In today’s digital age, characterized by a massive and rapid flow of information, sinking into the endless scrolling of bad news and negative content—known as “doomscrolling”—has become a highly dangerous psychological and behavioral problem. Young people, especially those belonging to “Gen Z,” have begun to feel growing resentment and frustration over this habit that drains their energy and causes them anxiety. They have also become seriously concerned about their shrinking attention spans and declining ability to concentrate for long periods. In response, some have decided to take practical and serious steps to break this vicious cycle, starting to accurately track and record what they watch and read in order to regain control over their time and halt random scrolling that is harmful to mental health.
- The spread of alternative content on platforms
- The anti-doomscrolling slogan
- The rise of social cataloging apps
- The return to physical and paper documentation
- Promoting mindful consumption and extending attention
- Frequently asked questions
The spread of alternative content on platforms
This mindful movement has become more visible and widespread across major social media platforms. In spaces like TikTok, Substack, and Instagram, younger generations and millennials are actively sharing detailed weekly roundups and summaries. These summaries include reviews of books they have read, movies they have watched, podcasts they have listened to, and even long-form articles they studied deeply throughout the week. This shift reflects a genuine desire to share cognitive and cultural achievements rather than participating in the loop of depressing news that dominates the algorithms of these modern digital platforms, which aim to keep users connected for as long as possible.
The anti-doomscrolling slogan
To highlight this trend and unite individual efforts, these posts are often grouped and shared under a unified and popular banner or slogan bearing the phrase: “Media I consumed this week instead of doomscrolling.” This slogan has become a defiant cry against algorithms designed to steal attention and distract minds. Through this slogan, young people are able to motivate themselves and encourage their peers to adopt healthier habits, turning time that would have been wasted on aimless scrolling into time invested effectively in building knowledge, self-awareness, and developing deep intellectual faculties that contribute positively to shaping their personalities.
The rise of social cataloging apps
In line with this deep and mindful behavioral change, the popularity of social cataloging apps designed specifically to help users track their media consumption and share it with friends has risen significantly. These apps provide an organized and comfortable digital environment that allows individuals to rate books and movies, and set monthly or annual goals for cultural and cognitive consumption. The availability of such supportive technological tools reinforces individuals’ commitment to their decisions and creates positive, interconnected virtual communities centered around meaningful discussion and the exchange of constructive cultural recommendations rather than the exchange of rumors and misleading or depressing news.
The return to physical and paper documentation
Alongside digital solutions, another optimistic and calm trend is emerging: the growing interest in creating physical media journals and traditional paper notebooks. Content explaining how to design and decorate these physical journals is currently trending strongly as a rapidly rising trend. Using pen and paper to document thoughts about a movie or a book you read gives individuals a golden opportunity to step away entirely and temporarily from bright digital screens, contributing to reduced visual and mental strain while adding a warm personal and creative touch to the process of cultural consumption and self-documentation of those experiences.
Promoting mindful consumption and extending attention
Gen Z and millennial individuals deeply engaged in this growing trend emphasize that this serious practice helps them effectively become more intentional and deliberate regarding the media and materials they consume daily. It is no longer just about passing time, but investing in it and in mental health. Most importantly, this renewed cultural habit helps them prove something crucial to themselves and those around them: that they still possess the mental capacity and sufficient concentration to engage in content much longer than a quick, fleeting TikTok video, thereby challenging the stereotype that always follows them.
Frequently asked questions
Question: What is doomscrolling and why do young people feel resentful about it?
Answer: It is spending long periods endlessly scrolling through negative news on phones. Young people feel resentful because it causes anxiety and leads to shortened attention spans and concentration.
Question: How is Gen Z trying to get rid of this habit?
Answer: They are trying to get rid of it by accurately tracking what they watch and read, and sharing weekly summaries of books, movies, and long articles across platforms as a healthy alternative.
Question: What is the common slogan they use to share this alternative content?
Answer: They often use the slogan “Media I consumed this week instead of doomscrolling” to motivate themselves and others toward mindful and purposeful consumption.
Question: What tools help them in the tracking process?
Answer: They use digital social cataloging apps, in addition to returning to designing physical media journals and paper notebooks to document their consumption away from screens.
