You’re Not Addicted to Your Phone. You’re Addicted to Validation.

The collapse of traditional systems and the surge in self-expression have profoundly shaped society. Everyone wants to be "Healthy." While we often discuss addiction to substances like drugs or simple addictions like sugar, we overlook what has been tearing apart human society: our pervasive addiction to external validation. The human race is already fragmented enough into silos. If we examine the systems adopted throughout history, we can see the astronomical rise in self-expression and how it evolved into what we experience today: a polarized, broken, fragmented, validation-driven society. A society that struggles to find inner peace and belonging, now pushed further by the rise of future intelligence, which threatens to sever our sense of purpose entirely.

We’ve evolved into a society that fears silence, chases outrage, and builds its identity on mirrors to seek others' approval. Despite increased connectivity, people often feel more isolated. Platforms have shifted from being spaces of genuine connection to arenas of curated, performative expression. Content is optimized for external validation rather than authentic self-discovery. And with AI now stepping in not to serve human purpose, but to replace it, we are approaching a cliff. One where most will fall, not because they weren’t intelligent, but because they lacked agency. Agency refers to the capacity of individuals to act independently and make choices that shape their lives and the social structures around them.

The History of Self-Expression. This is a high-level overview that covers more recent platforms rather than the past, which I have covered in detail in my book, which will be released in the Fall. So we will eventually get there. I have a full 23 pages on this topic. Let’s go high-level.

In ancient times, our ancestors used oral storytelling, art, and religion as their primary forms of self-expression. These mediums were deeply communal, reflecting societal values and shared beliefs. As humanity progressed, the invention of writing allowed thoughts to be preserved and shared, giving rise to literature and the cultural revolution. Works like Shakespeare’s plays and Renaissance paintings reflected collective identity and cultural aspirations.

The Industrial Revolution introduced mass media, print, photography, and film, marking a significant shift toward individualism. These mediums amplified personal perspectives, allowing unique voices to emerge within broader societal narratives. Then came the technological revolution, where self-expression evolved into hyper-personalized platforms driven by social media. This shift transformed self-expression into a tool for engagement and popularity, profoundly altering human psychology.

Social media began as a space for authentic sharing, where platforms like Instagram initially thrived on chronological timelines. Back then, the platform was simple yet meaningful—a way to share moments with friends in real-time. It was an era when people were still connected to their immediate circles, and content focused more on capturing life as it happened rather than curating an image or persona. I think when we look back at history, we will look at the first iteration of Instagram to be the most pure form of social media. People were not focused on curating an artificial image but rather on sharing and capturing their lives. All the posts were raw. Many people were more organic and authentic when it was first released.

Let me explain to you how social media really works. Attention has surpassed money as the most valuable currency. Social media platforms are engineered specifically to maximize user engagement and time spent. The notifications, the micro doses of dopamine. I have worked with UI/UX teams for years. Because these are entertainment-based applications, these teams must optimize for TPS (Time Per Session), which measures how long a user stays on the platform. When you open Instagram, it tracks how long you remain engaged. You design the perfect UX. But then comes the real question: how do you keep users there longer?

How do they keep people on the platform longer once the UI/UX has been optimized? By optimizing content. Platforms utilize sophisticated algorithms that track your interactions. These algorithms indirectly but accurately identify your political beliefs, religious affiliation, hobbies, and interests. With advanced machine learning and data modeling, they tailor content specifically to keep you engaged. When users encounter content outside their "silo," they may feel discomfort—some react with outrage, others exit the app entirely. To prevent this, platforms funnel users into algorithmically tailored silos that maximize engagement. With future intelligence, these algorithms will know exactly what keeps you on the platform. The algorithm refines its behavior on a per-user basis.

Future intelligence will do two things to social media. One incredible for society and one absolutely horrendous for society. A nice double-edged sword.

One of them is the transparency layer. AI is going to revolutionize fact from fiction. Across many domains, Law, Health, and Social Media. OpenAI has soft launched the pursuit of a social media platform. We have seen what Grok has done to bolster X. It creates a trust layer, almost. Not completely yet but the idea and product is there. Implementation could be optimized. TikTok and Instagram remain engineered dopamine traps, exploiting human psychology for profit. Not saying that X isn’t, but my sharpest friends, AI innovators and founders, contribute to that platform, not the others. There is something to be said about that because those are some of the smartest individuals I know. Society is awakening to the mental and emotional devastation wrought by manipulative platforms, which devour time, erode relationships, and shatter focus. This mounting disillusionment fuels a rebellion: companies like Boox, The Light Phone, and The Minimal Company are raising hundreds of millions to forge minimalist phones stripped of excess, featuring only essential apps. The Minimal Company is my favorite. These bold alternatives aim to restore our humanity, prioritizing connection and clarity over exploitation.

Go to https://unplugged.rest/screen-time-calculator.

When you go to this site. Go to screen time on your smartphone and type in that number. Mine is roughly 4.9 hours down from 7.3 hours per day in 2022. All the business meetings and calls run up my time. My messenger app is 1.5 hours a day. I typed in 5 hours, and my result was 11.88 years of my life. That is insane to me. 12 years of my life will be spent on a phone. Ridiculous. I will purchase that phone without applications in the coming 2-3 years once more investor money gets funnelled into this product, and it gets certain intelligence features integrated into the phone. Once future intelligence is integrated, then yeah, I am out on the old school rotting my life away smartphones. The worst part about social media is this quote below. We have built a system that you must contribute to, or you decrease your long-term outlook.

The Dead Internet Is Here. You Must Build Systems.

Soon, 90% of internet content will be AI-generated, content devoid of authentic human experience or emotion. AI-driven UGC platforms aren't just growing; they're exploding in popularity. Many now allow users to generate thousands of tweets, posts, or blogs in hours. Most of the content on the internet will not be created by humans but by automated systems. If you don't believe me, search "AI UGC platform"—you'll find not dozens, but hundreds, many seeing exponential user adoption. It will likely reach a point where someone attempts to create a social media platform immune to AI-driven content.

The core fundamental is that AI UGC content has opened up the door drastically for small businesses, startups, etc. Systems have always been the core of successful businesses and startups. The ability to pursue agency is the antidote to algorithmic manipulation. You either create or you become a mold into a shell of what you were meant to be. By creating, this can be anything, such as businesses, content, etc. You name it. Keep in mind. I am not a creator. I work within startups. I will tell you firsthand. I have severely decreased the number of opportunities for myself because of the lack of content systems.

Strategy for Pursuing Agency in the Age of Intelligence:

The absolute best approach to maintaining agency with intelligence tools isn't just using them effectively—it's fundamentally reframing your relationship with technology. You must transform from being merely a user of intelligence tools to becoming an architect of personal intelligence systems.

The difference between being controlled by AI and controlling it lies in your ability to direct these systems with precision:

• Study prompt engineering as a core literacy, not just a technical skill. Here is a free 65 Page PDF on Prompt Engineering → Here

• Create templates aka different chats aka different custom GPTs for different thinking (critical analysis, creative generation, decision making).

• Build feedback loops that refine your directives based on output quality

• Create decision frameworks that require human judgment at key inflection points and use that to work with technology rather than outsourcing the whole process to technology.

I have this prompt bookmarked in my prompt library. One of my favorite prompts that I have ever generated because. Remember. You are utilizing the world's smartest intern. It still needs context for everything you are trying to solve. When you build custom templates, custom chats, and custom GPT, you have already set the framework for the context that it needs to be successful.

Here:

"I want to develop my ability to [specific capability] while maintaining my personal agency.

Currently, I'm facing challenges with [1-3 specific weaknesses with concrete examples]. These limitations have impeded my progress toward [clear short-term goal with timeline].

Please create a personalized development framework that:

1. Addresses each weakness with targeted strategies that build genuine capability rather than dependency

2. Incorporates both AI-assisted and independent practice components

3. Includes clear metrics to track my actual growth (not just task completion)

4. Features deliberate "intelligence boundaries" that prevent me from outsourcing critical thinking

5. Contains accountability mechanisms that I control rather than external validation systems

I specifically want to ensure I'm developing authentic abilities that enhance my agency, not just producing outcomes that make me feel productive. How would you structure this development plan to maximize both my growth and intellectual ownership?"

Until The Next One. Hopefully Da Bears Draft Ashton Jeanty Tonight.

-Nikhil Mohanty