Throughout my reading of this keyword I began to think of the types of flow we see on social media. There are many, but the one thing they have in common is that we, as media viewers, want this flow to continue. This user need is evidenced in the technology and software itself. Instagram’s explore page has the ability to go on exponentially. Twitter can be reloaded to show new tweets, and we often discuss the infinite scroll of TikTok. This constant flow of information, ideas, and media as a whole has created a sort of “anxiety about being out of sync,” which is a fairly universal feeling similar to real life “FOMO” or “fear of missing out.” I think that social media has impacted this greatly, as we are now constantly presented with so many more people’s experiences to compare to our own. This anxiety and need to be up to date pertains not only to social media, but also to more essential aspects of life, such as employment and academics, which are constantly updated through digital flows like apps, websites, or emails. Flow as an idea isn’t inherently negative, but its constant nature can hinder human ability to relax and participate in leisure because of the incessant presence of potential stressors.
