As a digital native, someone who sees YouTube as a search engine rather than Google, who spent half of my university years online, and, more than anything, as someone who dreams of working in broadcasting, the media has been a significant interest for me.

For the last four months, I have been discussing the media’s influence on people, especially Gen Z, and I’m about to conclude the series today. The topics I have covered include overconsumption, collapsing focus and literacy, burnout resulting from an obsession with productivity, y the severity of pro-ana. These discussions have focused on the negative effects of the media on us, which can lead readers to wonder whether Gen Z can navigate their lives well. I want to say, yes, we can.

While I serialized Gen Z and Media, I constantly scratched my head over the clever ways of usage in the media. We can’t avoid being exposed to the media, even though it can be harmful. Also, avoiding it isn’t the fundamental solution to addressing the problem. It is true that we have benefited from the media’s growth and are in the process of figuring out how to deal with it healthily.

I have seen a lot of content related to digital detox on social media over the last few years. Amid the flood of information, much of which is unnecessary, it seems that digital detox has become a trend among people who are tired of the constant stimulation in the internet world.

It is hard to tell which information is fact, and whether it can be applied to oneself is a different problem. As it has become easier for more people to amplify their voices and share their thoughts through various channels, discerning credible sources and data has become the responsibility of the receivers. Within this context, some people make it a ritual to periodically disconnect from the internet world, complaining of fatigue.

My first digital detox was when I was 18. After entering university, I developed an interest in many fields and naturally became hooked on Instagram. I enjoyed posting because photography was one of my hobbies, and I also learned about trends from others’ posts. Before I knew it, I was experiencing all the negative side effects of social media can cause. The most concerning aspect was relative deprivation. It was tough to desire things I couldn’t have immediately, even though I was already happy.

At the point where I felt ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ I decided to go through an Instagram detox. I deleted the application and spent a few months without it. My mind became healthier and more resilient at an amazingly fast pace. I no longer had to concern myself with others’ lives and could focus on my status and feelings. I could be all ears for myself.

After reinstalling Instagram, all the symptoms I used to experience completely disappeared. I am still an Instagram user, but social media no longer causes me difficulty. I am fine without deleting the application and can enjoy using it whenever I want.

I believe that the problems caused by the media often stem from excess. We crave things we don’t truly need due to excessive exposure to products through social media. Sometimes, our concentration and literacy are robbed by the stimulation of the media. Other times, we compare others’ lives with ours, which leads to us torturing ourselves both mentally and physically. My issue was derived from the same reason. As I cared less, I could break free from the comparison and deprivation.

In some respects, Gen Z makes full use of media intelligently. They create revenue through social media, diversify lifestyles, build strong communities by sharing honest stories and feelings, and encourage each other when facing similar difficulties.

Gen Z, who are excessively exposed to the media, suffer at times but try to use it as a tool to live in better conditions. This is why I want to say that we can navigate our lives well. My columns were one of a million trials. I wanted to know the fundamental reasons why we are subordinated to the vicious cycle that the media mass produces and whether there are any chances to cut it out.

There are tons of other topics related to Gen Z and media that have captured my interest, in addition to the ones I wrote about, and I believe there will be more as time goes by. As more diverse issues arise, I hope for us to explore an equally diverse range of solutions. Because, as far as I know, this world is about facing problems and overcoming them. After all, the media is something we have created to make ourselves comfortable, so I hope that eventually, we can find comfort within the storm of media as well.

Kyungmin Min is an international intern from Korea.