In a world that pulses with tweets, reels, stories, and scrolling thumbs, the idea of someone who’s never had a social media account feels almost like a myth. But Cal Newport, a millennial, computer scientist, and bestselling author, stands as a very real exception. Standing on a TEDx stage, he made a bold claim that’s both refreshingly radical and thought-provoking: he has never used social media—and he’s better off because of it.

How did this happen? According to Newport, it wasn’t some grand decision rooted in deep philosophy. Facebook came to his college campus during his sophomore year, around the same time he had to shut down a small business in the wake of the dot-com bust. Then along came another college student—Mark Zuckerberg—launching Facebook, which quickly swept across campuses. Out of what he now admits was immature professional jealousy, Newport simply decided not to use it. He never signed up. And he never looked back.

Now, years later, Newport is making the case that not only is he doing just fine without social media—he’s actually happier, more focused, and more professionally successful. And he believes many more people would be better off if they quit social media too.

Let’s unpack his case.

“But Social Media Is Fundamental Technology!”

This is perhaps the most common objection Newport hears. People believe that rejecting social media in the 21st century is like choosing to ride a horse to work or using a rotary phone—some kind of retro act of rebellion.

Newport flatly rejects that idea. Social media, he argues, is not fundamental technology. Sure, it’s built on fundamental technologies—networking, software, data—but social media itself is better understood as a form of entertainment. And not even a particularly savory one.

He quotes technologist Jaron Lanier, who says social media companies offer you “shiny treats” in exchange for your attention and personal data. They aren’t neutral platforms; they are engineered experiences designed to hook you.

This isn’t metaphor. Newport points out that major social media companies hire attention engineers who borrow techniques from slot machines and casinos to make their platforms as addictive as possible. They rely on intermittent rewards—the psychological mechanism behind gambling—to keep users checking in obsessively.

So, far from being indispensable technology, social media is just one more form of entertainment—and perhaps one of the more manipulative ones.

“But I Need It for My Career!”

The second objection Newport tackles is also common: the belief that a personal brand on social media is essential to career success.

Again, he calls this out as a myth.

In today’s competitive economy, what really matters, he says, is the ability to do work that is rare and valuable. The market rewards the person who can solve complex problems, create compelling stories, write clean code, analyze ambiguous data, or deliver persuasive arguments.

What it doesn’t reward, generally, is something a six-year-old can do: post to social media.

Newport’s view is that the time you spend on social media branding is often time taken away from honing deeper, rarer skills. “If you can write a thousand words that captivate, or pull insights from chaos that change a company’s direction—people will find you,” he says. You don’t need followers for that. You need focus.

“But It’s Harmless, Right?”

Even if you don’t believe social media is essential or even important, you might think, “What’s the harm in a little scrolling? I enjoy it. It’s fun.”

This, to Newport, is the most dangerous myth of all.

He urges people to take the harms of social media seriously, especially when it comes to cognitive and mental health. Social media tools are designed to fragment your attention—pushing you to check, refresh, glance, and swipe throughout the day. That’s the business model.

But research increasingly shows that when we spend our days in a state of fragmented attention, it degrades our ability to focus deeply, permanently lowering our capacity for the kind of sustained effort that complex work demands. It makes us less effective, less creative, and ultimately less valuable in the workforce.

And then there are the psychological costs. Newport points to studies that link heavy social media use with increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Seeing curated versions of others’ lives over and over can erode your sense of self-worth. Worse, he argues, our brains simply aren’t wired to handle constant stimulation. The comparison to carrying around a slot machine in your pocket all day is uncomfortably accurate.

He calls attention to rising anxiety levels on college campuses, which have coincided almost perfectly with the rise of smartphones and social media. For Newport, this isn’t a coincidence—it’s a warning.

What Life Without Social Media Looks Like

So, what happens if you quit? Will you be out of the loop? Will you be lonely? Will you miss out?

Maybe—for a couple of weeks.

Newport admits there’s a detox period. You might feel anxious. You might feel like you’re missing something. But after that? He says life on the other side can be incredibly productive and surprisingly peaceful.

Without constant digital distractions, Newport says he’s able to focus intensely and get a lot done. He’s written five books, holds a faculty position at a top research institution, and rarely works past 5 p.m. His secret? Deep work—uninterrupted, intense focus made possible by a mind free from constant checking.

Outside of work, he leads a life that might seem quaint: reading newspapers, listening to baseball on the radio, sitting in a leather chair with a hardcover book after his kids go to bed. But to him, it’s not old-fashioned—it’s fulfilling.

He’s not suggesting everyone become a Luddite. He’s not even saying no one should use social media. But his core message is this: many more people than we think would be much better off without it.

It’s time, he argues, to rethink the narrative. Social media is not inevitable. It’s not essential. And it’s not harmless. Before you invite this technology deeper into your life, you owe it to yourself to ask: Is it really worth it?

As for feedback? Newport says he welcomes criticism. Just don’t expect him to read it on Twitter.

Based on the TEDx talk by Cal Newport.