that most of what we scroll through is engineered distraction, not enlightenment.

If we want peace of mind, we must reclaim the pieces we've given away. While you may have heard that time is our most precious commodity, that's not entirely accurate - it's our attention. What good is time if we are wasting it paying attention to garbage?

Each headline, each argument, each dopamine hit—it all fragments us. Reassembling that peace starts with acknowledging the infection: the mind virus that keeps us endlessly tuned in, scrolling, clicking, feeling enraged, lacking trust in our neighbors, and emotionally drained.

It's time to log off, look up, and reconnect with the humans in your life, because it may shock you to discover that we aren't that different; it's just the powers that be who want us to believe it so they can get rich by dividing us, and that’s not winning after all.

Screenshot from Flickr by Pixelant.

There was a time when social media felt like a communication revolution. It opened doors to connect with people across the globe, breaking down barriers and democratizing conversations. Suddenly, you could directly communicate with actors, comedians, business leaders — people you'd never meet otherwise. My kids marveled when they discovered Vanilla Ice was following me on Twitter, but he never replied to my DM. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I loved how you could meet someone at a tech event, follow up on Twitter, and keep the dialogue going. Or we'd first connect online, then strengthen that relationship in person at a "tweetup," conference, or "unconference." It was authentic, human communication — playful, exploratory, and full of possibility. The magic happens with hugs, handshakes, and high-fives... and lest we forget fist bumps.

Then the business model changed — and so did communication

When social platforms went public, the game shifted. Shareholders and boards demanded more revenue, pushing platforms to maximize engagement at any cost. And what keeps us engaged? Content that triggers the strongest reactions.

It's the same principle behind the old media adage: "If it bleeds, it leads." But unlike newspapers, which had editorial oversight, today's algorithms decide what we see based purely on what gets the most clicks — not what's thoughtful, balanced, or helpful. This has fundamentally altered how we communicate online. Conversations are now often driven by outrage, fear, or sensationalism, rather than curiosity or genuine connection.

We can't even trust who we're communicating with

It's not just what we see, but who we're talking to. Bots and AI agents have become so sophisticated and widespread that it's increasingly difficult to tell if you're engaging in real human communication at all.

Then there's the nefarious actors and simple trolls who use social media fan flames of division, a striking example was when Russian operatives created Facebook groups that organized opposing protests outside an Islamic center in Houston, Texas—one anti-Islam and one pro-Muslim—effectively turning Americans against each other, all orchestrated from Russia for around $200. It's a chilling example of how easily our communication channels can be hijacked to sow chaos and deepen divisions.

What once promised meaningful dialogue has been distorted into a landscape where you should question every online interaction, or you should be.

The slow erosion of networks for real communication

That's why I believe the days of social networks — at least as platforms for forming new relationships — are coming to an end. The remaining value is primarily in helping us maintain communication with people we already know, such as friends, family, and colleagues.

Facebook still exists for that reason, though engagement is already dropping in the U.S. and Canada, especially among younger users. LinkedIn continues to be effective for professional communication, but if algorithms continue to prioritize attention over authenticity, even that utility could fade. Recently, LinkedIn significantly reduced the number of personal notes that could be included in connection requests. I've always taught my clients to include that note to remind the person who you are and where you met IRL. Want access to more personal notes? Now you need to pay LinkedIn.

Ultimately, meaningful communication comes back to proximity and directness. We'll meet at a networking event. I'll send you a follow-up email. Maybe we'll grab coffee or chat on Zoom. We'll build trust through conversation, stay in touch, and reconnect at future conferences.

If I want to be introduced to someone, I won't rely on LinkedIn — I'll reach out to the person directly. That's going to put more pressure on us as professionals to organize our contacts thoughtfully, maybe with a solid CRM or even just a smarter inbox. If tools like Gmail and Outlook start building better relationship features, they could become the new hubs for professional communication, as email is still king.

So how do we protect our communication from all this noise?

I still stand by what I wrote in New Business Networking: Don't put anything online you wouldn't want your parents or grandparents to see.

Slow down and take a breath before diving into Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or even X (if you still use it — I don't recommend it) — especially the feeds. Notice how a headline, post, or thread makes you feel. If it spikes anger, fear, or anxiety, close the app or tab. Recognize that these platforms are designed to manipulate our communication, to turn our emotional reactions into profit.

This isn't about tuning out from important issues. It's about being wise communicators — understanding that many online stories are shaped by business incentives, malicious actors, misinformation, and deliberate disinformation intended to divide us. It's also key to question how a story affects you and, if it does, what you plan to do about it other than sharing the story in the digital echo chambers. Instead, call your elected official to express your concerns, boycott the unethical business in question, register to vote, support a nonprofit that is fighting for what you believe, or volunteer your time. You get the idea.

Communication still matters — more than ever

The internet can still fulfill its early promise of powerful connection and meaningful communication. But that will only happen if we approach it with more discernment, more skepticism, and a deeper commitment to building human relationships beyond the reach of manipulative algorithms. There's power in proximity.