 Hi guys, so we're trying something new with where we are recording and the time of day we are recording Welcome to a new video. My name is Kwame. Hi, I'm Elaine and as you probably already can see some things have changed on the channel in terms of the branding Let us know what you think about the name and We're still Trying things out. Yeah, so there's this person who posted a I don't know by the time you see this video That person's comments would have been very old but yeah he's against rebranding Of the channel, but just for the people who don't know I have set up Another channel called a sits na knee and mo has talked about it before I've talked about it before And that is where I'm shifting most of my professional work as a filmmaker To now this channel in particular has evolved because it was lifestyle was my freelance journey I still like so it's still lifestyle I'm just saying it was my freelance journey productivity and everything and every now and then Elaine came on the channel and at this point People like the duo dynamic more and we also like sharing our Experiences with you. So yeah, that's where the channel is going We've already said that I was gonna be an Indian and Kwame channel, but we didn't want the name to be the name Kwame Yeah, but so we we tossed around a lot of names and When we're seeing I don't I don't I don't what's your phone? Okay, you're gonna read the questions. No, it's fine We know the questions Do you yeah So today I thought it would be nice if you are following our videos one of the things that keeps coming up or subtly keeps coming up is that crime is a lot on his phone and We throw it around like a joke like a nagging and ha ha ha but for me I thought Let's dive a little bit more into that topic of social media Social media usage and how it influences us. Yes, and how it influences our life So that's what we're gonna talk about today. Yeah, are you ready? Let me just put it out there that I'm gonna feel attacked throughout the whole video but it's also One of the reasons why we do this. Oh my phone was actually here It's never far away One of the reasons why we do this which is you know talk about the things that we experience and As uncomfortable or comfortable as it may be as happy or unhappy or serious or whatever Yeah, so Today, I'm on the podium So tell me about your relationship with social media. How do you use it? I can chip in. Okay. How do you use it and what does it bring you? Maybe that's a good question Okay, what's the question again social media, how do you use it? Yeah, like how do you relate to it? Well social media for me Has grown to become something that like the average Modern man or human more person something that you can almost not live without oh Statements, yeah, that's how that's how much of importance it is to me because So before I was on air and it was an avenue for me to be out there on radio And that was my work. That's how I showed what I could do but I was earning a salary at a time So where they the change hits drastically was when I left Which most people say you left at your peak and I just thought well, I don't agree with that. Yeah Anyway, there's a different topic topic hold all together. But yeah, so when I left I needed to I Built some kind of social capital social currency or capital. Yeah, that I needed to kind of like Keep up with because now I wasn't earning a salary and I wasn't going to be having you know money come in As frequently as I would for us Constant as a salad like it's a freelance thing. So yeah Yeah, and I discovered that my presence on social media helped bring in jobs bringing connections Yet inspired meet other people Come across other creators Connect with them, you know, so social media and it's more like What YouTube also is the more you give Yeah, so it's like a capitalistic thing. Yeah, the more you give it and more you the more what you get Yeah So I put my work out there like hey, I'm a voice over artist Listen to the sample audio I did and in the space of a few weeks or a week or whatever it is I get at least a call if not two We want you to do this worse over for us and blah blah blah. Yeah, so that's very functional Right, but on a personal level like what does it bring you on a personal level? They are there different characters on social media That jokes Serious conversations that you have not come across before perspectives news Insights so it's just a place to connect without connecting physically and that's what it's become And I think it also got worse when the pandemic hit. Yeah, definitely. Yeah Yeah, we came way more digital we've become way more digital in the last two years Than we've ever been because everything is at your fingertips if it's not on your phone It's on your TV screen streaming services have become multi billion. Yeah, that's true. Possibly trillion dollar industries, so it's just Yeah So I think for me what it brings me Okay So for me that may be good to describe my channels because I'm for example not on Twitter I've never really got it into that So I'm not on Twitter Facebook is for me a bit more like old school like I scroll through it I don't really do anything Facebook people listen Anyway, it's my personal thing so everybody can comment on it, but that's how I do it Note Twitter Facebook very light. Then I am an Instagram girl Do it for the gram Oh What I like about Instagram or how I built my Instagram is that I see a lot of different people There are a lot of strong female personalities on my feet. Yeah, lots of Creativity so either artwork readings writings So for me, it's it's a place of comfort but also Because I'm following so many strong female personalities also a place of like goal-setting more like Aligning who I am being your authentic self that kind of that's kind of the space I created And what I also like through Instagram, I find a lot of activities to do So Whatever there's something happening now crap because I'm following the restaurant or because I'm following this person That's going there was promoting this then I find out about this event or this life Music thing or this yoga class and and then I just screenshot it and send it to my friends and then I'm going there so for me, it's also like Yeah, like things to do and I literally sometimes people are like, how did you find this place? And I'm like, yeah Instagram, and I don't know like how and what do you mean? You don't know how I mean you get recommended it shows up on your feed based on your interests and who you follow and they've been there as well and You for one you like trouble so your friends would recommend these things and yeah Yeah, yeah, that's how you find things. That's true. Yeah, so the exploring is definitely there the inspiration is there Yeah My so how what you said about like keeping up with it I think that's my main concern about social media because Me for example, I've been struggling a bit with my own Instagram So I've been trying to strategize it because I'm actually I How do you say yeah? My words are gone I'm I'm I'm comfortable with communication like communication strategies this kind of thing so I set up this whole thing and then I Didn't feel it anymore and then I stopped posting for a while And then I was overthinking of why would I post something like that? And then so it's also we we Landed in this day and age. We're showing off is very normal also the pressure is it Yeah, like that you're you should show up digitally as you are but I struggle with showing up digitally because I feel it's like a One-dimensional thing Okay So for me, it's different. So that's why I like YouTube because here we can give some context While with Instagram one picture one caption and as you can see my caption are actually really long because I like to write So Instagram is not them. It's not the perfect channel for me. I think one of my projects that I've been Playing with is to set up my own newsletter because I need more space to express myself and I feel So is YouTube doing that for you for example? Yes, but I do feel I'm more tagging along with YouTube because you are there and But we just started so Yeah, I know maybe it can grow into something It definitely makes me more comfortable about speaking up like speaking up about things because I'm like practicing to speak my mind Take up space. This is what I think. Yeah, not necessarily to counter you, but I do talk more about it But they're keeping up for me. So the constant stream of information Sometimes I scroll down in one day to see who I've talked to on WhatsApp. Yeah, so many people like Like how like in normal like maybe 20 years ago if I would have called one friend That would have been it, right? Yeah so I also think the keeping up with it the pace is so fast and It looks like a lot of people have figured it out like how to Manage it, but I sometimes struggle it with navigating it and also because I don't like to be on the screen for so long But how do you feel about that screen time because I know yours is quite So I turn off my screen time just so you know, yeah, you turn off the counting But I mean you're still on the screen. That's what I mean Let me drink my coffee Yeah, so my screen time is still very high and that's because it's either I'm on social media on my phone and If I drop my phone to work If I'm doing like I'm editing a film or even a vlog like this I can go like two three hours on average to about eight hours twelve hours Yeah on another screen, which is the editing Platform so it's not always that I'm on social media But when I sometimes I drop that I just feel like yeah, I've not had any social interaction. So I should Go back to the small screen, which is my social interaction. Yeah, so you have a lot of different trends, but Like and your screen time still yeah accumulates. Yes. So I'm not like Was it I'm not having physical contact or social actual social interactions Because it's either I'm working Or when I'm not working I'm catching up on What's happening on social media trying to get more work and everything but every now and then yes You do meet people and the world has changed to the point where meeting people is a chore you know with all the Fears of corona and everything. Let me just say the corona. I don't hear of it a lot nowadays I don't know what's happening, but yeah, so my screen time is quite high Yeah, well, I think for me my screen time is also high because I During work I'm often behind the computer because of a lot of the meetings are virtual Of course you you have meetings in the office then of course it's with people. Yeah, but then a lot of Communication is also on phone. I feel in Ghana. I don't know about other countries, but analysis is not that much Your what's up is mostly for private things and here in Ghana. I feel the line between Professional and private context is very thin So if that is why a lot of people are switching their accounts to business accounts and having yeah But I think it's really a private what's up numbers. Yeah, so some of them some people that have To some extent developed social anxiety From the whole what's up and keeping up thing Have turned those numbers into business numbers Which they barely Interactive is not about business and they've got different SIM cards Yeah, which only a few people know for That the kind of you know intimate interactions they want to have Yeah, but I still think that a lot of business things are going through what's happening Yeah, yeah, that's that's very people have your number They'll just shoot you just like hey how you or happy to be here like it's all business people and I'm like whoa You know come down like honestly, I I struggle with keeping up with it's a culture thing It's in terms of how people work and because I've realized that as well because for me when I'm Working I also like the ease of because I know I check what's up messages as fast. It's prompt And it's easy or Whatever social media it is that can send the file or whatever it is I can easily show you the file or make you listen or make you watch a sample or whatever it is and we keep it moving I feel it's such a chore to Email and wait for a response and email has its own culture email is such for me email is there the fakest Really of Interaction you are a completely different person on email. Yeah, that's like the There like in Facebook. Yeah, like professional Meanwhile, like yo like I like you check the file Have you listened to it? That pays I have to you have to agree with me that the pace is quite high these days, right? Yes, like if you don't respond people like why you know responding and I also noticed that For me it like bridging the distance between my friends and Ellis and myself being here I want to take my time to message them. I don't want to say oh, I'm fine. How are you because I? Don't see them a lot. So we have to keep up And then my messages are piling up Sorry, I took off Please edit it out. Oh, it's fine So I feel that pressure to be Like online all the time, but it also I don't like that the machine is Giving me orders so to say Sometimes when I put my phone away before except when I'm in the cinema or something I put it's like on airplane mode and then when I turn it on I'm like How many messages why I pay sometimes it's like 80 messages in the one and a half hours hours What I 80 messages were like what is going on? That is You get me so we get so much information. It's sometimes it's just too much for me. Okay, so I'm guessing Which of the social media platforms? Brings you the most in terms of activity What do you mean activity your notifications and what's up is the most? right and Honestly, now I'm thinking about it. I think on Instagram. I'm more an introvert so I like to Like be inspired and I send things to people DMs and stuff like when I see I've talked about something And then I see something on my timeline. I'll send it to my friend like oh We just talked about this or I recognize this in what we do so that I like and it's the pace is slower Right. I only sent you something when there's connection, but what's up? I feel like It's such a free space big and you have people just keep sending stuff and I'm like whoa like I That's the reverse for me Yeah, why my what's up is Not really. No, it's Twitter. Yeah, people hit me up on what's up When they literally have some business or something specific to talk about Yeah, and that's not a lot if I show you my what's up right now It's not because I've checked all my messages, but it's because sometimes I Can go eight hours without having one what's up message. Ah So I'm the only one what's happening you wouldn't you have to tell me something to do in the house or Okay, we also do lovey-dovey what's up Not only chores Yeah, like I'm just saying oh Like what are we doing tonight or shall we go here? Yeah, and if I have to communicate with oh, I never knew it's not a lot My what's up? It's not a lot at all. It's Twitter and Twitter and Instagram That's where like there's a DM like, you know people are sharing Like-minded ideas or this is or you post something and there's a discourse around it And you know people are mentioned so I'm constantly interacting with those people who I wouldn't Normally talk to Yes, like acquaintances or friends on what's up for long So it's sharp conversations, but the thing is it keeps coming. Yeah, yeah, but that the keeps coming for me That's a bit of a problem. That's why I sometimes just put my phone away or put my especially in the evenings After I've had a whole day of a lot of screens and then you come home to watch Netflix But then I just need to tune out of that constant Stream of information bombardment. Yeah, and I'm sure people think I have so many issues with social media But one thing I've realized is that Especially with long distance so keeping in touch with my family my friends Just call you feel much closer When you call then along what's that message this lady can be on the phone for like three hours Yes, because we need to catch up And she can catch up with the the same person today and catch up with the same person tomorrow and catch up with the same person the next day especially when Roseanne is on the phone or call it. Yeah, my sister's Yeah, well, my sister's I can talk every day or it's a beam Yes, and then they can talk for two hours three hours and she's here laughing I'm like, bro I can hear you from the studio. What the hell is going on? Yes, because it's so fun Like honestly, that's what I maybe that's the problem for me with social media I do connect but because it's digitally like it doesn't make me Like you'd like to hear the person. Yes the tone of voice. I do a lot of voice notes lately I know there's so many arguments about voice notes people hate and people love it But for me, I like it because you can listen to it when you have the headspace for it and then So for example with one of my friends we do these podcasts Podcasts to one another so where we have time we do a voice note like five minutes ten minutes Then the other person listen if I see a five thank you for your podcast I would freak out like What no, it's nice because then so for example, then I'll make my coffee like this I don't and then I just listen to the podcast and listen to how my friend is doing and then I'm like, okay Okay, can I respond to this or should this and then okay, so you do have your positives for your liking social media? Yeah, there are small things This seemed quite important to you Yeah, because I mean otherwise I would never speak to my friends anymore because you cannot see a person once a year And expect to have a friendship Maybe with a few people But I also want to know what's going on in their lives and I mean everybody is evolving and changing. Are you hot? No, no, oh, sorry when I put my hand here. I feel like the microphone is creeping up on my neck So what are the negatives you think for me the pressure to keep up all the time That's really my main thing And this always being on the screen I'm really curious. I don't know if our viewers Our viewers are so ridiculous If if you're watching this if you recognize that that were a lot on a screen without even noticing it I was even thinking so I do yoga in the morning But how I do it? Um, I have my own routine, but sometimes I feel like I want to listen to somebody So I'll put youtube on my phone and do the yoga another screen Then I go to work laptop Do you think it's about time we accept it or you think that this is not so for me I feel very drained if I don't move my body and do something that has nothing to do with the screen For example, that's why I like cooking from time to time because you're just cutting vegetables meat But you're just like in a whole different zone. There's no screen anywhere. Same with reading So I bought this Graham was laughing at me because this week I bought jigsaw puzzle jigsaw puzzles um Guess I was like, I I want to do something that has literally nothing to do with the screen and just like ease my mind a bit And I thought why not puzzles? I love puzzles as a kid. So I I started a little bit, but I didn't come for it Maybe tonight You know campfire You know campfire don't do anything But so you feel you've accepted that we are on screens a lot and I should just accept that you are on screens a lot No, not just accept it. I mean, of course there's a negatives when it actually interferes with the quality of life Yeah, but where's that line? Because for me that line I exceed that line a lot Yeah, I do but then it's the difficulty is that you've gotten used to it And you can't like you do know that. Yes. It's it's actually bad that sometimes you have work to do and you Start a video or this conversation that you go through this thread and boom rabbit hole and you spent one hour. Whoa And then it keeps going on and on I do agree. I do agree that that's a very Negative aspect of the whole, you know, social media thing, but I also think it's being fueled by where the world is going now Which I mentioned with The corona and being inside Yes, you may drop your phone Yes, you may try and what? Do other things But then you wound up doing social things Remotely or from a distance where for example, you watch TV or you watch a movie together with somebody in a different country And that's nice. I mean that's nice. It's two screens. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I just think like being outside going for a walk. I mean in Ghana is a bit more Difficult because during the day it's really hot but like at the beginning of the day or the end of the day and It's possible to do things without screens. It's just that For me, it's very draining That's why I find it hard and I do Yeah I just find I see the keeping up In your behavior as well. So can I share about the notifications? Yeah, yeah So before Quame goes to sleep. So he checks his phone. He likes to be on his phone in bed. I've tried to fight it but There's no Way he's gonna change that So you have to give them take right and then the the thing he cannot stand is so he has all the social media apps in one How do you say square? So you have twitter, facebook or all the whole the da-dee-da And he cannot stand if he goes to bed and they are notifications. So if he sees red um Yeah, I say red notification like four or five something something he cannot stand it He has to click on them. They have to disappear before he sleeps I cannot Tomorrow morning the same notifications will be there nobody gives a dam's ass Whether you answer right at that moment or you I'm not answering them. I just don't like seeing them But that's also it's a thing, right? Yeah, like how how do you have like Look at somebody's phone and you see like Whoa, how do you have thousand and something on red emails? And then when it comes to what's up, that's where you have the issue. I'm saying but it's not the same But I'm just saying that you see somebody's what's up and it's like red No, no, no, I don't I don't read them hundred 200 400 500 on answered what's up. How are you ignoring people like that? How is that even possible? But it's not about ignoring it just that's how these machines are made That's how these programs are made the red thing is supposed to throw you off. Yes. I saw that on the social What's that documentary? Yeah, like the Dilemma the social dilemma. Yeah. Yeah, I saw that. I mean, I'm just saying I agree with a lot of things Everything is like But what am I supposed to do? I'm in the world. I'm stuck here. What am I supposed to do? I think it's good to sometimes take a step back and see how you really feel about it because if you just keep going with it You will get all this information sometimes. Okay. Okay. Let me Apply to myself sometimes you are on your phone And I hear things like there's a song or there's something And later I am somewhere else and I have this song stuck in my head. It's gonna be a worm So can you imagine how many things we pick up? Consciously and unconsciously and we're not even we didn't even go into the topic of content yet Like there's so much toxic So maybe I should live on French playing things so that you can unconsciously learn French Yes, I'm trying to learn French, but it's been a rough ride because I can't seem to find a dedicated time Outside of my new job and Because you're on the screen all the time Yeah That too Anyway, that's a lot of conversation um Yeah content-wise there's also a lot of Things that you have to see through Yeah, that's why I like I really curated my Instagram to see the things you want to see. Yeah, and things that are if people make me insecure Like make me question myself or my body or how I think even friends and family you just unfollow I unfollow. Yeah, or I'm thinking like We don't align in the things that we like it and not that everybody should align with me But for me Instagram is somebody where I meet like like-minded people Of course, I'm always up for dialogue But if it makes me question my character or how I live to a certain extent that I'm comparing myself Then no, I'm not gonna allow that Unfollow unfollow Well, yeah I I do the unfollowing Sometimes too but So when it comes to mentally feeling pressured, I think the only pressure I feel is when My pressure comes from it's not even I think it's good pressure for me. I consider it as inspiration So I like to follow creatives when I see they're doing stuff. I'm like Man, so there's the two there's a two-way thing There's that oh god when like I really want to do some of this And there's the whoa, like this is what is possible Like somebody like me is doing this good. Yeah, that sense of wonder. Maybe. Yeah, like no, no It's not even a wonder. It's like I'm inspired. I'm pumped like whoa people like me like, you know, who you know, I The world doesn't consider as you know Top top are doing amazing things bro. I'm pumped and then the other side is ah, man I'm not patient enough to also wait for my time Yeah, so there's that element of comparison like consciously or unconsciously you are Not longing, but you are yeah, you are longing For what the other person is doing and that on itself I am having a lot of conversations with myself about that like is that something we should nurture or not? I think yes competition and seeing that it is possible is good But to the extent that we are exposed to all these people living all their lives and doing different things And you're seeing only this much of their life And then you still draw conclusions based on that or assumptions or like oh, I could do the same But I'm not doing it because xyz, but you don't know the story of that person. That's why I like so that's that's That's something that that's where mind comes in with work Yeah, I don't care about the person's personality. I don't care about the travel they did I don't care about how I care about travel I want to go everywhere and then when you see people doing it like that It makes it look so accessible, but it's not you have to be smart Yeah, don't live above your wage and stuff. Yeah, I I I don't fall for that kind of influence My influence is more like okay Like yeah, I like to dream about places we can still go to I dream about the films I want to make I dream about the crews I want to work with I dream about the things I can create Yeah, but I I also know I think for me, I also know that those things even for those people They don't most of them don't own The things that ish like they used to create these amazing things They rented the things are too expensive So I've accepted that But I I see the possibility of doing those things as well. Yeah working with other people and creating But how do you think that's like that element of comparison or Well, it is an element of comparison because you're seeing something you wanted or you You're also striving towards that that goal or all these things. So for me, that's I'm wondering how does it what Apply to us like maybe when people watch our youtube videos, they're like, oh, wow They figured it out and they know how to talk to each other and all these things But honestly, we like we do argue a lot. We do have our own moments So for me, that's why I may be so Conscious of what I post and not post and that's why I'm struggling with it because you can only you it's such a one-dimensional thing like I like it when my friends watch our vlogs because it gives some insight into our lives But I'm also like it's youtube like it's me, but it's also A very fragmented part of me. Yeah, it's not me as a whole person That's why these conversations are good because for these conversations we tell it as it is We've let people know that we have insecurities and we have good parts of being on social media. Yeah Yeah, so maybe that's the only thing you can do. Yeah. Yeah, so we're not out here Um forming perfect couple. No, we're telling people sometimes I am worried that people I would hate it for people to think like, oh couple goals because I'm not here to set any standard or any goal. No, like I am we are not goals. We are messy. We are That for me that sometimes that makes me freeze a little bit also with this youtube because I don't want to How to say give the people the wrong impression Yeah, and it's so powerful that people take everything On their own like, you know subjective interpretations. Yeah, like how people react to our comments They think they know us which I understand because you see quite a bit of us. Yeah, but I think but maybe I should ask my friends that meeting me in person is very different from meeting me in youtube It's fine And that's the other thing, okay, when we just should be the last thing on the wisest conversation goes really far Probably we have to do a part two. Yeah, that's People often assume when they see you in social media and all these things that they know you but for me that's balance between Is he so little of somebody? Yeah And not just know you there are the other parts where the people feel like They are Beyond knowing you they feel like they can also Advise you on how to Live the access to is also. Yeah, they feel like oh no. Why are you not doing this? Why do you think you should do it this way? Yeah, you should do it that way. Yeah, so for example, there's uh, we had a few comments saying like that We should sit closer together Like why are we far apart? Why are we far apart, but obviously I'm just Telling like I was just telling Elaine that it's framing like now, but also doesn't even look good that you are climbed up Honestly, like how we are intimate together. It's not something that should be on youtube I don't mean intimate. This is really how like intimate intimate is in naked bodies But I mean how we are interacting when we're sitting on the couch or in being in the house. That's that's not for youtube Yeah, and even if you wanted to show it on youtube It should not be demanded that a why people always like, you know, yeah, we should show more love or something. I'm like Like it's these things like You think that this is how we always sit or talk Not at all And it's not even functional. It's not even practical and for the kind of videos we do we often What is the word I keep I was going to use offload Unpack. Yeah, we often unpack our experiences in conversation. That's basically what we do And conversation Usually you can't have like we're not doing when we're doing activities Outside is usually travel and telling you what what we do and everything and we're having conversation It doesn't make sense to be having conversation and just I don't know what you're looking for honestly, like being in each other's faces and How does that even add up to the conversation? Yeah, and yeah, and also, uh, there was I think you had a few comments about Are you already back from Netherlands? Well, so apparently you saw your social media or something and they expected that you were there for long while So people sees a certain thing and then they draw conclusions and then they start acting on those conclusions Well for me, I really try if people if I see posts from friends and everything I see them. I like them and then I start the conversation about it. So I'm like, hey, how are you doing? I saw this on on on IG like Cool, you've been here in here. What what was the occasion like, you know, just to be more curious instead of Drawing conclusions so curiosity as the question Yeah, like fine answers rather than rather like in the starting points. Yeah instead of I think this video is a very large video But people like to judge too. So maybe that's why She's stopping here. Okay So I think we came to the conclusion Or this video is the starting point Of the effects of social media. Yeah, maybe we should do another video On social media because there's so many elements to it Yeah, we'll find we'll find different ways to unpack some of the experiences as well But I would also be curious to read a little bit how you use social media and like you wasn't How it enhances your life and how it affects you negatively But also positively like that's what I was saying how it enhances your life. Oh, it enhances. Yeah, okay. Yes Enhances how it enhances your life and how it affects and how it affects you negatively We want to know that too. So we can maybe talk about that in the next video Yeah, in the follow up video in the next video. Yes in the follow up video another time Yeah, and then we can talk about the one time you forgot your phone I survived. Okay. Okay. I survived. So yeah, please like this video subscribe Like comment and we'll catch you in the next video. Bye Yes, we also want to know you forgot your sign out. Yes, now we can finish